Parrot 911

Thanks Allison Cash Miraval

You have read through this site and done everything right and still something goes wrong. Are you prepared for the worse? Follow these simple steps to increase your chances of a successful outcome

Manage the risks Recognise the Dangers

The household contains many dangers, some are obvious others are hidden. Its impossible to eliminate them all. If you haven't read through the list of dangers then do so now. Elimination and prevention is better than the cure. Keep reading and prepare for the worse?

Be prepared

Every bird owner should have these items on hand.
  1. Cornstarch or cornflour
  2. Tweezers, small needle nose pliers for pulling out bleeding feathers
  3. Clean cotton balls
  4. Cotton swabs
  5. Appropriate Nail trimmers
  6. Sharp scissors used only on feathers
  7. Saline solution (can be purchased at a pharmacy or drug store for wound wash)
  8. Betadine solution
  9. Syringes (to flush a wound or even hand feed and ailing bird in an emergency)
  10. Emergency hand rearing food (can be kept in freezer for emergencies)
  11. Seam ripper (sewing tool for removing any threads hairs or tangled items from birds safely)
  12. Transport box or cage for injured or sick birds
  13. Heat source for sick birds such as safe heating pad avian approved heater,heat lamp or simply socks filled with rice

The unthinkable has happened!

You have read through this site, you have done everything right and still the unthinkable has happened. Follow these simple steps to increase your chances of a successful outcome In case of Night Frights - In case of escape - In case of Bleeding Blood Feather - In case of Bleeding - In case of Concussion- Heat Stress/Dehydration - Burns - Egg Binding - In case of Sticky Feathers - Ant/Insect Bites - In case of Cat Bite or scratch

Illness

In all cases of illness:

  1. Isolate your sick bird and provide heat (a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel and placed on the bottom of the cage), if your bird is a bonded then isolate him along with his mate
  2. Cover the cage with a cotton towel to keep your bird calm
  3. Collect fresh droppings from the floor of your bird's cage. Place these in a sealed container (zip topped plastic bag or small Tupperware container)
  4. Take your bird in warmed and covered cage to your avian veterinarian with the sample of fresh droppings. Present the dropping sample to the veterinary receptionist on arrival to accelerate diagnostic proceedings
  5. Implement strict hygiene procedures

Birds are very good at hiding any illness there it is important to understand what signs to look for and to monitor your bird for the following signs:

  • abnormal poo More
  • constant feather fluffing More
  • tail bobbing More
  • swelling in the crop area More
  • wet or matted feathers on the head, vent, or other area More
  • red, inflamed or runny cere or eyes More
  • panting More
  • abnormal thirst More
  • change in vocalisation More
  • not eating More
  • inability to perch More
  • head shaking, flicking or twitching of the head More
  • poor feather condition More
  • lethargy More
  • vomiting or regurgitation More
  • chronic egg laying More
  • weight loss or prominent keel (breast bone) More
  • abnormal beak growth or colour More
  • any change in behaviour More
  • more signs
Weakness, laboured breathing, bleeding, trauma, collapse, seizures, or other nervous system signs are especially serious, should be considered emergencies, and need immediate attention. If in doubt then a visit to an avian vet is recommended

Birds hide their illness extremely well. By the time a bird show clinical signs of illness, hospitalisation in an incubator, fluid therapy, force-feeding, supplemental vitamins and minerals and broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy are usually indicated. If the specific cause of the illness is determined in its early stages, treatment is usually easy and inexpensive. There is no need to wait until your bird shows clinical symptoms before seeing your veterinarian. Semi-annual check-ups including annual wellness tests can detect diseases early, before they cause symptoms of clinical illness which can result in expensive bills and unnecessary deaths.

Reference
Reference (trauma)
Reference (desease)

Night frights

In case of a night fright, don't panic. Turn on the lights in the room with your bird and move toward the cage speaking softly and reassuring him. He needs to see and hear familiar things and become reoriented. Sit next to the cage and speak to him softly until he calms down Do not open the cage and try to remove your bird. Even though this seems logical, even the most tame bird will attempt to flee and likely hurt himself. Even a bonded hand tame bird will often fly back and forth hitting ceilings and walls during a fright. Once your bird has calmed down, you may sit with him for a while and leave a low light on nearby for reassurance. You will want to find the cause of the night fright and attempt to prevent future panics.
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If your bird escapes

Take your phone with you and get help! Try to run after your bird keep him in sight as long as you can.Birds unaccustomed to flight will become tired quickly and will likely land somewhere.

