Is My Parakeet Sick? - Blindness?

[nellykeet121]

Baby Gladiators tail keeps bobbing up and down. Whenever he's on his perch, looks like he's napping sometimes, and his tail goes up and down. He has been doing that ever since I got him. Which was a long time ago, and I figured that he was okay. He doesn't really bob his tail up and down a lot, only when he looks like he's resting. Is it normal?

[AngelWings]

Hi :)
hanging around at the bottom of the cage is not a good sign.. It doesn't sound to me like he's blind, it sounds like he's sick.
Here are a few signs budgies may display when they are sick.

Signs of illness to watch out for:

abnormal breathing
abnormal droppings (note the quantity, color, consistency)
abnormal feathers, feather growth, or molt
abnormal sleep pattern:
- continuous
- both feet on the perch when normally one foot is tucked up
- head tucked under the wing
- head turned towards the wing with eyes only partly closed
any change in normal activities:
- talking or chirping
- playing with toys
- preening
- interaction with other birds
- interaction with humans
- energy levels
- different perching area
black spiky head feathers (except during molting)
bleeding
discharge from the beak, eyes or nostrils
disorientation
drinking a lot more water than usual
drooping head, tail or wings
dull or swollen eyes
excessive feather picking or plucking
face and head feathers coated with mucus and semi-digested seed
falling off the perch
fluffed up appearance
hunched over posture
loss of appetite
lumps or swellings on the body
sitting on the bottom of the cage
soiled vent
untidy appearance
vomiting
weight loss

Here's a thread about budgie's droppings that might be able to help you.

http://www.talkbudgies.com/showthread.php?t=22624

edit: I'd take him to a vet.. especially since if he were 'blind' it wouldn't affect his droppings and a budgie just randomly going blind isn't normal either...
It sounds to be like the baby you brought possibly came with a sickness that passed on to your parakeet.. Whenever you buy a new bird, you have to keep it in separate rooms and cages for at least 30 days so if that new bird has a sickness it wouldn't pass to your existing flock..

[tstmard]

I would really suggest taking him to a vet. I agree with Suenem it sounds like he's sick.

[michiyoLove]

Hmm.... this is new to me...

I'd say vet for sure!

Hopefully your little budgie will be alright :)

[nellykeet121]

Thank you all for replying!

)):

I wish I had enough money for the vet...kind of having with money at the moment...my poor baby.:(

[sschlitt]

Good luck, I hope everything goes ok. Let us know how things go. How long has this been going on?

[nellykeet121]

Good luck, I hope everything goes ok. Let us know how things go. How long has this been going on?


It's been going on for about a few weeks. I've been letting him out for some fresh air.

I can't afford a veterinarian at the time..

[nellykeet121]

Hi :)
hanging around at the bottom of the cage is not a good sign.. It doesn't sound to me like he's blind, it sounds like he's sick.
Here are a few signs budgies may display when they are sick.

Signs of illness to watch out for:

abnormal breathing
abnormal droppings (note the quantity, color, consistency)
abnormal feathers, feather growth, or molt
abnormal sleep pattern:
- continuous
- both feet on the perch when normally one foot is tucked up
- head tucked under the wing
- head turned towards the wing with eyes only partly closed
any change in normal activities:
- talking or chirping
- playing with toys
- preening
- interaction with other birds
- interaction with humans
- energy levels
- different perching area
black spiky head feathers (except during molting)
bleeding
discharge from the beak, eyes or nostrils
disorientation
drinking a lot more water than usual
drooping head, tail or wings
dull or swollen eyes
excessive feather picking or plucking
face and head feathers coated with mucus and semi-digested seed
falling off the perch
fluffed up appearance
hunched over posture
loss of appetite
lumps or swellings on the body
sitting on the bottom of the cage
soiled vent
untidy appearance
vomiting
weight loss

Here's a thread about budgie's droppings that might be able to help you.

http://www.talkbudgies.com/showthread.php?t=22624

edit: I'd take him to a vet.. especially since if he were 'blind' it wouldn't affect his droppings and a budgie just randomly going blind isn't normal either...
It sounds to be like the baby you brought possibly came with a sickness that passed on to your parakeet.. Whenever you buy a new bird, you have to keep it in separate rooms and cages for at least 30 days so if that new bird has a sickness it wouldn't pass to your existing flock..

