Hi, my budgie is just over 3 yrs old and ever since I've had him he had had watery pooh and ever since then, either white, grey, green, hard string like or very wet staining and sometimes sticks to him where I have to wash it off. We had blood and faecal tests done and they say he has a damaged liver... and we have to live with it. He is always happy in himself, talks well, eats and drinks well but on occasions he seems "ill", not really fluffed up, just the bottom half of his back over his vent where he sits with it fluffed.. as tho it's bothering him.

 

He is a seed eater only, tho occasionally will peck at an orange and an apple, but really doesn't touch greens. Personally I think he is constipated as he often seems to "strain" to pooh and sometimes nothing comes out. Is there anything I can give him for constipation?

 

Just this last week he has gone "funny" with a huge moult, never had a moult before where he's lost his large wing feathers and now can't really fly as he lands on the floor when he tries!! He has also started tapping the wires on the cage, never really seen him do this before, it’s like he’s stressed or something, he does it an awful lot over the last week. This moult is bad and I wonder what I can do for him. Having the liver damage I don’t spose I can give him iron based stuff (nor if he’s constipated). My vet is kind but I don’t think he knows what to do when I’ve taken him before.... I haven’t taken him this time but think I will have to. The budgies claws and beak grow fast too which is part of the liver damage I know so have to have those trimmed. It’s such a shame he seems to suffer like this as he is a happy little soul through thick and thin. Can anyone recommend something I can give to him to help him with the constipation/watery droppings and now the moult please? Would love some feedback as this really stresses me out seeing him like he is even though he likes to be chirpy and takes life as it comes when he can. Thanks for your help and thanks for taking the time to read my post. xx

Is your vet an avian vet? You should take your budgie to an avian vet.

If your bird has liver damage its possible that he hasn't had enough extra protein in his body to have the big moult before. My budgie started moulting in January, and he got very ill and nearly died a week ago, and he has started moulting all over again and is beginning to lose big feathers again. The reasoning behind this is, he's now feeling well enough to be able to produce the extra protein required for the moult and wasn't moulting as much as his system had basically shut down in order to keep him alive. Has your bird moulted this much before? Perhaps its a similar thing to what we're experience (not the illness however)

 

If you can get your bird to an avian vet, that would be much better than just a normal vet It's good your vet did the faecal tests and blood tests but you really need someone who is a bird specialist.

 

Good luck.

i agree, you should definitely get him seen by a competent vet, if necessary - find another vet.

 

about the liver damage, well one of the causes for liver damage is a seed only diet. i would suggest giving him hard boiled egg (very hard boiled) mashed up, either this or a dry egg food from a pet shop. personally i think hard boiled egg is better for them, as budgie babe said it would be good for him to get more protein during this time. i have a terminally ill budgie myself and i know how hard it is to watch them suffering.

 

you could try mixing brocolli buds into his egg or seed, or clipping strips of carrot or the a head of brocolli to the cage bars. if this fails, try eating a piece of carrot infront of him and then offer him a piece. this is how i got mine to eat veggies to start with. budgies are very jelous creatures and if youve got something that he hasnt chances are he will want to steal it from you (Laughing out loud). its so important to get him eating veggies at least every other day.

 

i hope he feels better soon, good luck with the vets

Yes, changing his diet like Pixie said is the best way to go! You have to do it very gradually though and keep persisting with the new foods. We have places a mirror in our cage and are putting down a sprinkle of seed and whatever new thing we want him to try so he can associate the mirror with another bird eating the food on the mirror, therefore encouraging him to do the same eventually!

Hi. Thanks ever so much for the replies to my post I'm really grateful for all your help. I didn't realise that he will need the extra protein but what I was wondering re the mashed up boiled egg... won't that make him constipated or more than he is now.. or upset his already upset gut?

 

I am going to find an avian vet this week so hope to take him to a specialist. Percy (budgie) has never moulted like this before but I've been giving him Vita Sol in his water at times, is that helping him do you think? Gosh this is so upsetting, he's such a darling bird and I hate to see him stressed out, I am now wondering if the "tapping" on the cage since the moult started is something to do with wanting more protein. I will try the food on the mirror, he's never eaten much other than seed and millet but I will try some lettuce tonight and perhaps the egg though I don't want to upset his gut anymore than it has been since we had him.

 

Thanks again for all your help, you don't know how much it is appreciated.

Hi classy lady, just a little pointer about eggs, the egg white is the binding part, but the yolk tends to have a more loosening affect. I think both effects are greatly diminished by cooking though.

Anne

Lettuce actually isn't all that good for budgies, it has a fairly high water content. Try some baby spinach if you can, all the budgies I know love the stuff!

Lettuce also has the effect of giving them diarea (sp?). Brocerli (sp?), celery, carrots is better.

perhaps the loosening effect of the lettuce would be advantageous considering he appears to be constipated ? I would try a little bit of lettuce and slowly increase the intake to see if it helps purge his system.... just a thought, hate to think of him suffering

Hi everyone and thanks for your input. Since I last posted Percy has been very ill and I had to take him back to the original vet. He gave him injection of antibiotics and vitamins but he got worse before he got better. I took him back again cos he was hot and listless and they gave me antibiotics to put in his water cos they said he had gut infection which was right. A few days later he is much better and I'm SO pleased as I was frantic (he's my baby (Laughing out loud)). He has perked up much more now tho still on antibiotics, when they are finished I will give him probiotics. He has been eating a bit more lettuce now where he never did, also a bit of carrot. I think the droppings problem will always be with him cos of the liver damage from birth. He lost a lot of weight in a week but hopefully will put it back on now he's eating. I just wish I could help him with the gut problem but he's always had it and the dropping vary from water, cloudy water... grey solid, white solid, black and grey etc etc... never really "normal" droppings. He's a happy soul when he's well so I'm very lucky to have him. I'm still trying hard to find some solution to the gut prob but meanwhile thanks SO much for all the advice and help. Hope all your little feathered pals are keeping well. xx :glare:

Aw-so pleases to hear he's feeling better. I'll be wracking my brains to think of things to help.

Julie

Were you able to find an Avian vet? if not, you might still consider taking him to one. Its possible they could do more for him.

 

Glad he seems better, but keep a close eye on him, you should.

 

(Whoa, I'm channeling Yoda!)

 

Risha