GlennCooper 0 Posted April 14, 2010 Member ID: 6,032 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 7 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 45 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 14/04/10 Status: Offline Last Seen: May 16, 2010 Share Posted April 14, 2010 I've had my budgie for 3 years. Up until a month ago he was a normal, boisterous, chirpy bird. But beginning about 4 weeks ago, he has stopped chirping, whistling and singing. He is silent. Now, my first feeling was that he must have been ill. But he's not ill. His appetite is normal and he still does all the things he used to do. He isn't listless, just silent. He still sits in front of his mirror, but he no longer attempts communication ... He is in a cage that gets moved around to different rooms of the house for stimulation. Someone is home most of the day. He sits on the front porch in his cage (where he used to be noisiest) for a lot of the day, where he can see and hear other birds. At night his cage comes into the living room where the TV is on and people are talking. Quite often you'd have to tell him to pipe down, he was so noisy. But now, nothing! The only time I can get him to chirp is if I take his cage onto the back lawn and lay it on its side, so he can walk around on the grass, etc. Then he chirps again - not as loudly as he used to, but at least it's something like his old self. Does anyone have any idea of what might be wrong? Do birds become less inclined to chatter as they get older? Is it just boredom? I really don't like seeing him like this, and any suggestions would be appreciated. Glenn Link to comment
**KAZ** 0 Posted April 14, 2010 Member ID: 1,976 Group: Site Members Followers: 2 Topic Count: 521 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 25,294 Content Per Day: 1.28 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 152,977 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 24/01/06 Status: Offline Last Seen: January 6, 2015 Birthday: 07/01/1956 Share Posted April 14, 2010 Hi Glenn......... silence to birds is a sign of danger. Maybe something is making him apprehensive or feeling he isnt as secure as he once was. Just a suggestion :rofl: Link to comment
LittleBudgie2005 0 Posted April 14, 2010 Member ID: 5,309 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 18 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 433 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 2,385 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 19/05/09 Status: Offline Last Seen: December 1, 2011 Birthday: 10/03/1987 Share Posted April 14, 2010 I agree with Kaz... Has anything changed at home that may be affecting him...? Link to comment
**KAZ** 0 Posted April 14, 2010 Member ID: 1,976 Group: Site Members Followers: 2 Topic Count: 521 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 25,294 Content Per Day: 1.28 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 152,977 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 24/01/06 Status: Offline Last Seen: January 6, 2015 Birthday: 07/01/1956 Share Posted April 14, 2010 (edited) Try this recorded budgie sounds download CD and see if it helps http://www.listeningearth.com.au/audio/35HappyBudgies.mp3 where to buy it http://www.listeningearth.com/albums/35Hap..._Album_Info.htm also always have sound going on even if its just the radio. Edited April 14, 2010 by KAZ Link to comment
GlennCooper 0 Posted April 14, 2010 Member ID: 6,032 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 7 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 45 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 14/04/10 Status: Offline Last Seen: May 16, 2010 Author Share Posted April 14, 2010 Try this recorded budgie sounds download CD and see if it helps http://www.listeningearth.com.au/audio/35HappyBudgies.mp3 where to buy it http://www.listeningearth.com/albums/35Hap..._Album_Info.htm also always have sound going on even if its just the radio. Yes, I have tried happy budgies on YouTube. He looks around, but remains silent. Link to comment
birdluv 0 Posted April 15, 2010 Member ID: 2,137 Group: Global Moderators Followers: 0 Topic Count: 144 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 4,842 Content Per Day: 0.24 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 31,670 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 14/03/06 Status: Offline Last Seen: June 30, 2018 Birthday: 06/04/1978 Share Posted April 15, 2010 That is odd. Is he going through a molt? Link to comment
GlennCooper 0 Posted April 15, 2010 Member ID: 6,032 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 7 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 45 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 14/04/10 Status: Offline Last Seen: May 16, 2010 Author Share Posted April 15, 2010 That is odd. Is he going through a molt? Nope, no molt! Yeah, it is very odd. I've just about run out of ideas. Most people either say he must be sick or going through a molt; but it's neither of those things. And to the best of my knowledge he hasn't had a scare. Thanks, though, to everyone who replied. I just thought maybe I had overlooked something. I'll just have to get used to a silent bird. Link to comment
Elly 0 Posted April 15, 2010 Member ID: 1,641 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 414 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 15,350 Content Per Day: 2.22 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 99,335 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/10/05 Status: Offline Last Seen: January 1, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2010 I would remove the mirror it is not healthy anyways to have them in there but that there is a difference of opinion too. As long as he is not showing sign of illness I would keep an eye on him. He might be going into a molt I know Merlin becomes much quieter during this period of time. Keep us updated. Link to comment