The bird that I purchased didn't seem to look sick, he looked really healthy. And I assume that the pet shop would seperate the sick birds from the healthy ones? :x

[sschlitt]

The bird that I purchased didn't seem to look sick, he looked really healthy. And I assume that the pet shop would seperate the sick birds from the healthy ones? :x

Did you Quarrantine? Even healthy looking budgies can be sick. Please read this thread.

http://talkbudgies.com/showthread.php?t=18786

It is very important to quarrantine new budgies as they can make your existing budgies sick. I hope everything goes well. In know what it is like to not have money for a vet...I am a student. But if he doesn't get better, please do what you can to get in. Usually the vet will work with you on a payment plan or something.

[AngelWings]

The bird that I purchased didn't seem to look sick, he looked really healthy. And I assume that the pet shop would seperate the sick birds from the healthy ones? :x

Birds don't show sickness signs until they are too weak. They hide their illnesses because in the wild, the weakest bird is a predator's lunch.. So a healthy looking bird may not always be healthy and can pass the sickness to your existing flock and your flock may show symptoms of being sick while the new bird may look perfectly healthy.. When birds finally show symptoms of being sick, it's because they have been sick for a while and they are now too weak to cover it up...

Pet shops don't really care at all, if you go to a pet store and ask "should i quarantine my bird?" they'll say that it has already been done, even if the bird you just got looks sick while if you go to an avian vet, they will instruct you to quarantine for at least 30 days.. This is just like if you go to a petstore and ask what you should feed your budgie, they will answer "seeds" while if you go to a vet, they will answer "pellets as well as fruits and veggies"..

Most people who work at petstores don't know what they are talking about at all :XD: when i was newish to birds, my bird was sick, i went to the store and she told me my bird was fine and she was just moulting.. and a few weeks later my bird died.. what i'm trying to say is never trust what a petstore tells you... you should always go to an avian vet instead :)

I understand that you don't have money right now.. But i'd save up as quickly as possible because being at the bottom of the cage (especially) is never a good sign. What you can do for now is lower his perches (just in case he gets too weak and fall off of them, then he won't get hurt :)) you can also try to keep him warm.. Putting a heating pad or a heating lamp close to the cage helps :)

also saw him opening and closing his beak for a few seconds, and he stretches out his neck, like he's trying to feel something with his beak

The opening and closing beak is just him yawning :) and stretching his neck with his beak opening means he's adjusting his crop.. both are normal for budgies to do.

[louara]

Find a vet and work out a payment plan with them. Your budgie sounds quite ill and should see an avian asap

[tweet_tweet92]

Birds don't show sickness signs until they are too weak. They hide their illnesses because in the wild, the weakest bird is a predator's lunch.. So a healthy looking bird may not always be healthy and can pass the sickness to your existing flock and your flock may show symptoms of being sick while the new bird may look perfectly healthy.. When birds finally show symptoms of being sick, it's because they have been sick for a while and they are now too weak to cover it up...

Pet shops don't really care at all, if you go to a pet store and ask "should i quarantine my bird?" they'll say that it has already been done, even if the bird you just got looks sick while if you go to an avian vet, they will instruct you to quarantine for at least 30 days.. This is just like if you go to a petstore and ask what you should feed your budgie, they will answer "seeds" while if you go to a vet, they will answer "pellets as well as fruits and veggies"..

