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Budgie looks like she wants to vomit, but doesn't?

qiaolintan

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A few weeks ago, my budgie Tro vomited and the vet said it might just be a tummy upset, but to come back again in a week if she continues vomitting. Tro got prescribed some antibiotics and anti-vommiting medicine and she never vomitted again after that.

But I noticed that what she'd do is she kind of bobs her head front and back (exactly what she did the last time she vomitted), but nothing happens and she stops and seems fine after a few seconds. She's eating and drinking and active (as much as a moulting budgie can be active!). Should I be worried?
 

Gokha

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Maybe she’s regurgitating?
What was she doing before bobbing her head?
 

Zara

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If she is not shaking her head side to side, she could be readjusting her crop...

If you are concerned, give the vet a call and update them over the phone, see what they think.
 

qiaolintan

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Maybe she’s regurgitating?
What was she doing before bobbing her head?
I think sometimes it happens after I give her some seeds, but I can't really be certain. It seems to be kind of random
 

qiaolintan

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If she is not shaking her head side to side, she could be readjusting her crop...

If you are concerned, give the vet a call and update them over the phone, see what they think.
She kind of turns her head to the side, then her head goes front and back

Yes, thank you, I'll definitely give the vet a call.
 

qiaolintan

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I think sometimes it happens after I give her some seeds, but I can't really be certain. It seems to be kind of random
The thing is, even if she was regurgitating, nothing ever comes out? So I can't tell if she's regurgitating or vomiting
 

Zara

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Some of my birds will regurgitate and then eat it themselves rather than feed someone else or put it in something.
 

qiaolintan

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Just an update: The vet said that it sounds like she might be trying to regurgitate, and there could be many many different reasons for Tro doing this action. Since Tro's eating and activity seem normal, then she said it's best to just monitor her first. It might just be part of a birdie social activity or something.
 

qiaolintan

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Another update: I've been worrying about Tro despite what the vet says, I feel like there's something wrong. Booked an appointment for her on saturday, hopefully everything's alright *fingers crossed*

I linked a video below that I took of Tro's gagging (??) behavior. Hopefully someone who's seen budgies do this before can enlighten me!

 

Shezbug

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Kinda looks like what my budgie does if he gets something in his beak he doesn’t want there.
I’m not really familiar with it though as I’ve only seen him do it a few times and I’m not even sure it was the same movements.

How often and when does she do that movement?
 
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qiaolintan

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Kinda looks like what my budgie does if he gets something in his beak he doesn’t want there.
I’m not really familiar with it though as I’ve only seen him do it a few times and I’m not even sure it was the same movements.

How often and when does she do that movement?
I realized that she tends to do it after I give give her a treat (usually seeds) from my hand. There are times where she does them randomly, but majority of it seems to be after she eats seeds, especially when out of my hand
 
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qiaolintan

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She looks alright when she eats seeds off the table or from a food bowl (most of the time she doesn't exhibit this behavior), so it seems like it's due to my hand?
 
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Shezbug

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Is she grabbing more than one at a time maybe and juggling them in her beak? It doesn’t really look like the regurgitation I remember my budgies doing for each other but it’s been a while since I’ve seen that.
I’ll leave the opinions on what it could be up to the others but to me it looks like she’s juggling something or trying to remove something from her beak.
 

qiaolintan

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Is she grabbing more than one at a time maybe and juggling them in her beak? It doesn’t really look like the regurgitation I remember my budgies doing for each other but it’s been a while since I’ve seen that.
I’ll leave the opinions on what it could be up to the others but to me it looks like she’s juggling something or trying to remove something from her beak.
Hmm, she does it even if I offer a single seed, so maybe it's a no on the juggling thing. Or she could be juggling that one seed around in her beak?

I really hope the vet has an answer for this, I've been searching online for ages and it doesn't seem like anyone has had this experience! I thought at first that it was vomiting or regurgitation, but the videos I've seen of these 2 behaviours doesn't look like what Tro's doing at all!:shakehead:
 

JoJo&Loki

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It really could be a number of things. Is it happening more often than it was when you noticed it- or is it still just random?
Hopefully the vet has some answers for you on Saturday, good luck and please let us know!:)
 

qiaolintan

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Just saw the vet! She said she doesn't really know why Tro is doing this, it could be an irritation in her throat or a neurological problem. If it's a neurological problem, there's nothing much to do because budgies are so small. If it's something stuck in her throat, it'll probably be too small to show up on an x-ray.

Tro got some pain killers to see if there really is an irritation in her throat (but the vet did kind of gently prod her crop but Tro didn't seem uncomfortable or anything), and some anti-vomiting medicine from her last visit. The doctor gave her a physical and said she looks fine, and she's eating and pooping well, so that's good!
 
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