I found one of my beautiful budgies acting strangely in the aviary today and was able to pick her up straight away ....which for an aviary bird is unusual. It is Paris my sky blue greywing (clearwing?) girl. She has a mark across the back of her head where a line of feathers is missing, making it look like she has hit something hard taking out a slice of feathers. Upon further investigation it was obvious that she couldn't see too well. I put her in the smaller aviary and watched for awhile. She flew into walls and seemed to be feeling her way around the cage. So, off to the vets we went (Yes, an avian vet ).....he agrees that she has had an impact with something and may have concussion. Is not sure if her sight is a permanent loss or not.....and I must observe her and report back within a few days. She absolutely cannot see, as I have put my finger right up to her eyeball and she doesn't see it coming, from both sides too. Apart from that she is fine. She has been put in a small cage where I can watch her closely. I am watching to see if she can eat and drink on her own before decisions have to be made for her health and safety. Any advice is welcome. :bluebudgie:

Edited March 15, 200619 yr by budgiebird

aw i'm sorry to hear about Paris - I hope she recovers well!

aww Budgie bird I'm so sorry to hear this. I hope she gets better, is there some smelly veggs she likes that might help her to some food? I know there smell isn't great but it's there. I would also think about sprinkling seeds on the ground of the cage, that way she can forage around to collect some food. I know it's not very healthy but if to keep her means cleaning a bit more often I would.

I will try all you have suggested. She likes corn so I will put some in there too. I don't mind looking after her more just to keep her. I am hoping she will recover her sight. She seems happy enough now she is in a smaller space. Will update .....thanks for the kind wishes and thoughts :bluebudgie:

Oh no, how awful! I'm sure you are doing all you can though

:bluebudgie: Poor lil darlin.. Apples, Munchys and My best wishes are with you both and we are keeping our fingers crossed that her sight is fully recovered.. :ausb:

She has settled for the night. Was eating from her seed dish and floor of cage. Had a few mad moments where she got to the top of the cage and tried to force herself to keep going through the bars. Managed to get her head and one wing through and I quickly untangled her. She's not very grateful and I have the bites to prove it We have put a temporary top on the cage and hope it doesnt happen again. You can put your fingers right up to her eyeball and she doesnt blink....so no sight whatsoever. She has an upset stomach but isnt overly frightened or fretful......so time will tell. Ken thinks the worst is yet to come and she may not make it through the night. I am more hopeful. :fear

hugs, if she doesn't regain her sight, she will certainly be a special needs bird. I personally believe she will be okay, without sight but she would have be by herself, in her own cage where she would get used to where she is. If you decide on that, rearranging her cage is probably not option, keeping the feed and water in the same place etc... Simple improvsions, I wish you the best.

Thankyou for your good advice Lovey and others. I have just checked on her and she is sleeping on her perch. So all is well for the moment.

Paris is still with us. She is sitting quietly on her perch. She is still blind.

I was keeping my fingers crossed that some sort of miracle was going to happen over night *sigh...

I hope the little darling will be alright.. If she doesn't recover her eyesight have you thought about what you will do?

I do hope she will be alright. Sometimes we get birds at the wildlife shelter that have had a run in with a window or car and have one major headache. You can wave your hand in front of their eyes and they don't respond so you know they are temporarily blinded. Hopefully your bird falls into that category. they usually come out of it within a day or two if they haven't sustained a severe head injury, don't like the sound of the obvious trauma. Wishing for her and you.

Paris is still with us. She is sitting quietly on her perch. She is still blind.

 

hugs

l'm hoping that Paris will be alright.

Hugs. I think you have done all your can to let her settle and recover. I think shock would have done it's damage by now. Just make sure to keep her warm.

Oh Budgiebird I hope she will be okay. I know it's not the same but my mum had a dog that went blind, and after a short transition period she was fine, she would run through the house and out the doggy door, and if you didn't know you wouldn't think there was anything wrong, mum just made sure that she kept everything in the same place and she could find her way around. I think that this would be the case for most animals that are domestic. She may rely on you a touch more and in time she will trust you. Might I suggest if she doesn't regain her site to have her wings clipped, so she doesn't try to fly out of instinct??

 

My thoughts are with you and I hope she recovers soon. :angel1:

I went to visit today, and the little budgie is very bright and alert, eating, and seems to be doing well!

I went to visit today, and the little budgie is very bright and alert, eating, and seems to be doing well!

 

How many budgies did you hide under your jumper from the beautiful new avaries??? I bet the pictures don't do them real justice do they! :dbb1:

 

I am glad to hear she is doing well. Thanks for the update Lin.

I only came home with one budgie! What self control! :budgiedance:

What budgie ??!! I'm going out to count them by torch light :budgiedance:

 

Thanking everyone for their good wishes and kind thoughts with regard to Paris. She is quiet while she comes to terms with her loss of sight. Hoping she may regain her sight if its a case of swelling pressing on optic nerve only and perhaps she will recover from that. She is managing well enough without getting stressed.....and I am keeping her in a small cage so she cant fly and further injure herself. Don't know what I will do long term if it comes to permanent sight loss, but one day at a time.

Two days later and Paris still has no sight. She is eating and drinking however. She even ate all of her half ear of corn overnight, after first treating it like an obstacle to trip over. So she is happy enough for now

that is wonderful

Was thinking about her today, how is she doing?

She looks well. The blow to her head hasnt turned into anything else nasty as it could have. She is still blind and it looks like it is permanent. She finds her food and eats well. She may have some brain damage in that she exhibits some weird repetitive behaviours, but on the other hand that could be down to frustration at losing her sight too......and maybe at being in a small cage. She tries to escape the cage by rattling the doors and trying to force herself through the bars in a very repetitive manner. Hasn't hurt herself in any way though. I watch her closely. She bites me hard any chance she gets. :budgiedance:

glad to hear she is doing good.

The biting I am not surprised because she can't see you this is her ONLY defense. I would work on something like, having a millet spray come in the cage with your finger for her to bite first and then when she associates your finger with food she can know that it will not harm her. Then slowly decrease the millet and finger and just do the finger. We have to remember all she sees is darkness in her world that is very scary for anybody.