I've kept 4 budgies in a large indoor cage for the last 6 months or so now. They get regular food and water changes, mostly seed and seed treats and cuttlefish, i occasionally give them vegies and fruits but they never seem to eat them, they love lettuce but its mostly just water so i try to avoid it. Oh but they love parsley.

 

Well this morning my partner called and informed me that one of my budgies had died... :rofl: Apparently my partner saw it die she said that the budgie was walking around the bottom of the cage looking okay, then it walked over to a corner funny looking she said, sat down, kind of tilted to the side a bit and she went to go pick it up and it didnt move and it was dead.

 

She's put it in a little box and burried it.. but the question I have is why did it die and will my other budgies be okay or is there stuff i need to do to make sure the same thing doesnt happen to them? She's cleaned out the water dish and put fresh water in it, taken the food out just incase and removed a little wooden toy we got them a week or so ago because thats been the only new addition to their cage.

 

Theres no wounds or signs of sickness on the bird, so i don't think it was being picked on or attacked. And I saw absolutely NO change in the bird yesterday evening it happened just over night or this morning.

 

Could it have anything to do with the number of each sex there is? I got them while they were young and I didn't know what sex they were, but 1 has ended up male and 3 are females i've noticed they've been getting a bit moody with eachother lately not full on fighting but just moody with eachother.

 

Can anyone help me with why my budgie died or atleast give me some advice to try to protect my other budgies? I don't really do much for them except give them food water change their cage and every weekend they get sprayed with some mite spray.

Check the dead budgie over for signs of weight loss. Poopy bottom etc.

I am concerned that you said you spray them for mites every weekend. You should only treat for mites if and when you see them being an issue. It is not one of those regular things you do regardless as maintenance. If you use a mite spray you must be sure it does not get into food or water. It would be a kind of poison and if used too often could present issues.

Good move removing the wooden toy. Some chinese toys do not use safe paints or dyes. Better to be safe than sorry.

Another thing is...do you know the age of the one that died ?

How many males or females will have no bearing on your loss

 

:rofl:

Edited June 24, 200915 yr by KAZ

I think my mite spray bottle says to use weekly to prevent mites? I'll have to look when I get home. Theres been no weight loss in the bird, I saw it last night and it was completely fine. It was a small bird, smaller than the rest but no THIN just small.

 

I had her for about 6-7 months, i got them all from a breeder, I dont think they were TOP NOTCH birds in saying that, but they werent scrummy little things either. One of them has grown quite large, not fat, but very tall, the rest are about medium sized, this one was just a little smaller. The cere only changed colour about, maybe 2-3 months ago? I don't know if you can work out the age of the bird from that, I don't know it and the breeder didnt either because she had MANY many birds :rofl:

 

I didnt think to check the bird over myself, my partner said that there were no wounds on it and it didnt look sick etc. I asked her to just put it in a little box and bury it before I got home i didn't want to have to see it, she's not really overly conerned about the birds like I am so i'm a bit more upset about it than she is

 

I do take the food and water out when I spray them. Once again i'll check on the bottle when I get home pretty sure it says use weekly to prevent mites.

 

The toy wasn't painted or dyed, it was just wooden. It was made in australia, I got it on ebay from someone that just likes making little wooden things.

 

Is there anything I can do to help prevent my other birds from getting sick as well?

I think my mite spray bottle says to use weekly to prevent mites? I'll have to look when I get home.

 

I do take the food and water out when I spray them. Once again i'll check on the bottle when I get home pretty sure it says use weekly to prevent mites.

 

 

This to me is a real concern. Petshops products with information to spray regularly when not necessary. There is never a need to spray a bird every week for mites. If a bird has them then you spray with a good product from a vet or Avian Insecticidal Liquidator, or you get spot on ivermectin treatment from the vet ( a once only treatment ).

Did you buy this at a petstore ? Was it a recommendation from the pet store ? Who advised it was a good idea to spray them weekly for mites that they may or may not have ?

 

Sorry for all the quizzing about the mite spray but I really think its important.

Not a pet store specifically as they dont sell animals but one of those pet product places, the BIG ones i cant remember what they're called but they're along the lines of petstock and pet warehouse etc one of those types of places. It was recommended by them, they said to get it and pointed to the instructions on the back that said use weekly to prevent mites.

 

I've been using it on all my birds for the last 6-7 months does that mean they'll get sick too?

Edited June 24, 200915 yr by wezzaman

As stated ( regardless of directions on a mite product ) It is NOT necessary to spray for mites unless the bird has them.

I would stop using it.

If I stop using it will my other birds be okay or is it too late?

