How can I tell if my bird is sick?

Owners should use special times with their pets to observe their habits and look for subtle changes in behavior, food consumption, water consumption, and feather condition .In the wild, most birds are instinctively aware that they are the prey of many other animals. Under these conditions, birds will often attempt to hide any weakness or illness. Pet bird owners should be aware of this built-in defense mechanism and be alert to subtle changes in their bird. Any changes in activity, appetite, behavior, or feather condition are a signal that your bird should be examined for possible illness or injury. One of the first signs of illness noted by astute parrot owners may be a decrease in talking or other vocalizing. Owners often overlook these early changes and medical care is delayed until the condition is too far advanced for optimal care. With alertness on your part, care can be provided more promptly and your pet can live a longer and healthier life.

Many things contribute to ill health in birds. Improper diet is the most common cause of ill health in pet birds. Trauma, poor upkeep, inferior hygiene, stress, and genetics may lead to ill health. Just because the bird’s outward appearance is normal does not mean the bird is healthy. Any deviation from normal should be taken as a sign of ill health and you should contact your veterinarian immediately.

Multiple factors can contribute to illness or poor health in a bird. These can include an improper diet, poor husbandry or hygiene, environmental stressors, genetics, and exposure to contagions, toxins, and irritants. It’s important for a bird owner to know their bird and to be able to recognize even subtle signs that something may be abnormal in their pet. A wild bird can’t tell you when it feels sick. Birders who know how to recognize sick birds, however, can take steps to prevent spreading illnesses at their bird feeders as well as aid sick birds to help speed their recoveries. But how can you tell exactly when a bird is sick?

Birds can succumb to many different illnesses and injuries, and many times a sick bird will not come near backyard bird feeders.

The typical signs of a sick bird are often referred to as the ‘sick bird look’ or SBL. This is typically a bird that is quiet, eyes closed and feathers fluffed up. When a bird is in this condition, it means they have lost the ability to pretend they are well, and are now very ill. Birds in this condition can deteriorate very quickly, and should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. These signs do not reflect any disease in particular, so a thorough physical exam and possibly further diagnostics will be required to determine the cause of illness and appropriate treatment.

While it is often difficult for bird owners to tell whether their pet is sick, as birds commonly hide signs of illness, it is even harder for most bird owners to tell if their pets are unhappy or stressed. Birds can certainly feel these emotions and hide them until these feelings become so extreme that they are manifested either physically or behaviorally. Birds can express unhappiness and stress in several different ways.

Common signs of illness in birds

• Poop. Keep an eye on their poop for any changes. If it suddenly gets runnier, or more firm, changes colour, or there’s a lot more or less of it, there might be something wrong.
• The way they sit. If your bird is feeling ill, they might huddle and sit low on the perch, or even sit on the bottom of the cage. They might lean forward instead of sitting upright. You might notice them looking fluffed up more than usual.
• Balance. You bird might not be able to balance as well. They might fall off their perch or look like they are about to fall.
• Breathing. You might see your bird “panting” if they are struggling to breathe. Being short of breath or breathing more heavily is also very serious.
• Appearance. Their feathers might look ruffled and puffed up all the time, or they might look thinner than normal. They may also have stopped grooming and so their feathers might look dirty and dull. If they have lost feathers, you might notice this. It’s good if you can spot if their feet or crop looks swollen.
• Eyes and nose. A bird’s eyes and cere (nose) can be a big give away if they are ill. Their eyes or nostrils might be red, inflamed or runny.
• Appetite. It can be hard to monitor what your bird is eating – especially if you have several – but you might notice your bird eating less. Or they might stop showing interest in food. A sudden increase in appetite could also be a sign of a problem.
• Behaviour. You might notice your bird singing or chattering less. If they are ill, they might not be as active as normal. The way they behave towards you may also change.
• Other birds. Their friends might start behaving differently towards a sick bird. Sick birds might argue with their aviary-mates more often or start to be bullied.
• Energy. Your bird might suddenly seem more tired and need to sleep a lot, just like we do if we’re feeling poorly.
• Obvious signs. If you notice your bird is bleeding, having seizures or has lumps and swellings on its body, take it to the vet straight away.

In pet birds, even very small changes can be as sign of a serious problem. If you think your bird is ill, take them to your vet as soon as possible.

