Urgent What's wrong with my tiel?

[hrafn]

My nine-year-old cockatiel has recently (as in, within the past few days) begun sleeping and spending a lot of time on the bottom of his cage, with his feathers fluffed up; he's also sleeping more than usual, drinking more than usual, and his droppings are extremely watery – within a day his pan liner is sopping.
However, his behaviour is otherwise normal, his feathers are clean and soft, he's eating well, he can and will climb back to his perches when he wants to, his feathers smooth out to their normal appearance when he's fully awake, and he's as vocal as usual (which isn't that much). He's not very active, but he's not a very active bird in general.
I'm not entirely sure what to make of his new ground-dwelling tendencies, especially as he's not spending his time down there foraging for dropped food (as usual). Does anyone have any idea what kind of illness he may have, if any? I can't get him into any vet offices until next week, so any theories you have will at least give me an idea of how to keep him from getting worse until his appointment.

If it helps, the only recent change to his life was a total switch over from a seed-and-pellet diet to an entirely-pellet diet. I don't know how that would have an adverse effect on him, but it's all I can think of.

 

[SandraK]

Id' recommend taking him to a vet asap and switch him back to his old diet - if your fid is ill you want him to eat so until you can get him into a vet's office you need to make sure that he is eating and drinking. Fluffed up and at the bottom of the cage is not a good sign.

 

[Princessbella]

He needs to go to an avian vet ASAP. This is not normal tiel behavior.

 

[Mizzely]

Birds are hardwired to hide illness because it makes them targets for predators. Only a vet can diagnose your bird.

 

[Hankmacaw]

The symptoms you describe are common for may, many diseases. Only a vet (avian vet preferably) will be able to diagnose him. This diagnosis will undoubtedly require swabs and blood tests.

Your baby sounds pretty sick so try to keep him warm (85+f) and quiet and make sure he eats and drinks until you can get him to the vet.

 

[WendyN]

I agree with everyone. Please have your baby checked by a vet as soon as you can.

 

[janicedyh]

"Birds are hardwired to hide illness because it makes them targets for predators" I agree with Mizzely and Hankmacaw, I have read that by the time a bird shows symptoms they have most likely been ill for quite some time. A visit to the vet seems the appropriate step. He is definitely ill

 

[JLcribber]

On the surface it sounds like possible liver/kidney issues. 9 years of bad diet is enough to cause serious permanent issues.

Time is of the essence. Next week might be too late to see a vet.

 

[sunnysmom]

I agree with vet. Also an all pellet diet can be hard on a tiels kidney s.... perhaps cut back on pellets? What else does he eat?

@rocky'smom ? @CeciliaZ ?

 

[Lady Jane]

Please don't spend time posting here. Spend time taking your bird to avian vet.

 

[CeciliaZ]

Please take your tiel to a vet. I don't think his illness is due to a recent change in diet...you can always work on changing his diet when he is well.

 

[hrafn]

I wouldn't neglect to provide veterinary care by choice. I care more about my pets than that. If I'd been able to bring him to a vet practice sooner, I wouldn't have mentioned that there were no appointments available in my original post. Avian veterinarians are surprisingly few and far between here, considering I live in the city, and those that do exist are generally booked solid and cannot even see emergency cases.

However, in a stroke of very good luck, one of the vets I've been asking after had a cancellation, so my boy will be in to see a doctor early tomorrow.
I'll be sure to keep everyone posted after the visit!

 

[SandraK]

I wouldn't neglect to provide veterinary care by choice. I care more about my pets than that. If I'd been able to bring him to a vet practice sooner, I wouldn't have mentioned that there were no appointments available in my original post. Avian veterinarians are surprisingly few and far between here, considering I live in the city, and those that do exist are generally booked solid and cannot even see emergency cases.

However, in a stroke of very good luck, one of the vets I've been asking after had a cancellation, so my boy will be in to see a doctor early tomorrow.
I'll be sure to keep everyone posted after the visit!

I don't think anyone who commented was trying in any way to say you didn't care but I know (from experience with my avian vet) if you don't say that you believe the situation is an emergency more often than not the office staff will schedule you for the first available appointment. Then again, I also know that my vet's office will take you as an emergency if you call and show up, but they charge you more for the visit.

I hope your faby will be okay.

 

[hrafn]

I agree with vet. Also an all pellet diet can be hard on a tiels kidney s.... perhaps cut back on pellets? What else does he eat?

Unfortunately, he's a major seed junkie. I've spent literally nine years trying to convince him to eat produce, and have succeeded only in coaxing him to eat about a tablespoon of fresh fruits and vegetables per month. I got him when I was fourteen, and sadly was uneducated on the state of pet store animals, so I bought him at Petland after his spending the first months of his life on a poor-quality seed mix. Which I guess he really liked.
The seeds and pellets he eats are in the form of Lafeber's Nutriberries and Pellet-berries; until very recently he got a mix of both, but I recently switched him over completely to the Pellet-berries. I'll probably go back to a mix of the two for now, to see if that helps any.
The produce he eats consists mainly of mangoes, bananas, seeded grapes and romaine lettuce, as they're his current favourites (aka the only ones he'll eat).

 

[Owned By Birds]

I wouldn't neglect to provide veterinary care by choice. I care more about my pets than that. If I'd been able to bring him to a vet practice sooner, I wouldn't have mentioned that there were no appointments available in my original post. Avian veterinarians are surprisingly few and far between here, considering I live in the city, and those that do exist are generally booked solid and cannot even see emergency cases.

However, in a stroke of very good luck, one of the vets I've been asking after had a cancellation, so my boy will be in to see a doctor early tomorrow.
I'll be sure to keep everyone posted after the visit!

I hope the visit goes well and he can be helped. Good luck. <3

 

[rocky'smom]

use a 50%-50% seed to pellet diet, tiel's kidneys do not handle a all pellet diet well. god luck with your vet visit.

 

[SandraK]

Unfortunately, he's a major seed junkie. I've spent literally nine years trying to convince him to eat produce, and have succeeded only in coaxing him to eat about a tablespoon of fresh fruits and vegetables per month. I got him when I was fourteen, and sadly was uneducated on the state of pet store animals, so I bought him at Petland after his spending the first months of his life on a poor-quality seed mix. Which I guess he really liked.
The seeds and pellets he eats are in the form of Lafeber's Nutriberries and Pellet-berries; until very recently he got a mix of both, but I recently switched him over completely to the Pellet-berries. I'll probably go back to a mix of the two for now, to see if that helps any.
The produce he eats consists mainly of mangoes, bananas, seeded grapes and romaine lettuce, as they're his current favourites (aka the only ones he'll eat).

I know that birds are just like people and they'll either like or hate certain things. A year ago I adopted a 22 year old tiel and the only food he came with was a not so good seed mix. My tiels do get different Higgins mixes as well as broccoli, corn (fresh & steamed), a rice quinoa mix, Worldly Cuisine mixes, wheat grass and bell pepper centers along with millet/sunflower seed as treats. Sonny has since started eating some of the things my tiels eat because he's seen them eat different things.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I hope your visit goes well tomorrow and he gets well soon! Also, try broccoli, many tiels like it, fruit not so much.

 

[Petro]

What did the vet say?? I hope everything is okay

 

[iamwhoiam]

Sorry your 'tiel seems to be ill. Hope things go well at the vet today.