IM scared guys.... lately yesterday and today (2days now) My Budgie hasn't Chirped or act normal.... its always puffed up and his feathers above his cere is a bit spike up and is dried...(like gel) Its also making this weird noise Sorta like Chirping exept Softer and very odd... (the sound you make when your your pumping something.. not the Pffft noise but the Srcreeky Noise) :mellow:

Im really scared... :ausb:

Any idea what this problem is?

Sounds like a respiratory infection to me and I WOULD be racing this bird to the avian vet ASAP. Sounds quite urgent to me. Please make an appointment and get in as soon as you can.

The gel like appearance of the feathers above his head sounds like vomitting. This budgie needs to be separated from any other birds you have, put under a heat lamp, and you need to be on the phone making an appointment with an avian vet immediately. Do not wait. Tell the receptionist he is quiet, fluffed and vomitting - it will be treated as an emergency and they will make an effort to get you in sooner.

Edited April 28, 200718 yr by Bea

aww crud... its late at night... :ausb:

 

Are there any remedies?

Edited April 28, 200718 yr by calvino

go right next morning.. and overnight it would be good if its over room temperature.

:ausb: what happens if i dies next morning.... its still making that noise now..... but but.. its not shaking or anything... o gawd it seems like his dying sloowy... o man....

o boy... now it acts normal like it scracthes its head and fluffs up and shakes itself... but... its like... retarted? it seems like its having problem breathing

and its cere is turining whitish...

Edited April 28, 200718 yr by calvino

Here is information that will help you NOW to set up a hosptial vet and a link to find an AVIAN vet. I hope all is okay and he makes it.

 

Australia:

http://www.vetafarm.com.au/avian_vets.asp

 

UK/Other:

http://www.theparrotsocietyuk.org/avian-vets.shtml

http://www.parrotpassionsuk.com/Advice/Uk_Avian_Vets.htm

 

 

Why hurry?

Budgies in the wild that show signs of illness, injury, or other weakness are the first to be picked off by predators. Because of this, they instinctively "hide" their troubles for as long as possible. If you've ever watched a budgie die (and I hope you've been spared the sight) you'll know that until the point where they can no longer move, they attempt to look as normal and alive as possible. It's extremely sad to watch, but it's what they're designed to do. As a result, a sick budgie will make itself appear healthy and by the time you actually notice that something is up, the bird is feeling extremely bad. Sometimes they show no signs until they're on the brink of death. This is why ANY change warrants a phone call to your avian vet at the very least. It costs nothing to make the call (well, depending on your phone plan) and your vet can let you know if he/she thinks the bird needs to be brought in and when. Making an appointment as soon as you notice something amiss is the best course of action but a phone call is better than wasting time trying to guess yourself. Which brings me to another good point: Googling the symptoms or asking people on the internet will usually end in the answer "It could be any number of things." This is because symptoms of illness in budgies are very general and can be pinned on many many different things. It's pointless to try and guess the illness based on symptoms and even if you could, you can't treat it without a vet.

 

What can I do at home?

Until you get your budgie to the vet, separate him from all your other birds. It's a good idea to keep a small spare cage around to use as a hospital cage. Put this in a warm, quiet room. If your budgie is looking very puffed, he/she is cold and trying to stay warm. You can put the cage in your bathroom letting the hot water run in the bath/shower so that he can get warmth from the steam. You can also place a heating pad under the cage. Set it on low and underneath a towel. Place the cage on top of the towel. Heat lamps can work as well but with any method, make sure the budgie isn't going to get uncomfortably hot. We're not trying to cook the budgie, just keep the chill away.

 

The perches in the hospital cage should be low. If your budgie is having trouble perching, place something soft (that won't snag his toenails) in the bottom of the cage. Food and water should also be offered at the bottom of the cage so that they're more easily accessed by a poorly budgie.

 

Won't the trip to the vet stress my budgie too much?

The trip will stress your bird but it won't kill him. On the other hand, the illness/injury afflicting him could very well kill him. Which would you rather be: Stressed for part of a day or dead? The only budgies I've heard of dying on the way to the vet are the ones that were dying before they even got started on the trip.

