Signs of Illness in Exotic Birds
Or, "But he seemed fine yesterday!"
Birds are masters at hiding all signs of illness. They will do whatever it takes to fool you! As with all parrot behaviors, this one is instinctual. In the wild, sick birds are an easy meal. Predators target the sick and ill birds first. If your little guy isn't feeling well, he'll pretend he is just fine and dandy to avoid becoming someone's next meal.
By the time most people notice their bird is sick, sometimes it can be too late. At this point the bird is so sick he just can't keep up his little charade any longer. My very first bird, a pudgy Lutino Cockatiel named Charlie, seemed fine until one day when I took her out of her cage and she was lethargic and refused to eat. I rushed her to the vet, who did test after test, then sent me home with her, instructing me to keep her warm. Unfortunately, it was too late and she died that evening. I was devasted. When the test results came back, it turned out she had kidney failure. I had no idea, because she had acted normally up until that morning. And, shame on me, I had not been getting her regular veterinary care.
Sorry, this isn't meant to bum anyone out. The point is that you need to pay strict attention to your bird to see if she might be sick, or else she could easily fool you.
Below are some signs of illness in birds to be on the watch for:
• Weight loss. One of the first signs of illness is weight loss. You should have a gram scale in your home that you can use to weigh your bird. These can be found at bird speciality shops. Weigh your bird at the same time, before feeding her, at least once a week. A 10% weight loss is considered significant.
• Unusual Droppings. A bird's droppings tell a story about her health and her diet. Check droppings every day. Use plain white paper or wax paper to line the cage so you can see droppings better. Look for changes in color, volume, consistency, and number of droppings. More on droppings later.
• Loss of appetite. If you notice your bird has stopped eating, it's a serious sign of illness.
• Abnormal Breathing. Labored breathing, gasping, clicking, or any other signs of respiratory distress are extremely serious and require emergency veterinary care ASAP.
• Fluffed feathers. If your bird is perching with fluffed feathers you need to move him/her immediately to a source of heat and call your vet immediately.
• Nasal discharge/wet sneezing. Your bird should not have any discharge from her nares (the nostrils above the beak). All birds sneeze, but continued wet sneezes are cause for concern.
• Lethargy. All birds take naps during the day, but if your bird seems to be sleeping more than usual, you should be concerned.
• Tail bobbing. Birds who are having trouble breathing often have tail bobbing. This is when the tail bobs up and down as the bird breathes.
• Abnormal Plumage. Abnormal feather growth, loss of feathers that is not due to normal molting, or sticky/matted feathers are all cause for concern. This could indicate a vitamin or mineral deficiency caused from diet, lack of natural sunlight, or a more serious problem affecting the vital organs, or from Beak and Feather Syndrome.
• Change in voice. If your normally noisy bird suddenly stops singing or screaming, you should be worried. Or if a normally quiet bird starts to make a bit of noise, pay attention. She's trying to tell you something.
There are other things that you will be able to notice right away if there is a problem with your bird. These would be considered emergencies and warrant a call and a visit to an avian veterinarian as soon as possible:
•
Discharge from eyes, mouth, vent or nares
Discharge from eyes, mouth, vent or nares •Broken limbs
Broken limbs •Bleeding
Bleeding •Vomiting (which is different from regurgitation. Vomiting results in a sticky residue on the face and head)
Vomiting (which is different from regurgitation. Vomiting results in a sticky residue on the face and head) •Very labored breathing
Very labored breathing •Inability to perch; sitting on the bottom of the cage
Inability to perch; sitting on the bottom of the cage •Seizures or other neurological problems
Seizures or other neurological problems Obviously this isn't meant to be an all-inclusive list. You know your bird best and need to determine when veterinary care is warranted. Now on to droppings.
Droppings
Monitoring your bird's droppings is one of the best things to do, but first you need to know what you're looking for.
Abnormal Bird Droppings:
•Increased size.
Increased size. •Changes in color not related to diet (blueberries would make the droppings blue, for instance).
Changes in color not related to diet (blueberries would make the droppings blue, for instance). •Are often wet.
Are often wet. •Carry a smell.
Carry a smell. Healthy Bird Droppings:
•Small with a white cap.
Small with a white cap. •Usually have a down feather attached to it.
Usually have a down feather attached to it. •Have no sign of wetness surrounding it.
Have no sign of wetness surrounding it. •Have no smell.
Have no smell. The best way to keep your bird healthy is to following a healthy parrot diet and to get regular veterinary care. If you are ever unsure whether or not your bird is ill, it's always best to seek immediate veterinary care.
