Hi guys

 

One of my budgie died suddenly this morning and i just like to get some help as to possible reasons.

 

Background:

On 01/10/11 afternoon, i bought two bush budgies (descendent of wild budgies colony bred in a very large aviary) south of river in Perth. The seller looks to be a breeder with lots of other birds, so i believe he would be taking good care of the birds. Both birds are still young, with barring still visible above the cere.

 

They look healthy when purchased and were transported in a clean cage and then housed in a clean cage. The cage is outdoor under a cover patio, with shade cloth covering two sides of the cage.

 

I do noticed that they are always huddle together, but i put it down to stress and fear due to new surrounding. There is water and Trill seed mix in the cage, but they never touched those at all. On 02/10/11, i put some fresh grass seeds in the cage, and they loved it and ate all of it (i fed my canary with the same grass seeds and nothing happened to the canary). They seems to settle in over Sunday and were starting to explore their cage. Towards the evening, i noticed that they were starting to huddle on the floor in a corner of the cage (previously they were at least staying on the perch). But i didnt pay much attention as their eyes are open and they look alert, so i though they are just hiding because they are scared.

 

Got up this morning and one of them was dead on the floor. The surviving one was still huddled (almost laying ontop) next to the dead bird on the floor. It is still alive but not looking well, as its eyes are closed and it doesnt attempt to escape when i pick it up. All i can do is put it in the carry cage, bring it indoor and put a heat mat in the cage. There are water and a millet spray in the cage. But i dont think it will survive the day, as it is literally lying with its head on the floor.

 

It wasnt windy or that cold last night, so i dont think the weather got them. i dont have heaps of birds (prior to getting the budgies, i only have 1 canary and 3 quails) and they are all separately housed, so i doubt its a disease thing.

 

I am mystified at the moment as to what could cause a bird to die within 48 hours???

 

Thanks in advance

sounds like they werent weaned and fully self sufficient. Did you think to feel their crop to see if they had eaten enough ?

 

Food in their crop will keep them warm and keep up body temp. If no food they will die quickly.

Edited October 3, 201113 yr by **KAZ**

May have had an underlying ilness.

 

Any chance of pics? Colony breeding is not ideal and you said he LOOKED like a breeder, that worries me a bit.

 

Were the grass seeds fresh like wild or store bought?

 

Wild ones could have been sprayed with weed killer?

 

Like I mentioned pics would help...

Sorry about your loss. Hopes the other survives.

 

Did the "breeder" say how old they were?

im with kaz ..sorry taylor but you dont even know whats up with your birds so i think guessing some advice when you would be wrong in this instance is not good idea

i think if someone asks about a ill bird or possible causes unless u your self have experience and first hand knowledge on the subject, im sorry but im sick of this fourum ,s younger members whom are asking basic knowledge questions them-self reply to people whom have no clue an inexperienced 12 year old is advising them (mabe your older that was just an example ) you should just not suggest any probable cause

kaz had answered with realistic information and

its clear here that the birds were two young their for most likely not weaned and hadn't eaten bar the seedling grass which wouldn't of helped as on a empty belly

dehydration wouldn't of helped if they had not drunk along with being placed in a new environment outside straight away most likely causing them to be frightened (huddling in corner to keep warm and safe )

if i were you i would take the both birds back and ask for a new two birds but that are older im talking specifiably you want 8 week old birds at least

sorry about your lose but id say starvation and fear were the main to causes of death not an underlining illness

unless you see a chick flying strongly not just little cute flights from a to b then id pass it for one whom is zooming around as clearly they are a bit older and seed cracking by themselves

i removed two chicks yesterday looked great cracking seed and so on however they weren't really eating it just playing they are back with mum n dad today weaker fluffed up but in hour were full again and fine as kaz said you must lightly feel crops if they are actually eating seed you will feel it in their crop quiet easy and not mistakenly cold could of played a part nights rather chilly

Edited October 3, 201113 yr by GenericBlue

im with kaz ..sorry taylor but you dont even know whats up with your birds so i think guessing some advice when you would be wrong in this instance is not good idea

i think if someone asks about a ill bird or possible causes unless u your self have experience and first hand knowledge on the subject, im sorry but im sick of this fourum ,s younger members whom are asking basic knowledge questions them-self reply to people whom have no clue an inexperienced 12 year old is advising them (mabe your older that was just an example ) you should just not suggest any probable cause

kaz had answered with realistic information and

its clear here that the birds were two young their for most likely not weaned and hadn't eaten bar the seedling grass which wouldn't of helped as on a empty belly

dehydration wouldn't of helped if they had not drunk along with being placed in a new environment outside straight away most likely causing them to be frightened (huddling in corner to keep warm and safe )

if i were you i would take the both birds back and ask for a new two birds but that are older im talking specifiably you want 8 week old birds at least

sorry about your lose but id say starvation and fear were the main to causes of death not an underlining illness

unless you see a chick flying strongly not just little cute flights from a to b then id pass it for one whom is zooming around as clearly they are a bit older and seed cracking by themselves

i removed two chicks yesterday looked great cracking seed and so on however they weren't really eating it just playing they are back with mum n dad today weaker fluffed up but in hour were full again and fine as kaz said you must lightly feel crops if they are actually eating seed you will feel it in their crop quiet easy and not mistakenly cold could of played a part nights rather chilly

I was just trying to help and learn...