Have someone bring his cage and be ready with a towel or favorite items like treats and maybe a favorite shiny toy. If your bird had a familiar blanket or play stand bring that outside. Even a familiar bathrobe can be a welcoming sight to a lost bird. Many birds respond to rattling snack wrappers, or water, or feed being poured back and forth from containers, so grab what you can quickly.

Birds aren't able to fly straight down so if you spot your bird in a tree find a high place to set his cage at an angle so he can approach it safely. Continue calling and whistling recognisable sounds to your bird. Play sounds of him or other birds like him as loud as you can or better yet bring a bird friend along in a secure cage to call to him.

Sunset is your last chance to get him before he roosts for the night. A cockatiel will not fly at night as the cant see well in the dark. If he is not retrieved by night, sunrise is your next chance. Repeat the steps above right at sunrise. Your main goal should be to keep your bird where he is and wait for him to become hungry or curious and come to you. Avoid scaring him away using strange ladders or poles. This almost never works. What most likely will happen is your bird will fly further away out of fear. Watch for signs your bird is about to fly and be ready, fluffing feathers, relieving himself, or crouching down and screaming all mean he is about to take off. If this happens you can try walking and hope he will follow and land on you.

The third day is the time when many birds become hungry and bravely try to come back so make sure his cage is out in the open and ready with food and favorite things he will recognise. Don't forget if you don't get him back right away, post pictures around the neighborhood, call all vet clinics, pet shops, breeders, and post on as many social media sites as possible. Also ask neighborhood children to keep a look out. Kids see things adults don't. Don't give up! Your bird is depending on you. List your bird missing here
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Bleeding

How to stop bleeding In bird ownership you may find yourself in need of first aid for bleeding. Depending on what is bleeding, the methods are much the same as for people. Clean the area using plain water or sterile saline solution (wound wash) and visualise where the blood is coming from. Once you have determine the cause of bleeding you will know the method to use.

Broken Blood Feather: this occurs when a blood feather (a feather with a blood supply) is broken or damaged. The shaft running down the feather possesses a direct blood supply. Breaking it will cause it to act as an IV, in essence, slowly leaking blood from your bird until it is removed, clots on its own (still dangerous as it can begin to bleed again later on) or until your bird bleeds to death. In the event this is happening the pin feather must be removed. You will need to gently hold your bird in a towel and find the bleeding feather. Isolate it and prepare to remove it. You will need small clean pliers or strong tweezers to grip it as close to the base as possible. Holding your fingers near the base so as not to pull on the wing or skin, firmly pull the feather with the direction of growth. It is not as difficult as it seems it would be. Don't be timid, pull firmly and smoothly until the shaft slides out of the skin. Watch the area briefly to make sure it is not continuing to bleed. If it does you may apply some pressure with a cotton ball and/ or dab a small amount of cornstarch (aka cornflower) on the wound. Once the feather has successfully been removed the bleeding will usually stop. Remember not to allow your bird baths for a few days in order that it heals fully after such an ordeal. Do not worry about messy feathers, as this is less of a concern than your birds life.
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Bleeding laceration or other wound it is imperative to seek professional vet care. However, in the meantime you need to stop any bleeding your bird is having. Rinse the wound with saline solution or plain water or diluted Betadine so you can see where the bleeding is coming from. Apply direct light pressure to the wound with a clean cotton ball and keep your bird calm. In the event of bleeding that won't stop cornstarch can be applied to the area to help form a clot. Keep your bird in a place where he will be calm and comfortable while you stop the bleeding and seek medical care. Almost every open wound on a bird will require oral or injectable antibiotics to be administered by a veterinarian.
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Concussion

Birds can get a fright or simply fly into a window or a mirror, when this happens your bird may be concussed. Follow these steps:

  1. retrieve your bird and observe
  2. if he is showing signs of distress place on a towel on the bottom of the cage
  3. keep him calm, place the cage in a quiet room
  4. if he does not recover quickly, within 60 minutes contact your vet

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Heat Stress / Dehydration

Birds can get Heat stress Follow these steps:

  1. remove your bird to a cool area
  2. provide water and Electrolyte
  3. keep him calm, place the cage in a quiet room
  4. if he does not recover quickly, within 60 minutes contact your vet

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Burns

Birds can get burns:

  1. Run the affected area under cool water for 15 minutes
  2. provide water and Electrolyte
  3. Keep him calm, place the cage in a quiet room
  4. contact your vet