If I stop using it will my other birds be okay or is it too late?

You cannot be sure it was the mite spray, but as the spray has been used every week without real cause.....best to stop. Most of these sprays have poison warnings on the side of the label.

Edited June 24, 200915 yr by KAZ

Wezzaman, firstly welcome to our forum (are you from Werribee?). I am very sorry for your loss.

 

Other than what Kaz has said... how do the others look? Any green poops, tail bobbing, stained vent, stained forehead? If you pick them up, how does the breast bone feel - is it padded nicely by muscle or does it stick out like a knife? I ask for you to actually pick them up, because budgies can look marvellously well fleshed, then you pick them up and it's all just feathers they've made stand up to look normal. They are excellent at hiding their illnesses and will try to act normal until they can't any more and it's often too late. The size of the muscles on other side of the breast bone can tell you if it's been going on for a long time or if it was a sudden illness.

 

Is there anything metal they could have chewed on that might be lead or zinc? Chewed paint off the cage? Any access to house plants? Has anything changed at all?

 

Personally I would take the rest of your birds to an avian vet for a checkup, just to be sure, and to rule out something infectious. It is difficult to diagnose in retrospect without an animal in front of you. Some diseases such as megabacteria can be very insidious in budgies, they can carry it for a long time with no obvious changes until there is enough damage that they succumb to it.

Edited June 24, 200915 yr by Chrysocome

I'll have to check the birds when I get home i'm at work at the moment i was just told this morning by my girlfriend that the bird had died. Just trying to find out as much as I can so i can deal with the situation when i get home :rofl:

 

I havent seen any paint missing from the cage. They climb up and down the sides and do chew on it but i've never seen any paint come off.

 

I'll check out their breast bones as well when I get home. They eat quite a bit, they LOVE seed treats hung in their cages No access to plants.

 

Another thing i've been thinking about is there have been renovations next door to both the business and parking lot and the roads recently been dug up etc and the house has filled with dirt and dust and god knows what else, could this be effecting them?

 

Or we also have a cat, that doesn't pester them 24/7 but likes to sit and watch them. It used to really frighten them, but now the cat can put its paw right near the seed bowl and they wont budge from eating, unless ofcourse the cat leaps onto the cage and makes it bang. But also the cat has been around ever since they have thats not a new addition.

 

When I get home, if I can't find any anything obvious that could be making them sick, i'll take them to a vet.

 

Just one thing I want to ask as well, i've kind of made my own toys for them, just want to check its not any of those materials that have made the bird die. I used just a normal roll of cooking string and basically just tied it to the top of the cage they love wrapping it around their perches and swings and always seem quite displeased when i undo all their work. Also I put old toilet paper or paper towel cardboard rolls in there (unscented) for them to basically tear up and they seem to love that.. But are any of these bad for them? Also i put some dried pasta (penne) on some of the string and tied it from one end of the cage to the other near a perch so they could push the penne along the length of the string.

I am sorry for your loss :rofl:

 

You have been given great advice already

 

There are so many things that could have caused a death. Apart from illness your cat, the road works and the cooking string could all have done it. I really hope you find your answer soon.

I know you've already buried her... but was that long ago? Sorry for the horrible suggestion... but if it was me I would probably want the bird autopsied. I mean you can (and probably should) get the others tested, but if they find nothing wrong with them, you'll still never know what happened to the one that did die.

Not a pet store specifically as they dont sell animals but one of those pet product places, the BIG ones i cant remember what they're called but they're along the lines of petstock and pet warehouse etc one of those types of places. It was recommended by them, they said to get it and pointed to the instructions on the back that said use weekly to prevent mites.

 

I've been using it on all my birds for the last 6-7 months does that mean they'll get sick too?

Produce store's their called.

 

im not real good with that kind of stuff but im assuming by spraying every week it means if the bird is infected with mite's already.

I'll check but i'm pretty sure it says to prevent, otherwise i wouldnt spray it every week.

I wouldnt trust anything a pet shop retail assistant says. Half of them are just out of school looking for a part time job, and they have absolutely no idea about anything pet related. I dont buy anything from pet shops, all they are looking for is $$$ and will convince you to buy anything to make it. This doesnt go for all pet shops, but 99% of them in my experience, have no clue what they are talking about, and sell products that do not work.

Welcome to the forum.

