Urgent Help! Budgie flew into ceiling fan-permanent damage?

[LAJoe21386]

Help!

I have 2 six month budgies. They are my everything. They love to fly and have tons of freedom. I unfortunately forgot that the cage was open and was working on my computer when one of them got out and flew directly into the ceiling fan while it was on high speed. She immediately fell to the ground chirping and twitching. I held her and she seemed to be stable. I placed her in the cage and she shortly after ate, and was playing, however immediately had a head tilt and couldn’t fly.

After 2 days of monitoring, although eating, playing, and chirping, her head tilt and flight didn’t improve so I took her to the animal hospital. They monitored, provided fluids, vitamins, anti inflammatory meds, and sent her home. It has been almost a week and her head tilt is maybe only 10% better. She is herself in eating, playing with the other budgie, and doesn’t seem off other than the head tilt and she absolutely can’t fly. Due to the tilt, if she attempts tofly, she falls right down. It breaks my heart.

Any advice ? Do you think this head tilt will improve, could she fly again? How long does this take to heal ? She’s my little baby !

 

[finchly]

Did you ask the vet?

I don’t think anyone here can Answer that.

 

[Zara]

Hello Joseph,

Sorry to hear your budgie got hurt.

As Finchly said, those are some good questions for your vet. I wonder if you could email him/her and see what they say? Otherwise, I would ask during your next appointment.

In the meantime, altering your setup may benefit the little one. Adding ropes, bridges, boings to the room, and lining the floor around cages and stands with towels, blankets or yogamats to soften any falls. Inside their cage, see how your bird manages to get around and make sure she is not falling, or struggling.
Be sure she can get to the food bowl, perch and reach toys.
If she is falling in the cage, line it with some non pilling fleece.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

Any traumatic injury/incident (especially involving head, neck, or spine) warrants an immediate trip to the vet, not a let’s-wait-and-see approach. The sooner they get treatment, the better their chances of recovery.

You have to make it a habit to never turn on the fan unless you’ve checked that all birds are secured, and to never open a cage door unless fans have been checked. Our house only came with two fans, and they were both in the main area, none in the bird rooms - and I like it that way! As you are learning, fans are very dangerous. There are many hazards to birds in our homes. There was a more current thread about dangers to birds, but this is the only one I could find right now:

Bird Safe Home

Imagine you have a flying two-year old whose fingers can get into an opening about 1/4 inch in diameter. Think of the many alterations in your house you would need to do to make it childproof. Basically, you will need to do that to remove household hazards and bird-proof your home. The...

forums.avianavenue.com

 

[finchly]

@fluffypoptarts they went to the vet.

so I took her to the animal hospital. They monitored, provided fluids, vitamins, anti inflammatory meds, and sent her home. It has been almost a week

 

[fluffypoptarts]

@fluffypoptarts they went to the vet.

Yes, but two days later. Should’ve been right away.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I hope your little friend will get better, and hopefully you can get some answers from the vet. You could also get a second opinion if needed.