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Egg Binding

Birds can get Egg Bound symptoms include:
Abdominal straining, Bobbing or wagging of the tail, Drooping of the wings (canaries) Wide stance, Depression, Loss of appetite, Lameness or leg paralysis (the egg puts pressure on the nerves going to the legs), Distended abdomen, Droppings stuck to the vent area (the bird cannot raise her tail when passing waste), Fluffed feathers, Weakness, Difficult breathing, (the retained egg puts pressure on the air sacs), Sitting on the floor of the cage, Possible prolapse of part of the reproductive tract (the inner part of the reproductive tract is pushed out so that it is visible as a pink mass protruding from the cloacal opening) Occasionally sudden death. This is a serious condition and veterinary advice should be sought. In rare cases eggs are way too big to pass and veterinary extraction will be necessary.

  1. Stand your bird in luke warm water
  2. Apply lube in the vent. Taking care not to stress the bird out
  3. Provide water and Electrolyte high energy food add some glucose and cod liver oil with formula
  4. Keep her warm and calm, place the cage in a quiet warm room
  5. Contact your vet if the egg isn't passed
When she passes the egg keep her still warm and still keep feeding her every few hours until her energy is up.

Steps to be taken to avoid re-occurrence include keep lots of calcium intake in her diet and occasional oil you can use fish oil (cod liver oil). Follow the steps to reduce chronic egg laying.
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Cleaning Sticky feathers

Things like fly paper, sticky sap, oil can cause sticky feathers and will need to be cleaned

Ant Bites

The possibility of insect or Ant bites particularly Fire ants is increasing. Dont panic think:

  • remove the threat of more bites
  • if possible identify the insect
  • keep your bird calm
  • wash the affected area
  • apply a soothing gel alovera or lip balm
if symptoms persist for more than an hour contact your vet.
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Cat Bites

If a bird is scratched by a cat, even a small scratch, please take the bird to an avian veterinarian immediately! The issue with cat and other animal bites is the claws of mammals are often coated with gram negative bacteria. That means that if there is an attack, it isn’t only the bite that is dangerous to a bird. Any scratch, no matter how superficial it seems, must be tended to by a veterinarian immediately. The test for gram negative bacteria will use a process called gram staining which separates the gram negative cells from the gram positive cells. A purple dye is introduced to a sample taken from your bird which will leave the thinner cell walls of gram negative bacteria a pink colour and the thicker walled cells of gram positive bacteria purple. It is necessary that a vet assess the degree of gram negative invasion and medicate appropriately. Its not just gram negative bacteria that are a danger gram positive Clostridium bacteria can produce some of the most powerful toxins known are also a threat. Any open would need proper treatment and any infection needs veterinary assessment.

  • treat and clean the wound
  • Contact vet immediately
Contact your vet.
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Changes in faeces

Changes in colour, volume, consistency, and number of droppings indicating illness in birds: Change in colour of the urates (the normally white portion of the droppings), urine (the normally clear portion), or feaces (normal varies with species). Change in consistency: watery (increased urine), loose faeces (diarrhoea), hard faeces (constipation) indicating illness. Bloody droppings. Undigested food in faeces. Decrease in number or size of droppings. Increase in urates. Unpleasant smell.

Remember: don't panic stop and think:

  • has there been a change in diet
  • has you bird taken a bath
  • has he/she been drinking
  • is she susceptible to egg laying
If none of the above are true then:
  1. isolate your bird
  2. remove all food except seed and water
  3. keep your bird calm
  4. monitor for other symptoms
If symptoms persist for more than an hour contact your vet.
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constant feather fluffing

Feather fluffing is often as sign of a respiratory problem or other disorder. Ruffled feathers may also conceal weight loss, Weight loss can be devastating to a bird's health, weigh your bird regularly so that you will know if your pet is having trouble maintaining his weight.If you observe this behaviour.

  1. Isolate your bird
  2. maintain a comfortable temperature
  3. remove all food except seed and water
  4. observe for other signs of illness
If symptoms persist for more than a day contact your vet.
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tail bobbing

Prolonged and repetitive bobbing of the tail can indicate a respiratory infection. Birds lack a diaphragm to separate the chest cavity from the stomach. The muscles located at the base of the tail help birds breathe by helping expand the lungs. If a bird is having trouble breathing, the tail muscles will work harder, causing the tail to bob up and down. Tail bobbing is indicative of a serious illness. If you see your bird behaving in this manner, contact your vet immediately.