What are some of the symptoms to look for in a sick bird?

Some of the general things to look for are abnormalities in physical appearance and behavior. The list is long but can include some of the following, individually or in combination:

General

• poor general appearance (feathers look ratty)
• fluffed feathers (looks fatter)
• not eating, changes in eating habits, or reduced appetite
• changes in amount of drinking
• weakness
• drooping wings
• listlessness, inactivity, depression
• reluctance to move
• sleeping more
• trauma or bleeding
• changes in weight (increased or decreased)

Behavior

• any change in regular attitude, behavior, or personality
• unusually tame behavior
• irritability, agitation, biting

Eyes

• closed eye
• eye discharge
• red eye
• cloudy eyes
• swelling (around, or of the eyes)

Respiratory

• labored breathing or open mouth breathing
• tail bobbing with each breath
• nasal discharge
• blocked nostrils
• increased or decreased nostril size
• sneezing (excessive)
• wheezing or wet breathing
• coughing
• cere (the skin around the nostrils) irregularity
• staining of the feathers around the nostrils
• change in voice or no voice

Skin and Feathers

• abnormal feathers (dull color, texture, shape, structure, growth)
• bleeding blood or pin feathers (new feathers)
• prolonged molt
• feather changes (color, chewed, plucked, damaged, baldness, or feather loss)
• skin (flaky or crusty, or sores)
• excessive scratching
• abnormal beak (color, growth, overgrown, texture)
• abnormal nails (color, growth, overgrown, texture)
• trauma, cuts, bruises
• lumps, bumps, swellings, or bulges on the body

Musculoskeletal

• sore feet
• sore wing
• lameness or shifting of body weight
• swollen joints
• paralysis
• weakness
• drooping wings
• not perching, sitting on bottom of cage

Digestive and urinary

• wet droppings
• diarrhea (watery feces)
• change in the color of the droppings (red, yellow, tarry, pale)
• staining of the feathers around the vent (anus)
• decreased droppings
• straining to defecate
• wet feathers around face and head
• vomiting or excessive regurgitation
• protrusions from the vent (prolapse)

Neurological

• balance problems
• head tilt
• falling
• seizures
• unconsciousness
• paralysis
• weakness

When should I contact a vet?

In some cases, you may see changes in your bird’s environment before you see a problem in your bird. For example, this could include a change in the urates or the feces (different or abnormal color, texture, or consistency), more food left behind than usual, or food on the sides of the caging indicating vomiting. At this point, it’s important to evaluate your bird for any physical or behavioral differences.

Any abnormality in physical appearance or behavior could be an indication your bird is incubating a clinical illness and, as is true for all pets, it’s important to address any medical issues as soon as possible. Like many species with a built-in sense of survival and self-preservation, birds excel at hiding signs of sickness. This can often mean, by the time signs are evident, the disease or clinical illness has progressed to a more critical point where the bird can no longer compensate or hide the symptoms of illness.

If you think your bird might be sick or unwell, contact your avian vet. Until you can get them into the vet, you can keep your bird in a quiet, warm, area, and offer favored food items if they have a decreased appetite.

Signs of clinical illness in your bird can be very general and reflect one or more disease processes. An exam and supporting diagnostics are necessary to determine what the underlying cause(s) is so the appropriate treatment protocol can be initiated. It’s important to remember that your vet can also be a valuable resource regarding the care and welfare of your bird.

Steps to Care for Sick Lovebirds (at Home)

If you do not have access to a vet or must wait for an appointment, the following steps can be taken in the interim:

• Keep your bird warm by covering their cage/putting a heating pad under it.
• Place the cage in a dark room so your pet can get rest.
• Avoid making loud noises—these can disturb them.
• Make sure their food and water are easily reachable.
• Monitor their feeding pattern.
• Clean their cage daily to help remove bacteria.
• Move their cage into sunlight (not direct) and fresh air for at least 10–15 minutes per day.
• Crush a boiled chicken egg into tiny pieces and feed them. This ensures they receive a good bundle of calcium and other vital nutrients.
• Talk calmly to them. Tell them that they will feel better and say you love them (it helps). Our pets understand us and vice-versa.

Compiled  & Shared by- Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)

Image-Courtesy-Google

Reference-On Request.

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