Budgie seems confused, not sure if i should be worried

[LiefDuivel]

My 7 year old budgie, genji, has had no health issues in the years I've had him, and been really healthy. But in the past few days he's been exhibiting strange behavior? Sometimes, usually when I am near the cage, or he's out of the cage with me, he'll stop and tilt his head side ways or crane his neck in confusion and not respond to my finger (other than opening his beak slightly in protest and chirping very quietly)

Most of the time he acts totally normal, chirping happily and jumping to my finger when it's offered. He started doing these really quick flaps, where he'd do five almost "shuddering" flaps really quickly in a row while staring at me. He trembles a little bit, but only when I lift the blanket off the cage in the morning.

Otherwise his behavior has been totally normal - playing, flapping/flying, eating, drinking, socializing are all normal and so are his poops. I thought he might be suffering from heat stress, but his feet are the usual temperature and he isn't panting or holding his wings out. He isn't bathing when I offer him bowls of water though.

Its been very hot here lately, and most days my AC is able to keep the apartment between 22C and 25C, but I can't have the AC on at night (the hose goes out the balcony door and i dont want to leave it open when I'm asleep) and so it sometimes reaches 28C to 30C at night. I try to keep a fan blowing near, but not on the cage with ice in front of it to try and help keep his corner of the room manageable.

Sorry if thats a lot of information, but I've been terrified of him getting affected by the heat since its been so hot this year, and I've been extra anxious since his mate crossed the rainbow bridge a few months ago.

I've tried getting videos but he goes normal whenever I try to film, but I'll try to get a video an attach in the comments maybe.

 

[Cat The Great]

This behavior does seem to be a bit confusing. A video would really help to see what you are talking but I know you mentioned you have not caught it on video. A couple of questions for you since it is relevant:
1. Any changes in environment? Or any upsetting situations recently?
2. When he displays this strange behavior how long does it last and how does he act afterwards?
3. How often is this happening per day?
4. Any weight loss if you weigh him?
I am not really sure what is going on. If he truly is confused and shuddering it might be a seizure. However, the only way to confirm or diagnose anything is to go an avian vet especially this a new onset of symptoms with seemingly no cause.

 

[LiefDuivel]

This behavior does seem to be a bit confusing. A video would really help to see what you are talking but I know you mentioned you have not caught it on video. A couple of questions for you since it is relevant:
1. Any changes in environment? Or any upsetting situations recently?
2. When he displays this strange behavior how long does it last and how does he act afterwards?
3. How often is this happening per day?
4. Any weight loss if you weigh him?
I am not really sure what is going on. If he truly is confused and shuddering it might be a seizure. However, the only way to confirm or diagnose anything is to go an avian vet especially this a new onset of symptoms with seemingly no cause.

1. No changes to environment, other than when I swap out food bowls to clean
2.the flapping only lasts a second or two and the craning neck/confusion maybe 5-30 seconds, its never lasted past a minute
3. The flapping so far only once every other day, one time two days in a row, but never more than once in a day, the confusion is more hard to say but roughly once or twice a day
4. His weight is healthy, I usually weigh him once a month - I thought he might have lost weight, since he's recently become obsessed with "feeding" a non-reflective chain in the cage (i keep reflective surfaces out to avoid hormonal issues, I dont know how he's decided a plastic chain is his new mate) but his weight is normal

I'm on the waiting list for an appointment with our avian vet, who said we'd probably get in closer to the end of the month, thankfully, but I wanted more experienced bird owners to weigh in in case i need to take him to the emergency vet

Thank you so much for your reply

 

[Shezbug]

You noted he is not panting or holding wings out from the body so I don't think it can be heat stress causing the things you are seeing. Obviously, living beings become acclimatised to the conditions they live in but the temps you mention I have seen budgies dealing with without a concern so if it is normal to be in the mid 20's for your then I do not think 5C extra will be a problem.

Without seeing what you are seeing it is hard to make a guess as to what might be going on, the shivering/shuddering could be hormonal, excitement or fear but, again, without seeing it its hard to say. I do not think it sounds like an emergency but I would keep the vet appointment you have anyhow.

 

[macawpower58]

Me, I'd guess hormones if you see no other signs of illness.
My amazon has reactions like that to my getting close to him.
Slightly freezing and staring, small shudders, sometimes small wing flips.
Almost seems in another world, or even a small seizure.
First time I saw them I ran to call the vet.