Sick Parakeet On Bottom of Cage
by Amanda
(Vine Grove Kentucky)
Hello, I just bought three budgies (parakeets) and have had them for a week. I have been working with one budgie who was just starting to come to me. The person I bought the budgie from said he was partially trained and I finally got him to stand on my finger three days ago. Well tonight I put my finger in there and he came to me a few times. Later this evening my son came to me saying he was acting funny!
I had to pick him up because he was flopping around in the cage. He let me pick him up and pull him out of the cage and he snuggled into me. He also went on my shoulder. I held him in my hands for awhile as well, I finally had to stick him in the other cage and he was at the bottom of the cage. There was some white in his water. I believe he is sick and he doesn't want to fly he perched himself for a few min but he then fell to the bottom of the cage!
He also chirped in my ear when he was sitting on my shoulder, one second he seemed fine then the next not!
Any advice would be great.
Thank you.
Vet Suggestion for Treating Sick ParakeetHi Amanda,
I am concerned about the symptoms you describe in your parakeet. The list of potential problems that might be causing them is quite long and includes the effects of a change in diet, improper temperature levels, stress associated with his recent move or other factors, parasitism, infectious disease, and more. Some of these conditions are potentially life threatening if they aren’t addressed quickly, so I recommend that you see a veterinarian who has experience with birds as quickly as possible. If possible, bring your bird to the office in his normal cage so the doctor can evaluate your set up in addition to performing a physical exam and any diagnostic tests that might be necessary. If you don’t know of a local bird doctor, the
Association of Avian Veterinarian’s website can help you find one.
In the meantime, thoroughly sanitize everything in your birds’ cages and keep them impecably clean. Provide fresh water every day. Replace their food with a new batch of their favorite type (pellets are better than seeds but this is not the time to make a diet change). Make sure the cages are in a draft-free location and warmed to around 83 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
Best of luck,
Jennifer Coates, DVM