Dying Budgies

Posted April 23, 200619 yr

My son's budgies are dropping like flies. He has 10 budgies in the aviary and 3 have died in the last week and 2 more are sick. The ages range from just out of the nest to about 2 years old. They start out sitting puffed up on the perch, then they end up on the floor dead the next day. They have very runny droppings. As soon as I see a sick bird, I take it out and put in a cage of it's own. I have not changed their feed or changed their diet. The only thing I can think of is we introduced 2 quail about 3 weeks to the aviary however these came with a health check so I wouldn't think it was them. What is wrong with them. It is breaking my son's heart everytime we have to bury another bird. The burial comes with a full service, prayer, and rose petals!

April 23, 200619 yr

We can't tell you what's wrong but I suggest you take at least a few of them to your nearest avian vet for full work ups.

You can also have necropsies performed on the dead birds. Put their bodies in a bag, refrigerate (DO NOT FREEZE) them and get them to the avian as soon as you can for the necropsy. As upsetting as it may be, it can save the lives of your remaining birds. Don't add water to the bag with the dead ones, don't freeze them, just refrigerate. I've been through it with a parrotlet I loved dearly and it was hard but this is something that can tell you so much about what happened to the birds that passed that it's so worth it.

There is obviously some sort of disease making its way through your flock and the only way to stop it is to find out what it is.

Good luck, and I'm very sorry for your losses. I know how difficult it can be.

April 23, 200619 yr

I agree with what Terri has said - you need an avian vet to diagnoze and treat this disease. You will also need to thoroughly scrub the aviary, perches, food containers etc, when the disease has been treated. Good luck. The sooner they are started on treatment, the higher chance of recovery