Birds – How To Tell If Yours Is Sick

In this article we’re going to discuss how to tell if you’ve got
a sick bird on your hands.

Unlike people, birds can’t tell you when something hurts or they
just feel like garbage. So how do you tell when your bird is
under the weather?

Most sick birds get that way because of poor nutrition and
stress. Poor nutrition is more from what a bird eats than from
how much, as birds don’t need a lot of food. Stress can come
from a number of things such as poor environment and rapid
changes in temperature. A happy bird is usually a healthy bird.

A problem with identifying if your bird is sick is that birds
tend to hide their health from you. This is a built in ability
that birds use to keep other animals from attacking them. It is
part of their survival instinct. Because of this ability it may
be a couple of weeks before a bird owner even knows that his
bird is sick. Therefore, in order to determine that there is a
problem with your bird you have to be observant at all times.
There are signs to look out for. These include discharge from
the eyes, change in eye color, closing of the eyes, swelling
around the eyes, discharge from the nose, soiling of the
feathers, sneezing, trouble eating, reduced appetite, fluffed up
feathers, inactivity, droopy wings, change in routine, change in
vocal habits, weight loss, problems with equilibrium, inability
to perch, limping, swollen feet or joints, change in droppings,
open mouthed breathing when at rest, lumps on the body, and any
sign of bleeding. Some of these symptoms are very serious.

If you notice any of the above and suspect your bird is sick,
immediately make an appointment with a vet. Take him there in
his cage or some suitable container. Don’t ever take your bird
to the vet with him perched on your shoulder. Your pet will not
be protected. Whatever container you use make sure it is
covered. If you take it in its cage don’t clean the cage. This
can present evidence to the vet that can help diagnose the
bird’s problem.

After taking the bird to the vet and a diagnosis is made, take
the bird home immediately. Home care at this stage is very
important. Keep your bird warm and try to encourage it to eat.
Sick birds have usually stopped eating so it is important for
them to eat well to get their strength back. If they are unable
to eat then they may need to be hospitalized.

Unfortunately, by the time an owner realizes his bird is sick,
the bird is more than likely seriously ill. Therefore it becomes
even more critical to give your bird the best care possible.
Most owners go to pet stores first to try to treat the bird
instead of going straight to the vet. This only makes the
problem worse. However, if you catch the bird’s illness quickly
enough you’ll have a very good chance of getting him back on his
feet.