loud coughing sound - almost like a bark

[cecilou]

Hi! I just joined this board and hope to get some help or at least peace of mind.

I have a 9 year old Maroon Bellied Conure named Mini. Mini has been making a terrible coughing/honking/barking sound that has me concerned. Up until recently Mini had only made this sound once or twice. The first time was when a non-stick pan had been used accidentally - and I know it was breathing distress that made Mini make the sound. That was probably 5 years ago - that time we immediately took Mini out of the room and next to a window, and eventually went outside with him while we aired out the house. That was that.

Lately though Mini has been making this sound more often, and it seems to be while eating. About a month ago Mini coughed or hacked once or twice and then stopped. Then again a few weeks ago the same thing, once or twice and then stopped. Yesterday morning Mini was munching on pellets in the morning and started the sound - and really seemed distressed. I took him out of the cage - went to a window, Mini took a huge poop, and then stopped and seemed fine. This morning around the same time, the hacking sound (I was still asleep but I could hear that Mini was munching pellets), so I got up - took him to the window but this time he continued making the noise for a few more minutes. Eventually he stopped and now he's calmly sleeping on the back of my husbands neck...

The sound is awful - sounds a bit like a cough, with a bit of honk in it. It is sharp and repeats quickly.

I can't tell if something is stuck or if he is choking. I open up his beak and can't see anything. All the rest of the behavior is normal too. Mini had a check up two weeks ago and was deemed healthy.

I just hate not knowing what is going on. Thanks for any ideas.

Cecily & Mini

 

[lotus15]

Hmm, that's so strange, I wish I could help but I'm afraid I don't know much about this particular issue. How are Mini's droppings? I know that's an odd question but I ask since you said when you brought him to the window he did a made a huge one... have you potty trained him? I once read about a bird who was potty trained incorrectly and would ONLY go when his owner told him to, and then had serious blockage issues because of it...?

 

[cecilou]

droppings are normal. Mini is potty trained but goes when needed anyway. The size was normal for his "morning poop" - I didn't wait for him to drop it before taking him out of his cage. I find this pretty strange too, and am wondering if the smart little thing has figured out that I'll completely fuss over him if he makes that awful honking sound.
He did seem in distress initially though...

 

[lotus15]

I'm sorry, I can't be of much help. I think you might be right though, sometimes when they see that something gets lots of attention-- even if it's your completely stressed out attention-- they'll do it just for that. Maybe try ignoring the next few and see if it stops? But do pay attention for other signs of course.

 

[Brigidt36]

I'd call the vet and ask them. Did you mention this to them at your last vet visit? I once rushed my amazon to the vet because of his terrible cough. Turns out he was as healthy as could be, just mimicing the terrible cough I had had a few months before when I had bronchitis. He must have been practicing that cough while I was at work because I had never heard him do it before...hence the emergency vet visit, lol. He hates the vet and hasn't coughed since, the little Stinker butt.

 

[Birdiemarie]

I'm sorry Mini is appearing to have some trouble. Does he open and close his mouth when he does this coughing as if trying to clear something from his throat? It may be a good idea to call and consult with your vet.

 

[cecilou]

Mini is now munching pellets - jumping around his cage, acting COMPLETELY normal. When he first made this sound he was shaking his head a little and maybe opening his beak - I get freaked out so it is hard to remember.

Behavior now is definitely normal.

One thought - we are transitioning to a seeds for treats only diet, and Mini is eating a lot more pellets than he used to. Maybe he is eating too fast and bits are getting stuck? I'll call the vet when they open in a little bit.

 

[lotus15]

A common issue with pellets is that they are much drier than seeds. Seeds are more fatty, yes, but fat actually also has a second function, which is to store water. For some birds, particularly ones from more arid areas (especially color mutation parrotlets, budgies, and cockatiels), pellets are quite dry for them and aren't recommended to be more than a small percentage of their diet (some say 25-40%, some say none). I haven't read any issues with this with conures yet but maybe he might need to take a sip of water, or dunk his pellets?

 

[cecilou]

lotus15- that is really interesting. Mini has always been an evening pellet eater - and dunks them meticulously. We saw a new vet a few weeks ago who recommended that we address Mini's feather picking habits by encouraging him to forage for his favorite foods - namely the seeds. Mini is taking to this really quickly and seems to enjoy it. We have been wrapping his seeds in paper towel so he has to work to get them, and leaving the pellets and fresh food in open bowls. I've noticed that he is changing his feeding habits. So where he used to eat seeds first thing in the morning, fresh food when we provide it, and pellets in the evening - he's now eating pellets first thing, and lots of them - some dunked some not.

Just now I helped punch a hole in the covering to the seeds and Mini went at it like a paper shredding maniac - and is now sorting through the seeds for his favorites. And now he's over on his fresh food bowl eating an apple and drinking water.

I'm sure this is all related - maybe it is just a matter of balance.

 

[lotus15]

Well that sounds fantastic to me, foraging for food is a great idea I think. I was just reading somewhere that some people suspect that a big cause of plucking is because parrots are bored and don't have to forage for their food.

I'm not sure why this is, but one thing I have read on a few sites is that it is best to serve fresh foods or cooked foods (mashes and things) in the morning as the first big meal and then the dry stuff (pellets nuts seeds etc.) later in the day as their night meal. Something about saving the higher protein stuff for later ... sorry, I know this isn't helpful, but perhaps maybe feeding schedules has something to do with it?