Also I'm reading and posting on here on my iPod so sometimes some parts don't appear.

 

One of the parts was the fact that I'm not a professional and he should wait for others to help out.

 

Please calm down, I am only a beginner and just trying to help others.

 

Please don't bring my breeding into factor.

 

Anyway, hope you have been helped out and know what to do with this info.

 

Gb sorry if I sound b****y I wasn't intending that.

im with kaz ..sorry taylor but you dont even know whats up with your birds so i think guessing some advice when you would be wrong in this instance is not good idea

i think if someone asks about a ill bird or possible causes unless u your self have experience and first hand knowledge on the subject, im sorry but im sick of this fourum ,s younger members whom are asking basic knowledge questions them-self reply to people whom have no clue an inexperienced 12 year old is advising them (mabe your older that was just an example ) you should just not suggest any probable cause

kaz had answered with realistic information and

its clear here that the birds were two young their for most likely not weaned and hadn't eaten bar the seedling grass which wouldn't of helped as on a empty belly

dehydration wouldn't of helped if they had not drunk along with being placed in a new environment outside straight away most likely causing them to be frightened (huddling in corner to keep warm and safe )

if i were you i would take the both birds back and ask for a new two birds but that are older im talking specifiably you want 8 week old birds at least

sorry about your lose but id say starvation and fear were the main to causes of death not an underlining illness

unless you see a chick flying strongly not just little cute flights from a to b then id pass it for one whom is zooming around as clearly they are a bit older and seed cracking by themselves

i removed two chicks yesterday looked great cracking seed and so on however they weren't really eating it just playing they are back with mum n dad today weaker fluffed up but in hour were full again and fine as kaz said you must lightly feel crops if they are actually eating seed you will feel it in their crop quiet easy and not mistakenly cold could of played a part nights rather chilly

I was just trying to help and learn...

Also I'm reading and posting on here on my iPod so sometimes some parts don't appear.

 

One of the parts was the fact that I'm not a professional and he should wait for others to help out.

 

Please calm down, I am only a beginner and just trying to help others.

 

Please don't bring my breeding into factor.

 

Anyway, hope you have been helped out and know what to do with this info.

 

Gb sorry if I sound b****y I wasn't intending that.

 

you dont and i wasnt trying to insult your breeding i was just saying you yourself as you say are just learning so untill you have learnt guessing can actually be harmful people decide whom they want to listen to and follow the infomation of and if you give wrong info you could cause death of their pet

 

im just saying be careful what advice you give

and unless you know for sure or are positive it could be this and the reasons why you believe so

best not to say anything as it just gets confussing to people

that is why sometimes only one person will post an answer because that one persons info was corect so no need to add to it

other times so many people comment the true awnser gets lost in it all

why many other put in their opinions

other times opinions differ but its useually the cure or the problem solver or like example nest box material no ones wrong its just what works best for the individual so experiances are shared

 

i was not suggesting your breeding was not good i was stating suggesting it had an underlining illness is simply a stab in the dark was bno even reason why you came to that conclusion

no a fence taken from me and hopefully from you toward me

im just saying its hard to help when others just state ideas with no even posable reason why it just plants a un needed seed of doubt

None taken either!

 

Thanks for the advice gb, ur great

Upshot of all of this is...............if the breeder had a massive colony of birds he may not have known that these babies who had just fledged werent eating on their own yet. Once fledged they take a couple of weeks with their fathers learning to feed themselves. To sell any on he should have been more sure of this than seems to have happened in this case.

Noone should ever assume a bird out of the nest is fully independant.

I suggest he owes you a couple of birds.

Edited October 3, 201113 yr by **KAZ**

I'd say that Kaz is on the right track. Reading your story makes me think they were still too young. As you said they were still had barring.

Upshot of all of this is...............if the breeder had a massive colony of birds he may not have known that these babies who had just fledged werent eating on their own yet. Once fledged they take a couple of weeks with their fathers learning to feed themselves. To sell any on he should have been more sure of this than seems to have happened in this case.

Noone should ever assume a bird out of the nest is fully independant.

I suggest he owes you a couple of birds.

 

 

couldnt agree more it was his mistake not yours

i think Kaz is on the right track too, I have chicks that I have taken away from parents at 6 1/2 weeks and go all fluffed up , so I put them back with the parents and they call for food, i had one that was still fed until 8 weeks and one at the moment who is 7weeks, refuse to eat on her own.

