hi there, i've noticed today that Bing's tail moves when he is sitting still and just chilling, is this a sign of sickness? because i have noticed it since we first got him but never thought that it was a sign of sickness, also compared to other budgies on youtube etc and my cousins budgie, Bing is nowhere near as active as them, my cousins budgie is an absolute nutter! flying everywhere and chasing everything

 

thanks in advance, i hope nothing is wrong with him

Some say it is a sign of sickness or stress, but I find even in my healthy resting birds they have a slight pulse going through their tails anyway...Keep an eye on him and look out for other signs i'd say...

Edited May 29, 200817 yr by *libby*

thanks libby, just wondering could it be a sign of worms?

Not sure on worms specifically, but it does show through strongly when they're sick. Has Bing been wormed since he came to you? and was he bred from an aviary situation with soil?

what other signs does he show, how are his poops?

he has not been wormed, but next time my parents go to the shops i will ask them to buy some or i will come with them, and yes he did come form a large avary outside with other birds in it.the man i bought him off had hundreds of birds. His poops are fine, they are solid, a caramel brown colour, however his vent is a light light brown but only about 0.5cm by 0.5 cm and sometimes the poos have a wet patch around them of about 0.2mm around the poo

Edited May 29, 200817 yr by Andrew

I am not an expert on worming as we don't seem to have this issue in the U.S., so I will let the others help you out, poos really should be dark brown or black with white in the middle and not watery, so it sounds like something is going on within his digestive system, I can't be certain if it is worms (no one here can) so I am going to advise an avian vet trip to have him checked out throughly. How is his weight? Can you feel his keel bone or does it protrude where you can see it?

well i will have to do this tomorrow afternoon he is asleep now and will do so tomorrow,

 

thanks for all your help so far

just another query, could he be inactive beacuse he is still moulting? he is just about to finish it and only has about 5-6 pin feathers left on his head but do they stay affected by the moult until it is completly over and fully finished???

 

thanks

My birds pulse to whilst resting - they are sick, stressed .... However I think they are due for worming????

Better check my calender ......

Birds bob their tails to help them breathe - it's to do with how their air sacs are set up (which reminds me to finish that article for this site).

Whether or not this is a sign of a problem is variable - is it really noticeable? A little bit of bobbing is within normal limits. It could just be he is a little overweight and needs to push a bit harder to fill his lungs. On the other hand he might have trouble breathing because of something in his lungs. Do you see other breathing signs like panting or discharge?

Edited June 1, 200817 yr by Chrysocome

You could try some probiotic sprinkled on his seed to help with the discoloured droppings. Probiotics work by establishing a normal intestinal flora and crowding out pathogens (disease causing microbes), and should normalise his digestive system.

Chryso - it isnt like "fully" noticable like "woah, he is really struggling", but when you are really close to him watching him you can see his tail moving, and he only does it when he is resting so i guess i am just paranoid, but i read on other sites that it is a sign of illness.

 

DrNat - can i ask where can you purchase probiotics??? just from pet shops or do you have to get them from a vet?

 

thanks all but he is perked up alot and i think i am just paranoid, as said in my other post members thought that it was the seed change and so i am mixing it together...

 

thankyou all for your concern

Bird probiotics can be obtained from vet, some pet shops and pet suppliers, produce stores selling bird items, and online.

Wow Dr Nat, you know alot,

Glad your here