urgent: AC broke, budgies stressed and overheated

[budgieenjo]

i really don't know what to do here. i don't know anyone that can really help.
where we live, it gets pretty hot this time of year, especially towards the beginning of summer. our ac broke after a thunderstorm and my room has been very stuffy. it gets fixed on thursday, but i'm worried about my budgies' health until then. they are showing signs of overheating (panting, spreading wings) and are stressed and won't even let me near them. beyond that, they are still active, eating grooming and chirping, but those signs alone are enough to worry me. i put an ice cube in their water but it melted quickly, and i set a cold water dish in the cage but they won't even go near it. i've also tried misting them but that doesn't seem to have helped much either. the blinds in my room are all closed and i have several fans going (none are pointed directly at the cage to avoid a draft). if anyone has advice for me, please, please help me. i don't know what else i can do and i don't want my birds to get sick and die from something i wasn't even able to prevent.

 

[TheFatBIRB]

Could you purchase a fan. If so get a small one and dont put it directly on them but next to them to cool the air down around them. You could also put there cage in a cooler area if there is one.

 

[Mizzely]

Could you purchase a fan. If so get a small one and dont put it directly on them but next to them to cool the air down around them. You could also put there cage in a cooler area if there is one.

They said they have multiple fans going, unfortunately.

I've seen some people use styrofoam coolers, fans and ice to make a "swamp cooler"

Not sure if evaporative coolers are something you would have access to or not. (things like these) Evaporative Coolers - Heating, Venting & Cooling - The Home Depot

Is there any safe place with air conditioning you can take them? Even if its just for the hottest part of the day.

 

[TheFatBIRB]

They said they have multiple fans going, unfortunately.

I've seen some people use styrofoam coolers, fans and ice to make a "swamp cooler"

Not sure if evaporative coolers are something you would have access to or not. (things like these) Evaporative Coolers - Heating, Venting & Cooling - The Home Depot

Is there any safe place with air conditioning you can take them? Even if its just for the hottest part of the day.

Oh sorry totally missed that part.

 

[Clueless]

Check out this thread and see if it has hints. Remember, you can always search here. I used the advanced search feature

Keeping a cockatiel cool

Hello! First time poster. I have a 15 year old male cockatiel. I am from the UK and we are having a major heatwave right now where temperatures are going up to 40 degrees Celsius! I know that may not seem hot to many people, but our houses here are built to keep heat in and no one has air...

forums.avianavenue.com

 

[BluJay]

Can you move them into the lowest floor or basement (provided there isn't a mold or mildew issue). Even moving them to a room which gets the least direct light can help. If the temperature in the house is higher than the outside you could use one of the fans to pull air in and one to push it out. Also hanging a wet towel around part of their cage and keeping it wet with air current with keep them cool as well.

 

[Toy]

Set a bowl of ice in front of the fan. It will help to blow cool air. Keep blinds closed. Open windows at night, but only if it's cooler outside & close at day break. Place a fan in the wondow to move out stale air & bring in cooler air.

 

[Shezbug]

I used to use big ice packs for my overheating birds in the summer. Wrap them in towels or pop them in a container and the birds would sit or lay on or next to them.
Use a good amount of ice blocks in water dishes to keep drinking water cold.
You can also wet a heap of towels (and wring out well) then put each towel in plastic bags or containers and freeze them then chuck them over the clothes horse or the back of a kitchen chair and let your fans blow through them- works reasonably well.

What kind of temps are you dealing with?

 

[Scorpi0]

Not sure where u live or whats available from your local stores. But if possible, buy a portable AC unit to use for the next few days, then return it. No money lost.

 

[macawpower58]

Making a swamp cooler like Mizzely posted seems the best bet, and very reasonably priced.

 

[Dartman]

Look on Craigslist and Facebook marketplace and find one of the portable air conditioners with wheels and one or two hoses out the window. We have several and they keep the areas they are in comfortable, even better if it's a cloed room.
Then you can fix the central air when you can afford it and have a backup for next time something happens.
I have a couple I'd give away if anyone wanted them as we have two top end dual hose units that have a heat pump and air built in.

 

[flyzipper]

What kind of temps are you dealing with?

This is the key question that determines if it's a problem for the birds or for the owner.

buy a portable AC unit to use for the next few days, then return it

Don't.

 

[Scorpi0]

Don't.

What? Why does it seem that people are against doing this? I really dont get it

 

[macawpower58]

What? Why does it seem that people are against doing this? I really dont get it

It's dishonest and immoral.

 

[Clueless]

What? Why does it seem that people are against doing this? I really dont get it

What @macawpower58 said.

Think about it.

They SELL the item, they don't loan it.

Would you BUY something at full price that others had BORROWED?

 

[Dartman]

Just find one on the used for sale sites like I said and you'll save money or maybe even find one free.

 

[Mizzely]

Depending on the price point, and other factors, sometimes when you take items back to the store, they do not get put back on the shelf, or returned to the manufacturer. They just get destroyed. So there's also waste generated by perfectly good items this way.

 

[WillowQ]

I lived in an attic apartment some years ago. Our city had its first really hot summer and my birds looked sick they were so hot. For a few weeks I froze bottles of water and put them in the corners of the cages. Used fans also. This helped a little but not enough (I was worried my birds would die.). So I bought a window ac unit used and paid off my landlord to allow this addition to the electric bill.
You could try the ice bottles and maybe a wet sheet draped over cage back plus a fan.

 

[Scorpi0]

What @macawpower58 said.

Think about it.

They SELL the item, they don't loan it.

Would you BUY something at full price that others had BORROWED?

Around here, anything returned with an open box gets sent back to the manufacturer to get tested and quality checked.
I usually won’t do it myself. But if its an emergency situation and my budgies’ life is in danger, then I think its acceptable.

 

[Olliebirb]

I also think freezing bottles of water and then putting them at the bottom of their cage might help. What is the temperature there?