 

What if my budgie starts looking better?

You still need to make the trip to the vet. Many budgies start perking up only to die later anyway. At the very least, call your avian vet and explain the situation to him/her in detail so that they can make this judgement for you. Don't simply assume it was a "24 hour virus." Budgies are not people. They're not even mammals and this should be kept in mind when we think of their health and behavior relating to their health. As much as we'd like to relate to them in this way, we have no idea what they're feeling, especially with an animal that instinctively hides its bad feelngs.

aww man.. i dont have that sort of stuff. i only have a spare cage (shes in it now) and a fish tank light...

and thats heaps sad if they act normal...but there not... ive seen a budgie die 2... it terrible they act normal... even if they cant even move.. then they go spaztic and die... its horrible..

 

ill make a booking ASAP tommorow morning.. (i hope the VET is open then) and ill take it to the VET asap... by myself (im young) just tell me how much money i have to carry with me... ive got the transport cage on standby.... im gettind worried now since you posted that info on how they act normal but there not...

 

EDIT:

Should i just let it die naturally? Or am i just worried sick and now im crazy...

Edited April 28, 200718 yr by Nerwen

Call the avian vet (make sure it is not a regular vet) and ask how much an office visit is, they will probably do a gram stain, fecal testing and will examine the bird if he is not too weak. If you find it is expensive ask if they have payment arrangements and let them know how sick your bird.

 

If your budgie is going to die yes let it die naturally. I just went through this 6wks ago so I know how urgent it is to get them to the vet. I got Pretty do the vet and he still passed away. Pretty was tame so I held him and he died in my hands. If your bird is not tame you can put a soft towel on the bottom of the transport cage or regular cage and lay him on it if he can't perch anymore. That is what happened with Pretty I put a towel on the transport cage.

 

I am sorry you are going through this at a time where you can not get to a vet you are a very responsible young person and I applaude you for wanting to get him to the vet.

 

Keep him as warm as possible over 75degrees F (C - ?), keep him covered and do the best you can. Even if you have a spray of millet give it to him even if he doesn't eat it that is okay.

 

Here is info I copy and pasted from our FAQ:

 

What if I can't afford the vet and/or my parents won't take me??

At the very least, call your avian veterinarian for advice. But do keep in mind that to deny an animal health care is cruel and unfair. Before you bring a budgie home make sure that this is something you can provide for him/her. It is part of basic care and should not be considered an option. Too many budgies out there suffer because no one wants to pay the vet bill for a bird that costs so little to begin with. Your budgie depends on you for all its needs and medical care is one of the biggest.

 

Many vets are willing to work out payment plans for people who are unable to pay the entire vet bill at the time of the visit. Don't just assume that you won't be able to afford the visit. Be straightforward and honest with your vet about your budget from the beginning. Also, make sure that your vet knows how badly you want your bird treated and how much it means to you. A caring budgie owner is something they don't come in contact with nearly as often as they should. Sad, but true.

 

Lastly, if you don't have a job, can't get a loan from your parents, and your vet won't work out a payment plan, look around your room. Most of us has something worth a little money to sell. To love an animal is to do and give anything you can to keep it healthy and happy. To merely like an animal is to give it food, water, and a place to live that may or may not be up to par. I for one can't understand why a person would keep an animal for any reason other than loving it but I've seen many who do just that. If that's the case with you, it would be a good idea to reconsider owning a pet that your heart isn't completely into taking care of.

 

We want your budgie to get better and live a full life but in the end, that's up to you. If your budgie is sick or hurt, get it to a vet! At least CALL the vet before posting here. I know in a moment of panic you do all you can to figure out what is going on. But I promise you that it's faster to dial a phone number than it is to type up a frantic post on a bird forum. Especially if you put your avian vet on speed dial or tape the number to your phone. And you should...right now

Thanks Elly.

If it lives and it still can stand on it's perch il'l take her to the vet. If its on the bird cage, il'l hold a her a burial service. If its on the cage floor breathing, I will acompany it and comfort her till the end....

