Sickness in Pet Birds
Many new bird owners may not know the symptoms of bird sickness and birds are often good at hiding them. There are a few telltale signs you should watch for to have the best chance of saving your pet from a lifethreatening ailment. If your bird exhibits any of these symptoms contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Signs of Sickness
Birds are sensitive and intelligent creatures. They are also usually creatures of habit. While they may try to hide their symptoms paying close attention to their daily activities behavior and general attitude 1 Trust your gut. If you suspect something is off with your bird its better to speak to your vet before things get worse. As a bird owner there are some common symptoms should all be on your radar.
Its not the most pleasant task to monitor your birds droppings but they can clearly show that something may be wrong 1 While the color of your birds droppings may vary slightly depending on what you feed it you should watch for droppings that are yellow rusty brown or tarry black.
These can be indicators of internal bleeding or other serious problems. Pay attention to any major changes in the consistency of your birds droppings. Whether theyre too runny or too firm they can cause complications for your pet.
Birds that sit with their feathers fluffed out for prolonged periods of time are often affected by respiratory problems or other disorders 1 Ruffled feathers may also conceal weight loss which can be lifethreatening for a bird. If you observe this behavior in your pet for more than a day or so you should contact your vet as soon as possible.
as well. Weigh your bird regularly so youll know if your pet is having trouble maintaining its weight.
Red Inflamed or Runny Cere or Eyes
Birds have an extremely high metabolism so its vital that they receive adequate nutrition every day. If your bird stops eating and begins to lose weight it may be a sign of an intestinal blockage or impaction in which case it could die very quickly without medical attention 3 Make sure to clean out the bottom of your birds cage every day before you feed it. This provides an easy way to monitor food consumption as well as changes in droppings.
Respiratory problems are among the most common bird sicknesses and unfortunately the most serious. If you see your bird breathing with its mouth open while its at rest theres a good chance that its not only sick but has been for quite a while 4 This requires immediate veterinary attention and may lead to hospitalization.
Dirty Feathers
Birds are by nature hygienic animals that bathe frequently and preen their feathers daily to keep them clean. If you notice feathers around your birds face or rump that appear messy or stuck together its an indication that your pet could be sick 4 Monitor the birds food consumption