GCC weird regurgitation?

[Parakeet88]

I finally have a few days off from work so I went to my parents house for a couple days. I always bring my GCC, ben, with me. This is only his second car trip, he did really well on the first trip but this time it was raining. I think the wipers and how loud the rain was freaked him out at first. He seemed a little worried but not panicked and he calmed down after a bit.

At one point kind of early in the drive I looked over to check on him and he was bobbing his head and wiggling his neck around like he wanted to feed a baby/ mate. I've never seen him do that behavior before so I thought it was weird but didn't think much of it, my keet does it all the time. I looked over again a second later and he had a red glob in his beak. At first I thought something was wrong with his tongue but then he spit it on the ground. I couldn't get a great look at it until I got home. He bobbed his head around a couple other times during the drive, but not as crazy/ long and I don't think anything came up those times. When I got to look at it it looked like a green pellet covered in the mush of a red pellet (he eats zupreem fruit pellets) but I can't be sure. It didn't look like blood and there were two distinct colors, something round and green covered in red, no sign of blood. It had a smell to it but not super strong or particularly bad.

I've only had him a few months but his behavior hasn't changed and he seems fine (he's been eating and playing) but I know they can hide illness really well. I will be calling the avian vet tomorrow to get an appointment but I'm not sure when that will be. I was just wondering if any one has any ideas what could be going on and if there's anything I can/ should do until I get him to the vet. Thanks!

 

[Lady Jane]

New behavior of head bobbing and riding in a car just may be motion sickness. However repeated head bobbing in a budgie could be AGY. So many budgies get or carry this. I suggest a vet visit for your parakeet for an initial crop swab to check for yeast. Suspected AGY if caught early can be controlled.

 

[Parakeet88]

My keet does it for his cage mate and a few particular toys he likes. When he does it for his toys he doesn't actually bring anything up. I will take them both to be safe and if my keet does have it then I'll definitely have to bring his mate since he feeds her. I did bring my female keet to the vet a few months ago because I thought she might have slight tail bob. At that point she was a healthy weight and the vet said she seemed healthy. I hate bringing my keets in because they're not tame so I have to catch them and the whole experience really stresses them out. I was thinking maybe Ben was just car sick but I still need to bring him for a check up anyway. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Parakeet88]

Also if he was car sick wouldn't he be bringing up stomach contents? This seemed like it came from his crop, that's why I wasn't sure if he was just car sick or not.

 

[Lady Jane]

The crop holds food that a bird eats, then to the gizzard for processing. I believe mostly they vomit from the crop. Sounds like you take good care of your birds. Hope they are all well.

 

[Lesley Yeung]

Bird does the exact same thing when he goes on car rides. He doesn't seem sick like a person or dog that gets motion sick. But he bops and pukes.

 

[Parakeet88]

Ok it's good to know it's probably just car sickness. I feel bad for him though, I'm hoping it was just the rain that freaked him out. His first car ride went really well but it was nice and sunny out and I think he enjoyed being in the sun. I'll keep a close eye on him on the way back and take note of the weather. Is there anything I can do to help comfort him while in the car? Should I try keeping him covered? I just ordered him a wingabago carrier since his one now doesn't have a place for food or water. I found a little water cup that fits on his carrier but it's just not a great set up. Any advice for the car sickness?

 

[Lesley Yeung]

I minimize the smells are make sure my husband hasn't been smoking in the car. I get car sick if I am a passanger and those things bug me so I figure it can't hurt with Bird. I don't wear perfume either.

 

[Parakeet88]

I minimize the smells are make sure my husband hasn't been smoking in the car. I get car sick if I am a passanger and those things bug me so I figure it can't hurt with Bird. I don't wear perfume either.

No one smokes in my car and I never wear perfume anyway but I'll keep this in mind, thanks! Would something like chamomile or mint help? I give him some chamomile in his carrier but maybe I should give it to him before we leave

 

[Lady Jane]

Front seat may be better if you can. Can't you not take him in the car? There is a product called Avi calm for birds but I never used it for anything.

 

[Lady Jane]

Some things you could do is put some fresh strained ginger tea in the water dish a few hours before your trip. Withhold food before trip.

I don't like Bird tricks.com but good suggestions are here. Motion Sickness In Parrots

 

[Parakeet88]

Front seat may be better if you can. Can't you not take him in the car? There is a product called Avi calm for birds but I never used it for anything.

His carrier goes in the front passenger seat. I think he prefers to come with me rather than being left alone a couple of days. Ive just moved out on my own and like to visit my parents when I can but it's a two and a half hour drive so I only go when I can spend two to three days (not very often). I bring him with me instead of leaving him alone. He is totally fine being at my parents. He has a nice big cage and still gets lots of out time. He doesn't show any signs of being stressed or scared while he's here. The first time he came with me he actually seemed to enjoy the drive, I think the rain freaked him out at first this time but he calmed down after a bit. I hope he'll be ok on the way back. I don't want to stress him out or make him uncomfortable, but I think he's better off coming with me. I'll definitely check out that link.

 

[Parakeet88]

Some things you could do is put some fresh strained ginger tea in the water dish a few hours before your trip. Withhold food before trip.

I don't like Bird tricks.com but good suggestions are here. Motion Sickness In Parrots

I just made a fresh batch of chop and have some ginger left over so I'll try that before the drive back

 

[Lady Jane]

Let us know how he does.

 

[Parakeet88]

He did really good on the way back. He loved the ginger water. It wasn't raining when we first left but it did rain on and off through out the drive. He was so into his snacks I don't think he even noticed lol

I didn't see him bobbing his head at all and there's no sign of anything regurgitated on the bottom of his carrier. There was also no sign of any regurgitated food on his cage bottom so it seems like it is car sickness. I'm going to work on taking him for short drives around the block so it doesn't freak him out so much. I think part of the reason he was better on the way back is because it had only been a couple days since the drive there so he knew what was going on this time.

Thanks for the help!

 

[webchirp]

Car sickness...my two girls (Zia and Giggie) get car sick. You should have seen them when we had a roundabout put in close to home. Guaranteed motion sickness as soon as we started on it...every time.

 

[Parakeet88]

It's just so weird he had never done it before. I got him while visiting my parents so he went in the car from the store to my parents and from there to my apartment and I never saw him do it. He also didn't do it on his first car ride in his carrier to my parents or on the way back so I thought I was in the clear.

I'm glad to know he's not sick but I feel terrible having to bring him in the car if it makes him not feel good. At this point I'm just looking for ways to make him more comfortable. I do think he'll like the wingabago carrier. He loves rope perches so I'm excited I can put one of those in for him.