  1. isolate your bird
  2. maintain a comfortable temperature
  3. remove all food except seed and water
  4. provide Electrolyte
  5. contact your vet immediately

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swelling in the crop area

Clinical signs of crop problems (crop stasis, crop infection, "sour crop") depends upon the severity and cause of the disease. Symptoms include feather fluffing, decreased appetite, swollen crop, regurgitation and vomiting. Depending on the cause of the problem, your bird may show excessive thirst, abdominal swelling and changes in the appearance of the droppings (eg abnormal colour or consistency). In a healthy bird the crop will empty after the bird eats crop stasis occurs when there is a delay in the crop emptying. Delayed or reduced crop emptying can occur due to Impacted crop, crop burns, overfilling or infections with parasites, fungi or bacteria. Kidney disease, heavy metal poisoning and viral disease. In hand reared baby birds crop stasis may occur if the food they are fed is too cold. If the crop does not empty, the food inside then starts to decompose, leading to sour crop.

  1. isolate your bird
  2. observe for other signs of illness
  3. monitor droppings
  4. withhold food until the impaction is removed.
  5. provide water and ensure your bird is drinking
  6. massage the crop
If the problem persists or other signs of illness are observed contact your vet
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wet or matted feathers on the head, vent, or other area

Staining of the feathers above the nares could indicate nasal discharge, similarly If droppings are stuck to the vent it could indicate an intestinal tract infection. A birds feathers should be clean, preened and held closely to the body. Any signs of deterioration in feather condition/appearance should be investigated as they can be a symptom of vitamin or mineral deficiency caused from an incomplete diet, lack of natural sunlight, infection, or a more serious problem affecting vital organs.

  1. isolate the bird
  2. clean the affected area
  3. observe for other signs of illness
  4. monitor food consumption and droppings
If symptoms reappear contact your vet
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red, inflamed or runny cere or eyes

Pay close attention to your bird's cere and eyes. If you observe any redness, inflammation, or discharge or if your bird's eyes look cloudy or have a discharge coming from them then most likely your bird has an underlying infection.

  1. isolate your bird
  2. keep warm
  3. observe your bird for other signs of illness
  4. provide Electrolyte
Contact your vet immediately
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panting

Birds do not have sweat glands and so can not cool themselves by evaporation of moisture from their skin. When hot, their only metabolic option for cooling is to evaporate moisture from the lining of the airsacs. Panting therefor can be related to heat stress rather than illness most panting in young birds is associated with either the moult, hot weather conditions or a lack of fitness, rather than a respiratory illness. Because this method of cooling involves the loss of moisture, it is vital to replace the fluid lost, otherwise the birds will start to become dehydrated.

  1. isolate you bird
  2. check the temperature of the environment
  3. keep your bird calm place him in a quiet temperature controlled room
  4. observe your birds eyes and cere for redness and discharge
  5. provide cool water
  6. provide bathing opportunity
  7. monitor
If your notice other signs of illness or if the panting continues contact your vet
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abnormal thirst

Excessive thirst can be associated with crop problems and Salmonella. General symptoms of Salmonella include lethargy, anorexia, and diarrhoea. In chronic cases, arthritis may be present. With high dose infections excessive thirst, conjunctivitis, mucus discharge from the beak/nasal area along with, indications of liver, spleen, kidney or heart damage can occur. Strains of Salmonella present in companion birds are generally not considered to be of any danger to a healthy human being. They may however, threaten infants, the elderly, or those with immunosuppressive diseases. Humans carrying Salmonella can infect their companion birds. Such human-to-animal interactions have been shown to occur, especially with African Greys, Amazons, Cockatoos and Macaws.

  1. isolate your bird
  2. maintain strict hygiene standards
  3. control of flies, rodents and other vermin to prevent Salmonella outbreaks
  4. monitor droppings (sulphur yellowish green colour is Salmonella indicative)
  5. monitor for other signs of illness
If symptom continue contact your vet. Treatment of salmonella infections are more successful if the precise species is first determined. Once the particular species of salmonella has been identified, the appropriate antibiotic can be administered. The frequently found Salmonella strains are sensitive to many commonly available antibiotics, but strains from free ranging birds have varying degrees of resistance.
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change in vocalisation

