Knowing When Your Bird is Sick

Birds who die "suddenly" have usually been sick and no one knew it. But take heart, there are some good indicators of poor health. You only have to know what to look for. Once you learn the signs of early illness, needed treatments can be performed by your avian vet.

Some of the best indicators of health is the bird's droppings. The droppings are made up of feces, normally black or dark green. With this will be urine, which is clear, and urates, a creamy white waste material. Droppings with a mustard yellow liquid portion is not normal, nor is blood or rusty brown color in feces. Healthy birds eat often and make lots of droppings. A sick bird may have fewer droppings, or no fecal portion in them, just white and liquid.

Another indicator of illness is change in eating and drinking habits, for example, excessive water consumption. A bird who isn't interested in food indefinitely is ill. A change in attitude or behavior can signal illness. Has he stopped talking, or does he appear sleepy and lethargic? Is he huddled on the bottom of the cage or sitting low and ruffled? Is he hiding his head under his wing? How about his feathers? Are they dull? Has he stopped preening himself? How about weight loss? Any of these symptoms indicates potentially serious problems.

>Another sure sign of illness is any hint of respiratory distress. Open mouth breathing or any audible sounds, like clicking or wheezing are certain problems. A tail bob is actually a sign of respiratory distress! Vomiting in birds is very abnormal unless it is regurgitating to feed a mate or baby. Any discharge from the eyes or nostrils is a sign of illness, as is a swelling around the eyes. Of course, any injury or bleeding requires immediate veterinary care. A broken "blood feather" must be pulled immediately to stop the bleeding. These new, immature feathers are recognized by their protective "cellophane-like" wrap and their visible blood supply.

If your bird displays any of these signs, take the bird to your avian vet. Meanwhile, keep the bird warm: 85 degrees is ideal with access to a cooler area. An ordinary heating pad wrapped around on the side of the cage is fine. Offer food and water, placing it on the cage bottom if the bird is weak. Never give your own medicines, antibiotics or pet store cures to your bird. These can do more harm then good. Your avian vet will prescribe appropriate and SAFE medications.

Trimming Wings, Beaks and Toe Nails

Any bird in your home needs his wings trimmed unless he is an aviary bird. Concussions often occur when birds fly into windows or mirrors. Serious burns result from birds flopping into pots over stove flames. Many beloved birds fly out open windows or doors and are never seen again!

Wing trims can be performed at home, or you may choose to have your avian vet do it. It is best to watch an experienced person perform a wing trim before doing it yourself. Never cut a "blood feather." This is a new feather still in its sheath. It has a prominent blood supply and will bleed if cut or broken. If you accidentally cut one, the only to stop the bleeding is to grasp the wing and pull the feather out at the base. The best wing trims allow the bird to flutter to the ground but not maintain flight. This is accomplished by cutting feathers of both wings. Once a wing trim has been done, hold your bird close to the ground, allowing him to gradually discover that he can not fly.

Some birds' beaks may never need trimming, but others have overgrown tips or cracks that need smoothing. The beak has a blood and nerve supply and it is a good idea to let your avian bet decide how much, if any, should be removed. Most vets have a special tiny sanding tool to use. This is not recommended at home. Birds with "scissor beak," a mal-alignment of the upper and lower beak structures, can be helped by routine trims and shaping.

Nail trimming is the most common avian grooming procedure. This can be done at home, but again it is advisable to learn from an expert. The nails will bleed during a nail trim, and a styptic powder such as "Quik-stop" will stop the bleeding. Parrots may have nails that become very sharp and painful to the person on whose shoulder they are perched. Do not give your bird sandpaper perches in hopes of wearing the nails down. These perches cause serious foot problems, including chronic ulcerated sores, and do little for the nails.