# Under the Weather Budgie - can't figure out what's wrong!



## RobinTheBudgie (Jul 30, 2014)

So, Robin the budgie has been under the weather for several days now... he sleeps a lot more than usual during the day, full head-turn and everything (which was previously unusual). He'll get up and be active and sing and play a bit, but tends to intersperse half hours of activity with a lot of sleeping. 

I took him to the vet the first day I noticed something was up, but they couldn't find anything except for MAYBE a slightly swollen crop. His color, reflexes, and heartrate are good; his eyes, nostrils, and behind his tongue also got the vet's approval. I thought he wasn't eliminating very much back when I took him to the vet, but I think that's improved. He is still just sleeping and fluffing A LOT. 

Oh, he doesn't do the tail bob either and he doesn't seem to be breathing heavily. He generally sits on one foot while resting still. The only slightly strange thing is that once in a while when I go over to his cage, he'll get startled and make an odd squeaking noise when hopping to a different perch. He's only done this twice though, I think. 

The vet told me to switch to a new food, since he might not be getting the right vitamins (he only wants seed he can crack, and won't eat fruits and veggies, as he is scared of them or just throws them around the cage.) I ordered Harrison's pellets (superfine parakeet size) as per the vet's suggestion, but he of course hasn't touched them. I'm mixing them with seeds right now so he'll at least eat something. 

I also put a drop of apple cider vinegar in his water. 

What else can I do? Is there possibly something wrong with the seeds themselves that he's getting?

:budge:


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*What type seed are you buying? 
Is Robin going through a molt at the moment? Molting takes extra energy and some budgies sleep more during that time.

Take a look at the information in the link below.
In addition to the general budgie diet, there is a great recipe for egg food you can fix for Robin. 

Our Budgies Diet - Cute Little Birdies Aviary

Egg Food- Our Aviary Recipe Step By Step - Cute Little Birdies Aviary*


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## RobinTheBudgie (Jul 30, 2014)

Thank you! He had been eating Ecotrition mix, which has all sorts of seeds, dried beans, dried fruits and veggies in it. However I have recently been giving him something called LM Farms, since the pet store was out of his usual food. He didn't seem to mind for a while (like I said, if he can crack some seeds, he's happy!) but it's just recently he's acting down. His seed doesn't smell off, so there's nothing "wrong" with it... but I read your post about commercial "dead" seed so I guess I will be off to buy something else, and try sprouting it!

He's kind of molting (has a few pin feathers on his head), but he seems to be always molting. He finished his big wing feather change-out about a month ago, and hasn't been replacing many feathers since then. He's always turned his nose up at egg food too, but I suppose it's always worth a shot! (We found him outside, so we don't know anything about what his previous owners gave him, but it appears he was raised on seed only, and wants to stay that way! Picky little bird. )


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*You might try giving him some cooked quinoa sprinkled with a little millet seed. 
If you can get him eating that, then you can start mixing in some tiny bits of veggies as well. *


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## dsavino (Sep 10, 2012)

Sometimes when you're trying to introduce pellets for the first time, try grinding the pellets into a fine powder and sprinkle it over the seeds and add it into something soft like eggfood or quinoa so he can get used to the taste that way and then you can gradually add back the pellets whole.


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## deriksen (Dec 5, 2014)

Good luck with the food. I have similar challenges with my own budgie. I add vitamin drops to her water as she'll pick most of the healthy stuff out of her food bowl and drop it on the floor


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## Budget baby (Jan 1, 2013)

Did the vet check his poop out? I would get some probiotics sprinkle this over his seed mix.
try him on some thyme, basil, is he actually getting a good restful full night's sleep? Do you cover his cage at all Sorry about all the questions, but it does help eliminate some area's.
Does he sneeze a lot ?


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## Jonah (Feb 3, 2013)

Yes...what Cathy said....vet didn't do any testing or give anti B's for swollen crop ? ACV with the mother in it is excellent to use regularly...mine get it every third day. Pro B's are also good and I sprinkle it on my birds food a couple times a week, more during molt...


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## RobinTheBudgie (Jul 30, 2014)

Thank you everyone for all the suggestions in introducing new food! I'll try to encourage him to eat some egg food tomorrow too (although I have doubts as to its success.) In the meantime, I got a new special blend of seeds and vegetables to see how it goes. I also got an egg food stick that kind of looks like a millet spray, so he might give that a try. 

Deriksen, your budgie sounds like mine  Troublemaker birds!

As for the other questions, his poop looks good. The vet didn't do any dropping analysis, if that's what you're asking. 
I do cover his cage at night, so I hope he's getting a restful night's sleep! We don't have any furry pets distracting him, and the apartment building is quiet. 
He only sneezes sometimes when he's preening - I think he gets pin feather keratin powder in his nose  It's only dry sneezing when he does that; he still has a dry and pretty face


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## Budget baby (Jan 1, 2013)

I must admit I find it quite strange why your vet hasn't done gram stain tests especially as there is some signs of crop trouble. If it were me I would ask for the droppings to be looked at under a microscope, probiotics do help inn these type of problems, it could be mega bacteria perhaps?:budgie:


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## RobinTheBudgie (Jul 30, 2014)

I'll probably call back and request another appointment. Unfortunately, I had to take him to an all-pets vet, since there isn't a special avian vet in the area. 
He seemed to be doing okay this morning, chirping and playing and preening (and NOT fluffing!) but I've noticed he's rather scared of me now. I went to clean his cage and he started flying around in a panic, and I could hear him exhaling a few times when he was clinging to the side of the cage. I'm not worried he has a respiratory problem - I've had other birds who make a few exhaling noises at me when I startle them and they're otherwise fine - but I'm just bummed he's scared of me now. He was never really tame (we've been working on it) - but he seems to have gotten scared by the vet, and probably the fact that he wiggled out of the assistant's hand and flew into a wall. Poor bird bird. 

Now he's napping...


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## RobinTheBudgie (Jul 30, 2014)

Oh, I should clarify - the vet didn't want to give antibiotics immediately because she said that his crop was barely swollen if at all (it's certainly nothing outwardly visible). The idea was that he was backed up and needed better food to help clear out. He's eliminating a lot more lately (fully formed poops, no diarrhea), so maybe he's getting there. Fingers crossed.


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## Budget baby (Jan 1, 2013)

Definitely get the apple cider vinegar into his water and the probiotics this will help these types of issues. Keep an eye on him is he eating more often than he used to at all? Or is he merely mouthing his food and not actually eating? Also weigh him and record the results. I still would try for a avian vet if at all possible. I have to travel a one and a half hours each way for my vet visits but it is so worth the results.


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