May have had an underlying ilness.

 

Any chance of pics? Colony breeding is not ideal and you said he LOOKED like a breeder, that worries me a bit.

 

Were the grass seeds fresh like wild or store bought?

 

Wild ones could have been sprayed with weed killer?

 

Like I mentioned pics would help...

Sorry about your loss. Hopes the other survives.

 

Did the "breeder" say how old they were?

 

Sorry taylor not with you on this, you colony breed, But then again i do, just saying if i do something i don't tell others not too, it's hypercritical.

Thank you everyone for your contributions

 

Its a miracle. When i got home from work, the guy is sitting on a perch with its eyes open, abeit looking a bit lethargic. I have attached his photo as my avatar.

 

The best thing is that he has finished off one whole millet spray himself. He must be starving... But not sure if he drunk any water. I will keep him indoor with the heat mat on for the next few days to be sure. This time, i will just have the seed mix (rather than fresh seeds or millet spray) in the cage now to see if he touches them.

 

I did remove the feathers of its dead companion and took a few photos. Its breast bone looks prominent but i dont think its emacipated.

 

For now, i think it might be a combination of young age, stress from relocation, cold night (maybe insufficient down feathers) which did it.

 

Will let you guys know how he is by the end of the week.

 

Thanks

Andrew

I think you are on the money there with your combination of factors.

 

Being to young means he cannot eat, stress means if he could he would not eat and the cold night will negatively impact on them.

 

You may not see him drink, remember this. Birds to drink, put their head down. This means they cannot see around them. They are less likely to do this when there are other noises around that might worry them, like us. In a big flock - like in an aviary, or even in pairs - there is someone looking out for them when their head is down. Think Meerkats and the lookout post -

May have had an underlying ilness.

 

Any chance of pics? Colony breeding is not ideal and you said he LOOKED like a breeder, that worries me a bit.

 

Were the grass seeds fresh like wild or store bought?

 

Wild ones could have been sprayed with weed killer?

 

Like I mentioned pics would help...

Sorry about your loss. Hopes the other survives.

 

Did the "breeder" say how old they were?

 

Sorry taylor not with you on this, you colony breed, But then again i do, just saying if i do something i don't tell others not too, it's hypercritical.

Sorry corzstunt but I think my input has been closed.

Just be happy that the budgies happy, lol

May have had an underlying ilness.

 

Any chance of pics? Colony breeding is not ideal and you said he LOOKED like a breeder, that worries me a bit.

 

Were the grass seeds fresh like wild or store bought?

 

Wild ones could have been sprayed with weed killer?

 

Like I mentioned pics would help...

Sorry about your loss. Hopes the other survives.

 

Did the "breeder" say how old they were?

 

I agree atleat there happy

 

Sorry taylor not with you on this, you colony breed, But then again i do, just saying if i do something i don't tell others not too, it's hypercritical.

Sorry corzstunt but I think my input has been closed.

Just be happy that the budgies happy, lol

 

 

 

 

I agree atleat there happy

Well one may be.....the other one's dead

Sad about that one, allwell, he'll be in budgie heaven now.

may he R.I.P

Thank you everyone for your contributions

 

Its a miracle. When i got home from work, the guy is sitting on a perch with its eyes open, abeit looking a bit lethargic. I have attached his photo as my avatar.

 

The best thing is that he has finished off one whole millet spray himself. He must be starving... But not sure if he drunk any water. I will keep him indoor with the heat mat on for the next few days to be sure. This time, i will just have the seed mix (rather than fresh seeds or millet spray) in the cage now to see if he touches them.

 

I did remove the feathers of its dead companion and took a few photos. Its breast bone looks prominent but i dont think its emacipated.

 

For now, i think it might be a combination of young age, stress from relocation, cold night (maybe insufficient down feathers) which did it.

 

Will let you guys know how he is by the end of the week.

 

Thanks

Andrew

 

I know it's been a couple of days, and I'm just now reading this, but here is what I would add: If you know he's eating millet, and you know he's eating grass seed, but you're not sure if he's eating the seed mix, I WOULD NOT remove the seeds he is eating!! This is not the time to try to force him to eat the seed mix. Until you're sure that he's out of the woods, KEEP GIVING HIM THE STUFF YOU KNOW HE CAN EAT!

 

By the way, I'm sorry for your loss of the other one. Have you contacted the breeder yet for a replacement that is older and fully weaned?

The surviving budgie has settled in now and is eating nicely. I can clearly now see a bulge in his crop.

 

Went to see the seller today and he gave me two free birds to compensate for the loss. The two new birds still have black in their beak, but they should be fine as i am keeping them indoor for now.

 

Thank you B. from Oldbury

Edited October 9, 201113 yr by **KAZ**

Black beaks is a sign of under 6 wks........so they too are very young.