# My budgie is very depressed



## vikic (May 12, 2015)

Hi, I don't know what to do.
The back story:

Last month we moved out of our house of 27 years, the budgies seemed to take this well after a few days of adjusting.

My mum died 3 weeks ago whom my budgies loved very much they were all together in the same room for years.

I don't know how they knew she had died but they did because they both stopped singing and they both became more clingy towards me, I was walking around with them all the time and I am/was sitting with them with every minute I have to spare.

A week later my budgie Winston who was my surviving budgies partner also died, I don't think he was ill because he had a check up by an exotics vet not long before he passed (healthy.) I just woke up that day and found him on the bottom of the cage.

Now my remaining budgie Charlie is soooo depressed I bought 2 new budgies to try and cheer him up but he doesn't want anything to do with them, infact I think it has made him worse, they keep trying to be friendly but he just sits there, he won't even look at them, he keeps burrowing under my chin and refuses to move. I have scratches on my neck and chest where he has clinged on, he is barely eating and he is unresponsive to touch, I have tried millet, his favourite seed, egg food, fresh vegatables and even a plain crisp out of desperation but he won't eat anything and he has lost weight.

His vet agrees with me that he is depressed and I have just been told to spend as much time with him as possible but he doesn't seem hopeful that he will pull through just because of his age and the fact he has lost everyone but me in the space of 3 weeks, I just know he is giving up 

I am giving him Gaurdian Angel in his water and Trill because it his is favourite seed. I let him eat out of my hand today and he ate 2/3 seeds. I have kept the new birds in the same room but in a cage of their own.


Please any suggestions would be great, I can't face to loose anyone anything else right now

Edit to add: before I got the other budgies, he was running back and forth taking seed out of his pot and taking it to the mirror, he didn't eat or regurgitate, he just picked the seeds up and dropped them, this is where his friend always used to sleep


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*I'm so sorry you and Charlie are going through such upheaval at this point in time. :hug:

How old is Charlie?
Have you tried hand feeding him?

Giving him a spray of millet soaked in Guardian Angel may help encourage him to eat and drink a bit.
Rearranging his cage and removing the mirror may be helpful.

Good luck and please let us know who things go. :hug:*


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

So sorry for your recent losses, very sad story for both of you. In addition to what has already been said if the new additions are of no comfort to Charlie maybe try moving them to a different room and then spend one on one time with Charlie. Maybe he sees them as intruders to his territory and that territory would include you as well. When you are not with him do you leave a TV or radio on, if not you may want to try that so he does not feel alone.


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## vikic (May 12, 2015)

Thanks for the responses 

Charlie is/will be 8/9 this year. (I don't know his exact birthday)
I have had him atleast 7 years and he was around 1-2 years old when we got him. I believe Winston was also around the same age, I had him when he was an adult from a rescue and I had him for 6 years.

I have already removed the mirror I did so in an attempt to make him eat rather than dropping the food for it (I have never in all my years witness a budgie do this) and to encourage him to communicate with the other birds but he isn't bothered :|

I take Charlie around the house with me, unless I am going outside, cooking or bathing etc. He has an entire room for himself and he just uses the cage as a pit stop that he can freely go in and out of and get food and water. He actually seems to be more content in my bedroom, yesterday I tried him in my bedroom and he ran up to my makeup mirror and pecked it a few times (he always did this when he was younger) this is the most action I have seen from him since last week.

I have cleared some desk space and I might move his cage into my bedroom until he feels a bit better, I will see how he goes.

I will try the millet and gaurdian angel now, if this doesn't work I could try hand feeding him. I will consult the vet on the best way to do this. (I have never had to do it) and I am trying to stress him out as little as possible.

I have a tablet that I let play random YouTube playlists when I am not here. 
And I agree about the other birds, I think it may have been too much too soon for Charlie.

I might move Charlie to my bedroom, this way he knows I am not leaving him and see how he gets on.


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

I think moving him to your room is a good idea to see if it helps him. Please keep us posted on his progress. Hand feeding, or gavage (tube) feeding can be very dangerous to the bird if not done properly, if this is what you mean by hand feeding please make sure the vet is in agreement with this and teaches you what to do.


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## vikic (May 12, 2015)

Cody said:


> I think moving him to your room is a good idea to see if it helps him. Please keep us posted on his progress. Hand feeding, or gavage (tube) feeding can be very dangerous to the bird if not done properly, if this is what you mean by hand feeding please make sure the vet is in agreement with this and teaches you what to do.


Thank you, I don't think tube feeding is necesary at this point 
I have a bit of an update.
I actually took him outside today whilst I sunbathed (in his cage and half covered) and he has perked up a bit since then. 
He has also gone to sit with the other budgies outside their cage, he isn't singing but he seems a bit livlier. He has also eaten some millet and quite a bit of seed when I wasn't looking, I checked the husks. And when I came into the room he was preening. :001_wub:


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

That's great news :clap: I hope he continues to improve.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*So glad to hear that Charlie is doing a bit better and praying the improvement will continue.

Please keep us updated on his progress.

Best wishes! :hug:*


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## vikic (May 12, 2015)

Thank you guys.

I will keep monitoring. When I came downstairs this morning he was sitting on top of the other budgies cage, I think he maybe warming to them, it is also hot and sunny here today so I might take him outside again.

I will let the others fly out in a few days and see what's what.

If he seems to take a turn for the worst, I have my vet on hand if needs be.


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## SnowySugar (Aug 25, 2016)

I'm so sorry for the loss of your mother. I think it's a wonderful idea to move Charlie into your bedroom. It seems like he's improving, so maybe in the long run the new friends will be good for him once he gets to know them. Good luck and prayers for you and Charlie.:lovie 1:


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