Hi all. I have been lurking for a couple of months reading up on keeping budgies and about 1 month ago I decided it was time. I purchased two beautiful 6 - 7 week old budgies from a breeder which with the info on the forum I successfully hand tamed. The whole family loved them. Then yesterday I noticed one of them Elly was looking a bit off, so I took her straight to the vet. The vet kept her to try and do some tests, and this morning I got a phone call to tell me she was dead. The entire family is devasted. We don't know what we did wrong. The vet said she didn't have worms or a bacterial infection. The only real symptom she had was runny poo's and then no poo (only urine) (apart from looking a little off). the vet also said she was a good weight, so not underfed. We were also really careful about not stressing them, or having them in a draught etc.

 

I am watching our other budgie like a hawk if I see any signs of a problem I will rush him off.

What I was wondering though is what is the mortality rate amongst pet budgies? I don't want to put my family through attaching ourselves to another bird if there is say a 50% chance that it will drop dead within a couple of months and all we'll be left with is another big vet bill and broken hearts. Are budgies really fragile or have we just been unlucky.

 

Thanks everyone.

Hi all. I have been lurking for a couple of months reading up on keeping budgies and about 1 month ago I decided it was time. I purchased two beautiful 6 - 7 week old budgies from a breeder which with the info on the forum I successfully hand tamed. The whole family loved them. Then yesterday I noticed one of them Elly was looking a bit off, so I took her straight to the vet. The vet kept her to try and do some tests, and this morning I got a phone call to tell me she was dead. The entire family is devasted. We don't know what we did wrong. The vet said she didn't have worms or a bacterial infection. The only real symptom she had was runny poo's and then no poo (only urine) (apart from looking a little off). the vet also said she was a good weight, so not underfed. We were also really careful about not stressing them, or having them in a draught etc.

 

I am watching our other budgie like a hawk if I see any signs of a problem I will rush him off.

What I was wondering though is what is the mortality rate amongst pet budgies? I don't want to put my family through attaching ourselves to another bird if there is say a 50% chance that it will drop dead within a couple of months and all we'll be left with is another big vet bill and broken hearts. Are budgies really fragile or have we just been unlucky.

 

Thanks everyone.

 

Welcome to the forum... I'm so sorry for your loss. I really feel for your family. I would say you have just been unlucky. Budgies and birds in general are quite sensitive, especially to stress and little nasties. If you've only had her for a month, chances are she was carring something when you got her. Budgies are very clever at hiding their illness, and usually when you notice it can often be to late. It's got to do with how they would behave in the wild. If they show signs of illness, they would be attacked by other birds. Your poor little girl was prob quite unwell and unfortunately for you, the vets attention came to late (by NO fault of your own) With your other budgie, watch for a pooey bum. Maybe take him/her to the avairian vet for a check up just to be sure? Once again I'm really sorry for your families loss and hope your other little one is okay.

Welcome to our forums.

 

I had the very thing happen almost a year ago with Pretty. He was okay in the morning and by afternoon he had runny poos, was very quiet and he passed away in my hands that evening. I did what you did and I took him to the first vet I could find it wasn't an avian vet but I am not sure if it would have mattered anyways. The conclusion is that he probably had a respiratory infection that could have been from maybe the coldness in the house, not enough Vitamin A, bad genetics, or an underlying virus he already had...a lot of possibilities.

 

Budgies are considered hardy but when I see them I don't consider them as hardy as a dog or cat. Some budgies can carry virus or bacteria in their bodies an not be affected but when stress is triggered such a s molt or a move etc...then the illness can show it's ugly face. That is why it is important if you do get a new bird that you always quarantine for at least 30 days (avian vets recommend 90 days) to ensure your new budgie is not sick.

 

What was very painful is that I felt I did everything correct in the sense of taking care of him, he had veggies, fruits, seed, (not pellets), and other nutritional foods along with taken care of well he had out time, mommy time, Merlin time (Laughing out loud). He was just a sweet stinky bird (Laughing out loud). Knowing all that made the whole situation very painful and hurtful.

 

Since then I have not gotten another friend for Merlin. He has been flying sole with me for almost a year and we are very happy. He is such a sweet bird, loves to hang out with me at the computer, eats all his good stuff, talks now and more. One thing I make sure is that since we live in a cold climate is that I got a heater for my computer room where he is kept and it is always around 70-75F here, before my house was colder around 65F and I think that contributed to Pretty getting sick along with the molt he had just finished.

 

I hope my experience helps you a bit. Only you know if you should get another bird. You know my grandmother's budgie lived to be 15 y on only seed, water and some lettuce (Laughing out loud) (horrible diet). I do believe there has been much inbreeding in our budgies that you can't determine how long 1 will live.

The biggest killer to budgies are DRAFTS.

I bird can sit in a 40 knot gale and not be affected, but put that bird in a drafty room and the bird will go down hill very quickly. Then they are susceptible to any number of of diseases. They are very fragile creatures and even the best avian vet are limited to what they can do. Usually a pot mortem to determine cause of death.

But saying all this grim stuff my wifes grandmother had a pet budgie for almost 10 years.

:budgiedance: Sorry for your loss, I once had a co-worker whose budgie, Hobo, reached 15 but had to be put down due to a stomach tumour. My oldest budgie here is about 10 and I lost a cockatiel about a month ago that was about 6 years or so quite suddenly, there is no telling unfortunately.

l'm so sorry for your loss :budgiedance:

it is sad when it happens so quickly and unexpecting.

 

p.s, welcome to our forums.

Edited February 4, 200817 yr by birdluv