 

I'm so sorry for your loss :hmm:

 

Just one thing I want to ask as well, i've kind of made my own toys for them, just want to check its not any of those materials that have made the bird die. I used just a normal roll of cooking string and basically just tied it to the top of the cage they love wrapping it around their perches and swings and always seem quite displeased when i undo all their work. Also I put old toilet paper or paper towel cardboard rolls in there (unscented) for them to basically tear up and they seem to love that.. But are any of these bad for them? Also i put some dried pasta (penne) on some of the string and tied it from one end of the cage to the other near a perch so they could push the penne along the length of the string.

 

Make sure you use the ones that do not have glue on them.

Edited June 24, 200915 yr by birdluv

Saying to use a product every week on the bottle is a sure way to ensure repeat sales as the product is used up and bought again.

 

Please be careful with string in the cage ....I have lost budgies who hung themselves on toys with fringing only 2-3 inches long. :hmm:

A new thought has risen into my head since i've come home and assessed the situation....

Is it possible that she and the male mated without the presence of a nesting box?

 

My girlfriend said that when the bird first laid down/died, the male came over to her and kinda tried to start tending to her or sussing out why she wasnt moving anymore, yet none of the female birds did.

 

Also... 2 of the birds (male and one female) have become extremely affectionate towards me. I think they really miss her :hmm: but is it wrong of me (or detrimental to them) to try to use this as an opportunity as a chance to train them? I was reading a few other threads on here today.. One about training a bird by getting it used to your hand, then holding food container up to it progressing to getting bird to sit on your hand while holding food container etc. I put my finger inside the cage when i got home and one of the birds was on the side and allowed me to actually pat it, and closed its eyes when i did.. does that mean it enjoyed it?

And then i tried holding the food bowl up to it and it ate from it... and the male also came over and started eating from it. I wasnt going to stand there for ages with the cage door open so I moved the food bowl back to the holder and they actually got off the perch with it one sat on my hand and the other sat on the bowl.

 

The other one stayed well away which is what I expected from her.

Edited June 24, 200915 yr by wezzaman

I put my finger inside the cage when i got home and one of the birds was on the side and allowed me to actually pat it, and closed its eyes when i did.. does that mean it enjoyed it?

If this is not normal behaviour then it is possible the bird/s are sick... a sudden tameness or ease of handling suggests weakness and lethargy.

 

And then i tried holding the food bowl up to it and it ate from it... and the male also came over and started eating from it. I wasnt going to stand there for ages with the cage door open so I moved the food bowl back to the holder and they actually got off the perch with it one sat on my hand and the other sat on the bowl.

Is it possible that they have been without food at all or they could be suffering from Avian Gastric Yeast which causes excessive hunger.

its not excessive hunger.. the food was taken away this morning by my girlfriend when the bird died just incase there was something wrong with it or something in it.

 

they were given a fresh bowl when i got home, thats why they were after it so badly.

 

i wouldnt say they're weak either. they were climbing up and down the cage when i was with them. they were quite vocal when i got home i think they were looking for her. but they've settled down now they've had a little feed and are just preening themselves.

 

i'm not sure they're sick, besides being able to pat one of them, they arent acting any different except a bit quiet they've lost a friend and seem to be looking around a bit. i've never tried putting the food bowl to them before, so i dont think it would be classed as acting differently.

Sounds okay then. I am sure you will keep a close eye on them. i really hope you have no further loss.

oh yes VERY close eye on them.

 

I've given them some lettuce and parsley (i know lettuce is mostly water but they really do like it) and also some tiny bits of apple hopefully they'll eat it, but so far they've given it no attention.. thats kinda like them, they dont pay any attention to it until i go to take it out because its been in there a few hrs lol

 

my girlfriend said that when she went to get the dead bird out, the big female escaped! oh and you can imagine the fuss the cat made. she's lost most of her tail feathers from the ordeal (girlfriend trying to catch her) but she seems okay

 

she's lost most of the REALLY long feathers is that okay?

she's lost most of the REALLY long feathers is that okay?

They will regrow, dont worry :hmm:

A new thought has risen into my head since i've come home and assessed the situation....Is it possible that she and the male mated without the presence of a nesting box?

Mating is normal behaviour for budgies. Its recreational budgie sex and all okay. They dont need anesting box to trigger them to mate. Its laying eggs that a nestbox triggers. Your female could not have been eggbound or she would have been sicker and more distressed longer than what you have said.

Oh okay thats one thing ruled out. I don't know what it is then :hmm:

 

My girlfriend said the bird approached the side of the cage where she was like asking her for help.. So she feels a little sad about it now too she feels the bird was asking her for help but she couldn't do anything

 

I just hope my other birds cope with the loss okay.

They try to go to a corner of the cage or the side of the cage, as at the stage of dying they are weak and they need to lean on something.

I hope all your others continue to stay well.