• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here
  • This forum is for advice about initial treatment given to your injured/sick bird until a qualified avian veterinarian is available.
    THIS IS NOT MEANT TO REPLACE VET CARE

911 Sick Budgie? Help!

haze

Sprinting down the street
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/2/15
Messages
401
Location
Houston
Real Name
Sam
My budgie, Dante, is acting very strange today. His feathers are fluffed out, he doesn't want to fly, and normally, I cannot touch him, but today he doesn't even mind. He keeps falling asleep in the food dish, and I noticed that his brother Bran is picking on him. He's three months old, so even if he is secretly female, I don't think he's old enough to be egg bound. I've already separated him into a smaller cage with a sturdy perch near the bottom. Taking him to a vet isn't really an option, as we live way out from any avian vet, and all the small animal vets here don't do birds. (I've called) I will upload some pictures, if that will help anyone who may know what's wrong with him.
 

Tiel Feathers

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/15/14
Messages
20,193
Location
Quincy,CA
Real Name
Deanna
Oh no! It sounds like he's very sick, and he really should see a vet. Is there one you can get to that is a couple hours away? I suggest you keep him very warm and cover three sides of his cage. Is he eating and drinking? I hope your little one is okay!
:sadhug2:
 

rocky'smom

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/14/14
Messages
17,442
Location
minnesota
Real Name
laurie
you need to get him to the vet now please
 

iamwhoiam

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/16/12
Messages
28,269
Location
the zoo
If your little budgie is fluffed, sleeping a lot and behavior has changed the best thing to do is get him to the vet. Is he eating and drinking at all? How are his droppings? Do keep him warm by covering 3 sides of the cage and, if possible, putting a heating pad under 1/2 of the cage. If you give us an idea of where you are located perhaps someone can suggest a vet. I hope he will be OK.
 

finchly

Cruising the avenue
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
5/16/14
Messages
12,708
Location
SW Florida
Real Name
Finchly
If getting to a vet is not an option, take a photo of his tummy. The lower area. Pull feathers back (wet them a little if needed) we want to see the belly itself. Pm me this photo.

What meds do you have on hand?

What do his poops look like, - and how do they differ from normal?
 

haze

Sprinting down the street
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/2/15
Messages
401
Location
Houston
Real Name
Sam
Happy Update!
After being separated for a few hours, Dante has made a great recovery, he's perked up and happy, no longer showing any symptoms. I suspect he was just feeling a little stressed and overwhelmed by his siblings. We are keeping him in another cage for the night, and if he's still good tomorrow, we'all put him back with his flock.
 

haze

Sprinting down the street
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/2/15
Messages
401
Location
Houston
Real Name
Sam
Also, his poops are normal, and he's eating and drinking fine. We just got our budgies about two weeks ago, so I think he was just a little stressed out
 

iamwhoiam

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/16/12
Messages
28,269
Location
the zoo
How long have you had Dante?
Good that he is doing better and good idea to keep him separated from the others.
 

rocky'smom

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/14/14
Messages
17,442
Location
minnesota
Real Name
laurie
be careful putting him back in with his siblings. they may just start picking at him again. it sometimes happens with a flock, and there is just one little bird that they love to pick on.
 

slinky-kitty

Sprinting down the street
Joined
5/15/15
Messages
579
Location
Australia
You should consider keeping him warm. Even from a lamp carefully positoned by his cage. Sick budgies need to be kept warm around 30 degrees celcius. If his cage mates were picking on him that is a sign he may be sick. Make sure he has plenty of easy to reach food and water. I hope he is ok. Even though he shows signs of improvement he is not out of the woods. Good luck. :besafe:
 

Lady Jane

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
8/25/12
Messages
26,569
Location
Maryland
Real Name
Dianne
I would not put him back where he was so stressed out he was sick. Are this two birds siblings? If so that me be the source of the problem.
 

gibsongrrrl

Courtney Lou Hoo
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
7/4/10
Messages
9,292
Real Name
Courtney Lou Hoo
Is he starting his baby molt? If he seems totally fine now and he is molting, that could be the cause. My budgies have me on the verge of rushing to the vet every time they molt, lol. There will be a about a week or so of them being totally fine one minute and then I turn around and it looks like I have a sick bird, but it just seems to really tire them out at points. My other birds aren't noticeably different when molting so it scares me every time, lol. Do keep an eye out though. Make sure you have 1 food dish per bird in the cage plus an extra if you have multiples and he is getting picked on. It sounds like you separated him which is good. Still think putting him on supplemental heat is a good idea like others have mentioned and just keep an eye on him. They can hide illness really well so better safe than sorry. Avian gastric yeast is one thing that seems to be a common issue with budgies and they will seem to eat lots but don't actually gain weight so may not be super obvious at first. Mine had when I got him and was visibly ill but his poops looked pretty normal. Would definitely recommend any new budgie being tested for it whether they seem ill or not just because it is something that is seen a lot with them, is easy to spread, and can be hard to get rid of. Not a very expensive test either.
 

gibsongrrrl

Courtney Lou Hoo
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
7/4/10
Messages
9,292
Real Name
Courtney Lou Hoo
You should consider keeping him warm. Even from a lamp carefully positoned by his cage. Sick budgies need to be kept warm around 30 degrees celcius. If his cage mates were picking on him that is a sign he may be sick. Make sure he has plenty of easy to reach food and water. I hope he is ok. Even though he shows signs of improvement he is not out of the woods. Good luck. :besafe:
That's why I got bongo. Another bird in the cage at the store was just going after him non stop, making him fly and keeping him from the food and water. I didn't realize how sick he was until I got him back to the house.
 
Top