I have a budgie that is at least 8 years old.

 

For the past month, my budgie has been sleeping all day with her feathers fluffed up.

 

For the past half-a-year, my budgie is too week to fly and has trouble jumping from one perch to another.

 

More recently, her feces were sticking to her vent feathers and a small bald spot had developed between her legs.

 

There is also some reddish-brown solid on the cere that i have noticed.

 

Here are some of the pictures:

http://img47.echo.cx/img47/1729/img49322nk.jpg

http://img47.echo.cx/img47/307/img49336yz.jpg

http://img47.echo.cx/img47/2636/img49341eg.jpg

http://img47.echo.cx/img47/4054/img49353ow.jpg

 

Sorry for the blurriness of the pictures, they were taken at night with only a lamp on.

 

If you can offer any advice, I'd greatly appreciate it.

That poor thing needs an avian vet. Her cere is closed up!! Wouldn't you be lethargic as well if you could hardly breathe?? She needs an avian vet. I can't stress this enough. Don't "wait and see." Don't sit and watch the poor baby suffer because she IS suffering. Age is NOT a disease. This might be something that can be reversed but you won't know until you take her in. At the very least, if she's got something that isn't fixable they can end her suffering quickly and humanely. Those pictures bring tears to my eyes.

 

If money is an issue you're still responsible for trying to get her to a vet. Many of them will work out payments for you, especially if they see how distraught you are about your bird.

 

If you don't have an avian vet, find one. Try these websites:

http://aav.org/vet-lookup/

http://www.birdsnways.com/articles/abvpvets.htm

 

If those don't work, call the local dog and cat vets and have them refer you to an avian vet. You might have to drive an hour or two (or get your parents to) but the fact is, the bird needs medical attention and she needed it a LONG time ago. And don't let the dog and cat vets convince you to go to them instead. At this point she NEEDS an avian vet. Only resort to the regular vets if there is absolutely positively no way for you to get her to an avian vet. The problem with "small animal" (dog/cat) vets is that they aren't trained or equipped enough to properly deal with birds. Especially in a case so severe.

 

If you or your parents have a problem with taking a "cheap" bird to the vet (I'm not saying you do but this is common so I'm going to say this anyway) you should read this article: http://www.upatsix.com/fyi/whyisit.htm

 

I don't mean to sound harsh but the bird is suffering and I want her to have the best chance possible or at least be out of her misery.

Edited May 7, 200520 yr by devvle

Your beautiful girl needs an avian vet.

:doctor: Vet time.

let us know how your budgie is.

arw the poor thing

 

i COMPLETELY agree with devvle.

I definatley agree with everyone, avian vet time ASAP!! :doctor:

 

goodluck with her i hope she gets a bit better soon

This creature is living in *** on earth. As everyone is saying, VET!! NOW!!

 

Anne

I can only echo what everyone else has said,your bird is very ill and needs your help.

Julie

yes it does appear that the poor babys cere is closed up completely. if she cant breathe through her nostrils she will only be breathing through her mouth. this is not a good thing. once a budgie breathes through its mouth it is seriously ill and the disease is very progressed.

 

devvle is right about the vets. follow her advice and quickly! i really hope she can make it through this and she has the strength in her to fight it.

dudeus how is she going. Have you seen a vet yet.

On Friday, I talked to my parents about taking the bird to the vet. However, as I feared, they were not willing to spend over 150 dollars on a 15 dollar bird. They were unwilling no matter how I tried to convince them

 

The next day, she appeared to have been recovering since the bald spot between her legs grew back. I did whatever I can to try to keep her alive without the help of a vet. Other than that, she seemed to have been recovering.

 

But today, she started having trouble perching again. Then this afternoon, she fell on the floor and was too weak to get back up. I attempted hand-feed her some water with a little sugar added. She refused. Half an hour later, she had violent spasms and died about ten minutes later, on 4:32PM EST.

 

I buried her next to to the spot where I buried her former cage companion, Virgil, who suddenly died last year on March 19 from an unknown disease. (He hid his symptoms too well.)

 

Rest in peace: Bridtellix. 1997(?) - May 8, 2005

 

I'm still distraught by how my father could've saved her life by taking her to the vet, but chose not to.

 

And don't ask why I named her Birdtellix. ... why did I name her that?

I am so sorry to hear that she has past away. It is a comon story of parents that put a cost to a bird. Emotional value of a bird is priceless.

 

How is the other one going? I see you've got 2 budgies in your details.

I'm very sorry about your bird. Your parents have a lot to learn about their responsibilities to the animals that they allow into their homes. At least she isn't suffering now.

 

Maybe your parents should read a little about parrots. A lot of people just don't realize how emotional and intelligent these animals are.

 

I know the bird has passed but I still highly recommend that you print out the following article and tell them to read it or leave it in a place where they're likely to see it: http://www.upatsix.com/fyi/whyisit.htm

 

Again, I'm very sorry you lost your friend. If you have other birds it would be a really good idea to continue to try to educate your parents. They may or may not listen but I hope that they do.

Good point devvle.

I'm very sorry about your loss. She had a long and, by the sounds of it, mostly happy life.

oh dudeus im so sorry for your loss...sympathies coming your way...

oh im so sorry for you dudeus,

 

i would be so mad at my parents if i were you!!

I'm really sorry hun, parents are such a pain!! i can afford to spend money on my birds - not that my parents or boyfreind approve though.

 

i had a simerlar expirance with the new family a few doors down the road found out i have budgies and asked me to look at their one because he was sick - as if i could do anything.

 

Anyway i went round to take a look, he looked really bad so i gave them my vet's number, she asked how much he cost so i told her, she couldn't belive how much it was and wasn't prepared to travel the 60 mile round trip to see him, so i did give her a bit of a lecture about responability (infront of her children i'm ashamed to say) and said was was likely to happen if she didn't go and left.

 

last night a thank you card was put through my front door, she followed my advice and took him down there after i'd gone, and that he was home and on the mend.

 

Claire

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