GlennCooper 0 Posted April 21, 2010 Member ID: 6,032 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 7 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 45 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 14/04/10 Status: Offline Last Seen: May 16, 2010 Author Share Posted April 21, 2010 I would remove the mirror it is not healthy anyways to have them in there but that there is a difference of opinion too. As long as he is not showing sign of illness I would keep an eye on him. He might be going into a molt I know Merlin becomes much quieter during this period of time. Keep us updated. Actually, there is one other piece of information that didn't occur to me until today. Many people have asked me if he is going through a moult: in fact, the opposite seems to be true -- he hasn't moulted in several months. Being an indoor bird, his moults were never big - but they used to be consistent. But it has been a few months and he hasn't moulted. Could THIS be the reason for his silence? What would cause a bird to stop moulting? Link to comment
Elly 0 Posted April 21, 2010 Member ID: 1,641 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 414 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 15,350 Content Per Day: 2.22 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 99,335 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/10/05 Status: Offline Last Seen: January 1, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2010 Molting depends on the time of the year, temps in your house there are different factors. I find that Merlin will go through light molts and then do one really heavy molt which usually makes him cranky and quiet. If he is still really quiet is he at least active? Are you saying you don't hear one peep out of him?Molting depends on the time of the year, temps in your house there are different factors. I find that Merlin will go through light molts and then do one really heavy molt which usually makes him cranky and quiet. If he is still really quiet is he at least active? Are you saying you don't hear one peep out of him? Link to comment
GlennCooper 0 Posted April 22, 2010 Member ID: 6,032 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 7 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 45 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 14/04/10 Status: Offline Last Seen: May 16, 2010 Author Share Posted April 22, 2010 Molting depends on the time of the year, temps in your house there are different factors. I find that Merlin will go through light molts and then do one really heavy molt which usually makes him cranky and quiet. If he is still really quiet is he at least active? Are you saying you don't hear one peep out of him?Molting depends on the time of the year, temps in your house there are different factors. I find that Merlin will go through light molts and then do one really heavy molt which usually makes him cranky and quiet. If he is still really quiet is he at least active? Are you saying you don't hear one peep out of him? Elly, it has gone on for 6 weeks now. On only 3 or 4 days during that six week period has he made even the slightest chirp - all the other days he is totally silent. He is still active, though probably not as active as he used to be. He seems to sleep more. His appetite is as good as ever. The only time he really livens up is when I take his cage onto the back lawn and lay it on its side, so he has access to the grass and, I guess, a different view. He starts chirping then (though not chattering), and darts around the cage, walks on the grass, pecking, etc. It really is baffling. Link to comment
GenericBlue 0 Posted April 22, 2010 Member ID: 4,737 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 106 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 5,156 Content Per Day: 0.92 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 28,240 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 12/10/08 Status: Offline Last Seen: October 27, 2021 Birthday: 08/09/1973 Share Posted April 22, 2010 Molting depends on the time of the year, temps in your house there are different factors. I find that Merlin will go through light molts and then do one really heavy molt which usually makes him cranky and quiet. If he is still really quiet is he at least active? Are you saying you don't hear one peep out of him?Molting depends on the time of the year, temps in your house there are different factors. I find that Merlin will go through light molts and then do one really heavy molt which usually makes him cranky and quiet. If he is still really quiet is he at least active? Are you saying you don't hear one peep out of him? Elly, it has gone on for 6 weeks now. On only 3 or 4 days during that six week period has he made even the slightest chirp - all the other days he is totally silent. He is still active, though probably not as active as he used to be. He seems to sleep more. His appetite is as good as ever. The only time he really livens up is when I take his cage onto the back lawn and lay it on its side, so he has access to the grass and, I guess, a different view. He starts chirping then (though not chattering), and darts around the cage, walks on the grass, pecking, etc. It really is baffling. can i ask is his breathing seem deeper as in not noisey just does he look to be breathing heavier ? Link to comment
Elly 0 Posted April 22, 2010 Member ID: 1,641 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 414 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 15,350 Content Per Day: 2.22 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 99,335 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/10/05 Status: Offline Last Seen: January 1, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2010 You know if he is not sick he could be just lonely, if he does not perk up when he sees you and talks to you then I would say work on having a stronger bond, Pretty was a very very quiet budgie, didn't move and do anything until I really started to work with him and then when I got Merlin his personality really shined through. Link to comment