Most people who work at petstores don't know what they are talking about at all :XD: when i was newish to birds, my bird was sick, i went to the store and she told me my bird was fine and she was just moulting.. and a few weeks later my bird died.. what i'm trying to say is never trust what a petstore tells you... you should always go to an avian vet instead :)

I understand that you don't have money right now.. But i'd save up as quickly as possible because being at the bottom of the cage (especially) is never a good sign. What you can do for now is lower his perches (just in case he gets too weak and fall off of them, then he won't get hurt :)) you can also try to keep him warm.. Putting a heating pad or a heating lamp close to the cage helps :)



The opening and closing beak is just him yawning :) and stretching his neck with his beak opening means he's adjusting his crop.. both are normal for budgies to do.

i agree with her completely bout the petstores do not care at all.

i had a bird have a metal band around her foot, and it was digging in her skin, and i had to take it to the vet to get it off of her, and u can see were it was worn it was so tight.
i went to that pet store a little after that to get another bird. (just wanted another one to keep her company)
and i was telling her if it was possible to get the band off, and she was getting real snotty talking about there not supposed to come off or anything and denied it was hurting my bird and thought just b cuz of my age i was full of crap
they really dont care for the animals, and do not know what there talking bout.

[Angelic Vampyre]

If you hold the bird and in a dark room shine a small pen light in his eyes if he is blind you will see a cloudness to them.

[nellykeet121]

Birds don't show sickness signs until they are too weak. They hide their illnesses because in the wild, the weakest bird is a predator's lunch.. So a healthy looking bird may not always be healthy and can pass the sickness to your existing flock and your flock may show symptoms of being sick while the new bird may look perfectly healthy.. When birds finally show symptoms of being sick, it's because they have been sick for a while and they are now too weak to cover it up...

Pet shops don't really care at all, if you go to a pet store and ask "should i quarantine my bird?" they'll say that it has already been done, even if the bird you just got looks sick while if you go to an avian vet, they will instruct you to quarantine for at least 30 days.. This is just like if you go to a petstore and ask what you should feed your budgie, they will answer "seeds" while if you go to a vet, they will answer "pellets as well as fruits and veggies"..

Most people who work at petstores don't know what they are talking about at all :XD: when i was newish to birds, my bird was sick, i went to the store and she told me my bird was fine and she was just moulting.. and a few weeks later my bird died.. what i'm trying to say is never trust what a petstore tells you... you should always go to an avian vet instead :)

I understand that you don't have money right now.. But i'd save up as quickly as possible because being at the bottom of the cage (especially) is never a good sign. What you can do for now is lower his perches (just in case he gets too weak and fall off of them, then he won't get hurt :)) you can also try to keep him warm.. Putting a heating pad or a heating lamp close to the cage helps :)



The opening and closing beak is just him yawning :) and stretching his neck with his beak opening means he's adjusting his crop.. both are normal for budgies to do.

Oh my thanks so much T_T! Thank you thank you!

[SusanBudgies]

If you're in So Cal, I recommend this avian vet: http://thebirdclinic.com/; he's great with birds. When you can afford to, you should take each bird for a New Bird Checkup. The vet will weigh the bird, test his blood for cell counts and fat level, examine the bird's internal organs (a budgie's skin is transparent) and educate you about proper nutrition. In the meantime, the vet's website has some great handouts.

[nellykeet121]

If you're in So Cal, I recommend this avian vet: http://thebirdclinic.com/; he's great with birds. When you can afford to, you should take each bird for a New Bird Checkup. The vet will weigh the bird, test his blood for cell counts and fat level, examine the bird's internal organs (a budgie's skin is transparent) and educate you about proper nutrition. In the meantime, the vet's website has some great handouts.

Thank you (: but I live in Nor-Cal D: I've been looking for an avian vet near me

[sschlitt]

Good luck, How is your baby doing?

[SusanBudgies]

Thank you (: but I live in Nor-Cal D: I've been looking for an avian vet near meThis is a good resource for avian vets: http://www.aav.org/search/. Best wishes. :)

[nellykeet121]

Good luck, How is your baby doing?

He seems to be doing a little good, he's still singing away like he used too (:

[nellykeet121]

This is a good resource for avian vets: http://www.aav.org/search/. Best wishes. :)


Thank you! :)