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How To Tell If Your Pet Bird Is Feeling Sick
A total of TEN clear signs to knowing if
your feathered friend is feeling unwell can differ a little from our furry
companions, only because Birds are known to hide it just a tad more. However,
early tell-tale signs can be picked out in similar ways to that of a Dog, Cat,
or Small animal. Most pet Birds are preys in the wild, and when they’re feeling
under the weather, they’d try to hide their weaknesses to protect themselves.
Fortunately for us, they aren't always very good at hiding it!
Keeping A Close Watch
We can pick out some
warning signs through physical and behavioural abnormalities much faster if we
have spent enough time bonding with our pet Birds. Through that, we’d grow
accustomed to their usual and normal behaviour, however unique to its own. As an owner, you’d know best when it comes to behavioural signs. Dividing these
signs into two segments; Behavioural and
Physical will help us better
understand!
Behavioural Signs
Our pet Birds may
have a variety of personalities, quirky, active and being alert is just to name
a few. Here are THREE behavioural
signs to look out for:
1. Odd Disposition
A healthy bird has a
great form, when ill they could pose a imbalanced posture and there’s a high
chance they wouldn’t be perched up top due to the lack of energy. Severe
conditions would include being unable to walk properly.
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This is a clear sign
that your Bird is sick, if your Bird is displaying this symptom, bring them to
a trusted Avian Veterinarian immediately.
2. Sudden Inactiveness
Our Fids are usually
active, they love a good climb or hop even when they’re in their cages. It is
also normally hard to catch them off-guard, so if you notice your Bird isn’t
being alert nor interested in its surroundings or favourite treats, there could
be a chance it isn’t feeling well. If you can’t put a finger on the cause,
visit an Avian Vet right away.
3. Change In Tone
Different Birds have
their unique pattern of calls, tunes and way of vocalizing. Being around them
most of the time draws you a clearer picture of their usual tones. Sick Birds
may have a change in that behaviour, either they go real quiet abruptly, or the
tone of their usual callings would sound odd and different. This might be a
sign of stress or illness.
Physical Signs
These SEVEN signs are much more
visible and easy to notice on our day-to-day basis of cleaning, feeding,
bathing or playing with our feathered companions. Keep an eye for these warning
signs that point to obvious illnesses.
1. Weight Loss
Weighing your pet
bird should be a common practice, as the first sign of constant weight loss
clearly indicates a loss of appetite. We can see that our Birds love foraging
and picking their feed almost all the time, so any untouched or wasted food is
a sign of a sick Birdie.
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If their appetite fails to return in a day or two,
visit your trusted Avian Vet for help.
2. Unkempt Feathers
There was never a
time we do not notice our pet Birds preening, after shower, after meals, and
even after we bring them out for a little playtime.
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They are notorious for
being fastidious, so any unusually messy or ruffled up, dull looking-feathers
should raise some concerns. Monitor this with other signs and bring them to an
Avian Vet if signs persist.
3. Bad Skin
While very mild flaking could be due to
shedding, any uneven bumps or protruding scales are not normal for our pet
Birds. Scales should always remain even and smoothed out, and of a healthy
colour according to respective species.
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This could be an indication of mite infestation,
and should be checked out with an Avian Vet immediately.
4. Overgrown Beak And Nails
It is very uncommon
to see a Bird with overgrown beaks and nails if we practice grooming,
especially for larger Birds. Otherwise, certain toys and accessories also serve
the purpose of keeping their beaks and nails maintained at proper lengths.
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Any
sign of overgrown beak or nails is proof of in-activeness (unable to self-groom)
or mites. Visit your trusted Avian Vet immediately.
5. Eyes And Nose Discharge
Another clear sign of
sickness in our Birds, healthy Birds have bright, alert and clear eyes. They
should not have watery discharge nor swollen looking around their eyes or nose
(better known as cere). Eyes should
also not appear sleepy or half closed all the time. These are clear indicators
that your pet Bird is sick.
6. Open Mouth Breathing
Respiratory issues
can be pointed out by odd labored breathing through noticing your pet Bird’s
mouth, if it stays opened most of the time, it is suffering from breathing
problems. Another sign to watch for is obvious tail-bobbing. Please visit an
Avian Vet immediately at the first sign of these.
7. Unhealthy Droppings
As with all types of
Pets and living things, we can tell a lot through our fecal waste. While
droppings might differ according to what it consumes, a healthy Bird on a good
diet should not have extra runny or odd coloured droppings. Any sign of blood
is definitely not good. Look out for unusual colouration of droppings such as
yellowy, dirty brown or close to black.
Getting Help From A Professional
Not every
Veterinarian is familiar or experienced in dealing with Avian Veterinary
medicine, it is important to seek help from those that state their services
clearly. If you noticed, we’ve mentioned in almost every sign to seek help
immediately, as early detection of any illness for our Fids is the best way to
curbing potential issues.
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Keep a close relationship with your Pets, this gives
us a good idea of their regular behaviours and physical traits. We’d be able to
pick out any abnormalities at a much faster rate.
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