How often for a healthy parrot (Amazon) do you see a vet?

[Linwood]

I saw a real avian vet when I got my DYH Amazon in late June (this year, 2025).

I just got a flurry of reminders (3 actually in 2 days) to make a new appointment, apparently in 6 months.

I don't see my own doctor every 6 months unless something is wrong. Do people really take a healthy bird in that frequently?

It's a 3 hour round trip, plus waiting room time, so besides inconvenient it's pretty stressful for the bird, so looking for a sanity check here.

 

[Mizzely]

Honestly I aim for every other year unless I have a concern.

 

[Clueless]

I take Secret once a year but I need to have her seen in order to continue getting her medicine prescribed.

She doesn't get blood drawn every year and that limits the cost of the visit.

Secret does get periodic nail trims and/or beak trims.

I will add that her very first visit was very traumatic (Secret was panting very hard with the first vet and he was forced to wait for her to calm before proceeding).

Secret just went in this week for a nail trim. I have to admit that the visits aren't nearly as traumatic now.

 

[Miss Annamarie]

I do yearly and get a blood panel yearly usually (at minimum, i always get a blood panel with the ekkies, not always everyone else if I'm broke at the time)

 

[Linwood]

I will add that her very first visit was very traumatic (Secret was panting very hard with the first vet and he was forced to wait for her to calm before proceeding).

I wonder how the next will be. The worst part was after the blood draw they wrapped her leg with stretchy-tape, and she went absolutely nuts trying to remove it, enough so the vet ended up having to catch her in a towel and restrain her while the aide removed the tape. She was much more calm from the actual blood draw, and pretty sedate for the exam (well, comparatively).

.....

It seems no one (yet) is actually going every 6 months. Since they didn't give me any reason, I guess it's either (a) super conservative vets, or (b) money hungry vets.

 

[Mizzely]

It seems no one (yet) is actually going every 6 months. Since they didn't give me any reason, I guess it's either (a) super conservative vets, or (b) money hungry vets.

The only time I've been advised 6 month checkups for any animal is for very senior. Like when my cats hit 15 they advise them but I still don't...

 

[Respect]

Since Pesto is healthy, if you don’t have any other reason to see the vet (nail trims, testing, new concerns, etc.) I don’t think twice a year is necessary.

It seems no one (yet) is actually going every 6 months. Since they didn't give me any reason, I guess it's either (a) super conservative vets, or (b) money hungry vets.

Personally, I took Buddy twice this year and plan to do the same next year. He doesn’t mind the drive at all and doesn’t give the vet a hard time. The first appointment has the works, the second is just a quick physical exam. Since he’s my first bird, has his barbering issues, and boards a few times a year, it gives me peace of mind — plus his insurance covers wellness visits!

 

[Shannan]

Walter went every 6 months only at the last two years of his life. In his youth, Avian vets were almost impossible to find so he probably went 25 years without seeing a vet. The new Conure went every six months but only because I was afraid I would be dropped from the vet and since she was only 30 minutes, I had her do beak and/or nail trims while he was there. She has since retired and we will be looking for a new vet. Hopefully this one will be more inclined towards once a year.

 

[PufF]

Ehh I brought Puff to the vet recently and I asked my vet the same question [because I was in fact the one who wanted to do 6-mth regular checkups but was unsure due to well vet stress and all, though to be fair she did have a really bad respiratory infection just last year so I got extra stressed]. My vet is a bird specialist and she informed me that for young-adult Zons, a physical exam once a year [or every 2 years] + a blood test maybe once every few years would be good. This is because apparently a good physical exam would be able to pinpoint the same issues that a blood test would reveal so there is no need to put them through a blood test each time. And for more senior birds then possibly once a year or more frequently.

I'm more conservative so I think I will be keeping to a physical exam annually and a blood test once every 2 years now that Puff is deemed to be back in good health [technically she has been to the vet 3 times in 12 months, first 2 times for her respiratory issues and 3rd for her nostrils + a physical exam] but honestly, I think I was mainly that stressed due to me knowing that she was from a Rescue situation and also had some liver issues. But if you knew your bird for their entire life and know that they are living a good life a physical exam annually or every 2 years would be fine I think.

