How do you know when birds are sick?

by Anonymous

How do you know when birds are sick?

Answer:

If you have any reason to believe that your bird is sick, you should immediately take him or her to a certified avian veterinarian.

It can actually be very difficult to tell when a bird is sick. Because birds in the wild can be kicked out of their flock due to illness, birds are naturally very good at hiding it. So, it is extremely important that you take your bird to an avian vet at the first sign (or suspicion) of illness.

The easiest way to determine if your bird is ill is if he or she is losing or gaining weight.

So, bird owners should always have a gram scale and weigh their birds regularly (at least once a week) to be able to recognize a change in weight which almost always indicates some sort of illness. You can also feel your bird’s breastbone. If it is sticking out and not flush with the chest, this can indicate a significant weight loss.

There are a few other signs of illness that you can take into consideration:

• Sneezing, coughing, discharge around nostrils and/or eyes.
• Watery, bubbly, or otherwise non-normal feces.
  Sometimes feces can change based on diet or stressful situations, but if the feces have become regularly not normal, take your bird to an avian vet as soon as possible.
• Sleeping more, general lethargy, sitting puffed up.
• More passive or compliant than usual.
• Sitting on the bottom of his or her cage.
• Eating and/or talking/vocalizing less.
• Wheezing or tail bobbing when breathing.
• Vomiting and/or clumping/sticky feathers on face.
• Crusting or scaling of skin.

If you notice any of these signs, take your bird to an avian veterinarian immediately.

Best of luck to you!