 

But still. Any ideas on getting the cage to/Over 75F?

do you have a small heater like a space heater? I didn't have time to get Pretty warm but my husband went out and got a small space heater for my room to keep Merlin warm since we didn't know if he was sick. If you have a safe space heater you can crank it up in a small room to keep him warm.

 

If you have a small cage you can place the cage under a lamp but keep the cage covered so it is not shining in her face. You can also use a heating pad under the cage on low.

 

Until you get your budgie to the vet, separate him from all your other birds. It's a good idea to keep a small spare cage around to use as a hospital cage. Put this in a warm, quiet room. If your budgie is looking very puffed, he/she is cold and trying to stay warm. You can put the cage in your bathroom letting the hot water run in the bath/shower so that he can get warmth from the steam. You can also place a heating pad under the cage. Set it on low and underneath a towel. Place the cage on top of the towel. Heat lamps can work as well but with any method, make sure the budgie isn't going to get uncomfortably hot. We're not trying to cook the budgie, just keep the chill away.

 

The perches in the hospital cage should be low. If your budgie is having trouble perching, place something soft (that won't snag his toenails) in the bottom of the cage. Food and water should also be offered at the bottom of the cage so that they're more easily accessed by a poorly budgie.

Thanks *hugs you* Your great help Elly.

Your welcome, keep us updated, I do hope all works out for your little one.

he is still at it.. its 2:24 am here and his still trying to sleep... poor guy.. well im sleeping now Night =(

good to hear he is hanging in there

Morning Now 8:49Am. Shes Alive, Active, And Sometimes wants to come out of the cage. Still Makes that weird noise though, and still a bit puffed up.

VET Closed, opens at 3pm on Sundays and Pays Double price on Sunday.

Oh, well at least my budgie is acting a bit better than it was before.

 

EDIT:

Wow.... im typing and it just open the cage door and flew to me... but now its all like huffing and puffing...

Edited April 28, 200718 yr by calvino

It appears your bird has a respiratory infection which is serious and needs a vet. As you stated earlier she seemed to have a sticky gel like stuff above the cere....that seems like mucous from a respiratory infection which would explain the breathing problems she is still having. If it were vomiting it would be a coloured sticky mess all over its face and the front of the budgie with bits of seed stuck to it.

Regardless of her seeming better, she wont get better on her own from this and it DOES need vet attention. Good luck with getting her the help she needs.

Yeah... and yea its above the cere like on the head, i washed it off. And she used to vomit out stuff in a form of a ball with seeds stuck on it..

Yeah... and yea its above the cere like on the head, i washed it off.

 

And she used to vomit out stuff in a form of a ball with seeds stuck on it..

 

Used to vomit ? when ?

ages ago. like when i first got her..

 

EDIT: Its cere is turning greenish now..

Edited April 28, 200718 yr by calvino

At the risk of repeating myself ............you need to get this bird to a vet as soon as possible.

I hope you can get her in before it is too late

Keep her calm, warm and covered I wouldn't let her come out.

She is doing that out if instinct if birds are sick they try not to show it or else they are someone else's dinner. Good luck.

Well if i try to put her in the cage. She opens the cage Door and flies straight back to me ...

 

Can birds feel pain? if so why do they try to hide it... Wouldnt that be hard?

Edited April 29, 200718 yr by Kaz

I think that birds can feel pain. They try to hide it because its a survival instinct. The weak one of the flock is an easy target for something that wants lunch. It seems like it would be hard to do, especially for humans. However, birds are very different creatures. Their minds are wired differently than ours. I would imagine it would be hard for them to SHOW their illness and pain because its against a big instinct. Birds that live with us don't understand that they're not in danger of being eaten, so they do the same things as their wild counterparts.

 

I would still try to do my best to keep her quiet and warm until you can get her to the vet. She very well may seem to be doing better, but she's just hiding it better today. She still needs vet care if she's going to get well.

My mum's friend (breeder) Said shes going to have babies??? Is that a possibility? i dont have any thing on the ground for it to lay eggs?