Polly Doesn’t Want a Cracker

You walk into your room and go to say hi to your cockatiel, but she looks like she’s sleeping. Hmmm, that’s odd for her to sleep in the middle of the day. Her eyes are half-closed, and her feathers are fluffed up. Is she cold? tired? sick? This is one of the challenges of owning a bird, because they instinctively hide their illnesses until they are either dead or too sick to treat successfully. Therefore it is very important to recognize early signs of illness in birds.

First it’s important to know how to recognize a healthy bird. Get to know your bird’s normal appearance and habits. If they sing a lot, then a decrease in that could be a warning. As for appearance, a healthy bird will be alert, with its eyes completely open. Their feathers should be smooth, clean, and shiny. Further, their breastbone should have good muscles on either side of it, making it feel more U-shaped then V-shaped.

When a bird starts acting sick, they may still eat and drink normally, but there are subtle signs to look for. A delayed molt and dull-looking feathers may be a clue. Take a look at the cage floor when you clean it – are the droppings the same in amount or consistency? Other signs to look for include fluffed feathers, labored breathing, unsteadiness, vomiting, an inability to perch, and a bobbing tail. If you see any of these symptoms, do not wait! Call a veterinarian that specializes in birds (like us!), as your bird should be seen immediately.

If you have a bird or are thinking of getting a bird, I hope this has been helpful. Birds can make wonderful pets, and many can live quite a long time, as long as they stay healthy!

Till next time,  Dr. Steve

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