 

[Finchbreed]

I'm a believer in treating people and birds alike.
Healthy and young - every 2 - 5 yrs depending if any symptoms are present.
A bit older - annual or bi-annually.
It's how I treat myself - and I am in my 60's and of above average health.

 

[T. gillii]

I would only bring a bird with chronic health issues (heart disease, etc) to the vet every 6 months (or more frequently on a case-by-case basis).

 

[~Drini~]

I take my healthy birds for a full check-up 1x a year. It's the same frequency that I take myself to the doctor.

 

[flwindsurf]

While discussing Vet visits, a breeder asked me, "Why would I take a healthy bird into a room full of sick birds (Vet office)?" It's a risk/reward question. Years ago, I took my three dogs in for their mandatory rabies shot and a couple days later all three had kennel cough. They never leave their yard or are exposed to other dogs, so the Vet's office is the only place they could've been exposed to kennel cough. Risk/reward.

 

[Linwood]

While discussing Vet visits, a breeder asked me, "Why would I take a healthy bird into a room full of sick birds (Vet office)?" It's a risk/reward question. Years ago, I took my three dogs in for their mandatory rabies shot and a couple days later all three had kennel cough. They never leave their yard or are exposed to other dogs, so the Vet's office is the only place they could've been exposed to kennel cough. Risk/reward.

I used to keep horses, and horse vets were almost all house calls. Greatly reduced the spread of illness.

I get your point, but if you take that too far (say for people as well), many serious illnesses would never be caught early. One concern I have is birds, like most prey animals, are really good at hiding signs of illness. But I still think 6 months is too frequent.

 

[patchyjoon]

I've had Patchy (Dusky Conure) for almost 2 years now. I only bring him in when I'm concerned about something, and then I'm planning on doing bloodwork every other year. In general, Patches pants whenever he's handled by any of the vets (we've tried multiple) he just doesn't like foreign people sticking needles into him/touching him weirdly. (I understand him, I'm the same lol.) I'm always scared that the stress will effect his tiny little heart, so I try to limit how much I go. I would just use your best judgement when to take your bird. If you don't feel a need to take him, then don't.

 

[Clueless]

I would strongly recommend weighing often, first thing in the morning after they've had that initial poo.

KEEP A JOURNAL THAT DOCUMENTS THE DATES AND AMOUNTS.

From everything I've read, that's the first indicator of health issues.

 

[Linwood]

I would strongly recommend weighing often, first thing in the morning after they've had that initial poo.

She was 384 at the first vet visit, and has changed from 388 to 393 ever since (different scale so potential measurement variation vs vet).

Though I don't know what impact is normal for seasons, molting, etc., but that seems pretty much "no change".

 

[Clueless]

She was 384 at the first vet visit, and has changed from 388 to 393 ever since (different scale so potential measurement variation vs vet).

Though I don't know what impact is normal for seasons, molting, etc., but that seems pretty much "no change".

When you keep that info on a spreadsheet, you'll see the variances.

My vet weighs when Secret goes in, but I still try to take a copy of my recent spreadsheet with me.

 

[Linwood]

When you keep that info on a spreadsheet, you'll see the variances.

My vet weighs when Secret goes in, but I still try to take a copy of my recent spreadsheet with me.

I know what a spreadsheet is, but that doesn't answer the question what normal vs unhealthy deviations are for an amazon parrot. However, hanging around 1.5% can't be abnormal (especially since I pay no real attention to when I weigh her, just whenever I think about it). A kitchen scale from session to session is likely not precise to much more than 1% if even that.

 

[kadeconure]

I know what a spreadsheet is, but that doesn't answer the question what normal vs unhealthy deviations are for an amazon parrot. However, hanging around 1.5% can't be abnormal (especially since I pay no real attention to when I weigh her, just whenever I think about it). A kitchen scale from session to session is likely not precise to much more than 1% if even that.

From what I've seen, at least for little birds, weight isn't concerning unless its a change of 10% loss or more of their normal. Your vet can tell you a good range based on feeling the keel. It's good advice to weigh before they have eaten breakfast, after morning poo, like clueless said. That will probably be more consistent vs a different time of day every time.