GlennCooper 0 Posted April 22, 2010 Member ID: 6,032 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 7 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 45 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 14/04/10 Status: Offline Last Seen: May 16, 2010 Author Share Posted April 22, 2010 Molting depends on the time of the year, temps in your house there are different factors. I find that Merlin will go through light molts and then do one really heavy molt which usually makes him cranky and quiet. If he is still really quiet is he at least active? Are you saying you don't hear one peep out of him?Molting depends on the time of the year, temps in your house there are different factors. I find that Merlin will go through light molts and then do one really heavy molt which usually makes him cranky and quiet. If he is still really quiet is he at least active? Are you saying you don't hear one peep out of him?Elly, it has gone on for 6 weeks now. On only 3 or 4 days during that six week period has he made even the slightest chirp - all the other days he is totally silent. He is still active, though probably not as active as he used to be. He seems to sleep more. His appetite is as good as ever.The only time he really livens up is when I take his cage onto the back lawn and lay it on its side, so he has access to the grass and, I guess, a different view. He starts chirping then (though not chattering), and darts around the cage, walks on the grass, pecking, etc.It really is baffling.can i ask is his breathing seem deeper as in not noisey just does he look to be breathing heavier ?No, his breathing is normal. No change at all, there.You know if he is not sick he could be just lonely, if he does not perk up when he sees you and talks to you then I would say work on having a stronger bond, Pretty was a very very quiet budgie, didn't move and do anything until I really started to work with him and then when I got Merlin his personality really shined through.Yeah, I'm starting to think it might be just loneliness or boredom. But he was fine for three years. You'd think he would be used to his situation. Link to comment
GlennCooper 0 Posted May 13, 2010 Member ID: 6,032 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 7 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 45 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 14/04/10 Status: Offline Last Seen: May 16, 2010 Author Share Posted May 13, 2010 My bird, Freddie, died this afternoon. He appeared "normal" the whole time of his silence, until last night, when he suddenly took a turn for the worst. So I guess this can come as a warning to bird-owners -- if their bird stops chirping and chattering, even if he appears normal in every other way, something is wrong. Unfortunately I'll never know what the problem was. As I said, his behaviour was totally normal, except that he became silent. I am very sad. He was only four years old. Link to comment
sootie 0 Posted May 13, 2010 Member ID: 4,805 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 13 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 142 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 860 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/11/08 Status: Offline Last Seen: May 1, 2012 Birthday: 22/09/1985 Share Posted May 13, 2010 I'm very sorry to hear that, Glenn. :question: You couldn't have known since he had appeared healthy all this time. :bow: Link to comment
libby66 0 Posted May 13, 2010 Member ID: 5,898 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 20 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 206 Content Per Day: 0.01 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 1,245 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 31/01/10 Status: Offline Last Seen: July 12, 2012 Birthday: 13/11/1966 Share Posted May 13, 2010 (edited) That's really sad news GlennCooper :question: :bow: Freddie Edited May 13, 2010 by libby66 Link to comment
flycow 0 Posted May 13, 2010 Member ID: 5,773 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 57 Content Per Day: 0.01 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 345 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/12/09 Status: Offline Last Seen: May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2010 (edited) sorry to hear that Glenn. RIP Freddie. When I lost my budgie last time, I just wish they could live as long a life as cockatoos. Such beautiful yet fragile things they are. Edited May 13, 2010 by flycow Link to comment
janeygirl1066 0 Posted June 29, 2017 Member ID: 8,434 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 4 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 30 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 29/06/17 Status: Offline Last Seen: July 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 hello my budgie went quiet but seemed like he wanted to talk but just sqeeked it broke my heart as he is my baby and did talk a lot .i went to a good a avain vet today and he has resporatory disease he should be okay and has been given antibiotics so if you are not sure take him straight to a vet lets hope i get some sleep tonight without worrying also we had to many purches in the cage his tail needs to bob a little to let him breath so we took some away Link to comment
janeygirl1066 0 Posted June 29, 2017 Member ID: 8,434 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 4 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 30 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 29/06/17 Status: Offline Last Seen: July 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 On 4/22/2010 at 0:01 PM, GlennCooper said: No, his breathing is normal. No change at all, there.Yeah, I'm starting to think it might be just loneliness or boredom. But he was fine for three years. You'd think he would be used to his situation. my budgie went quiet but seemed like he wanted to talk but just sqeeked it broke my heart as he is my baby and did talk a lot .i went to a good a avain vet today and he has resporatory disease he should be okay and has been given antibiotics so if you are not sure take him straight to a vet lets hope i get some sleep tonight without worrying also we had to many purches in the cage his tail needs to bob a little to let him breath so we took some away Link to comment
Gloria Cooper (S.A.) 0 Posted August 7, 2019 Member ID: 8,896 Group: Site Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 0 Topics Per Day: 0 Content Count: 1 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 0 Achievement Points: 5 Solved Content: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/08/19 Status: Offline Last Seen: November 2, 2019 Share Posted August 7, 2019 My Pretty Boy is also very quiet of late and he scratches a lot. He used to repeat everything I said but now just chirps. When I come home, he is usually pleased to see me - he stretches out and chirps a bit. I have had him for two and a half years, but do not know how old he was when I got him. I have taken him to the vet and he seems to think there is nothing wrong with him. I commiserate with you Glen. Gloria Link to comment
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