No noise from your birds at all usually the bird is suffering from infection, inflammation, metabolic disorder, or trauma and is often accompanied by other signs of illness as well, such as lethargy, feather fluffing, loose droppings, behavioral changes, difficulty breathing, discharges from the cere, etc. Aspergillosis is one common respiratory diseases that causes a change in vocalization. Aspergillus (a fungus) will grow inside the trachea and restrict air flow. This will change the sound of the voice, turn raspy or hoarse or may prevent vocalization completely, and even cause death due to asphyxiation. Other diseases that can affect the airway include tracheitis, bronchitis, air sac disease, pneumonia and tracheal tumor. A bird might also have a foreign body (such as a piece of food or a part of a toy) stuck in the trachea or near the syrinx. If a normally vocal bird becomes quiet for more than a 24 hour period, or if you notice any other changes in your bird’s vocalisations, or other signs of illness contact your veterinarian immediately!

  1. isolate your bird
  2. remove all food except seed and water
  3. observe for other signs of illness
If symptoms persist for 24 hrs contact your vet.
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not eating

If your bird stops eating, eats less than normal, or suddenly changes eating preferences then its a possible sign of underlying illness. The most common being unexplained crop stasis, intestinal blockage or impaction. Birds have a very high metabolisms, it is vital that they receive adequate nutrition every day.

  1. isolate your bird
  2. provide warmth
  3. monitor food and water intake
  4. observe faeces
  5. provide electrolytes
  6. weigh your bird
if your bird is not eating contact your vet immediately
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inability to perch

The ability to perch could be due to injury, gout or Ataxia. Ataxia may be defined as the inability to coordinate the voluntary movement of muscles. Birds that are ataxic appear wobbly or clumsy and will often stand with the legs spread far apart in order to balance or hook their beak on the side of the cage. When severely ataxic, they will stumble and fall from the perch. Ataxia may occur due to disorders of the nervous system or musculoskeletal system. Nervous system disorders. These are often caused by damage to the spinal cord, inner ear or brain. They often result in an inability of the brain to perceive the position of the limbs, body or head in space or an inability of the brain to coordinate movement. Musculoskeletal damage. Birds with musculoskeletal damage may also appear uncoordinated, as the muscles are unable to respond properly to signals from the brain.
What to watch for

  • Standing with the legs wide apart in an attempt to keep balance.
  • Hanging on to the cage or objects in the cage in order to remain standing on the perch.
  • Uncoordinated movements of the head, legs or wings.
  • Falling from the perch.
  • Lethargy, which appears as excessive sleepiness, ruffled feathers, tucking the head under the wing.
  • Difficulty breathing. This includes leaning forward and stretching the neck out to breathe, open-mouthed breathing, puffing out of the cheeks with each breath, or bobbing of the tail with each breath.
  1. monitor your birds movements
  2. observe for other signs of illness
  3. examine your birds feet for swelling, redness or injury
  4. remove sandpaper perches
  5. provide a soft perch
If symptoms persist contact your vet
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head shaking, flicking or twitching of the head

This behaviour can be seen in many species of parrot if there are medical problems, such as a sinus or ear infection. It also occurs without a medical origin, most commonly in cockatiels and African greys. Current thinking suggests the birds are stimulated by a particular frequency of noise. Owners should note the bird’s body language to see if the bird seems stressed by the noise. If concerns exist as to a medical origin for this behaviour, an experienced avian veterinarian should check the bird.

  1. isolate your bird
  2. remove sources of any sounds
  3. observe your birds cere and eyes for redness, puffiness or discharge
If symptoms persist seek veterinary advice
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poor feather condition

The most common cause of abnormal feather formation is poor diet. Another common cause of poor feathering is chronic stress. Another cause of poor condition is the failure to moult. The moulting process is a major strain on your pet's body, drawing on the bird's protein and caloric reserves. Australian cockatoos time their reproductive subsequent moult cycles to lengthening spring and summer days. Wild Cockatiels are said to have two moult, one before breeding and one after fledging their young. Birds kept under artificial lighting conditions, often lose synchronisation of their circadian clock. Captive birds have extended moult periods and they may have several per year. They may also retain certain feathers for over a year.

  1. provide a regular routine as close to nature as you can
  2. provide natural sunlight
  3. provide fresh air
  4. provide bathing opportunities
  5. examine your birds diet
If in doubt contact your vet
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lethargy

Lethargy (a feeling of listlessness and general inactivity) are commonly seen in sick pet birds. While not diagnostic for any specific disease, it indicate a severely ill bird that requires immediate medical attention. Simply put, just about every serious illness will produce signs of lethargy. These include cancer, viral or bacterial infections, fungal or yeast infections, parasites, endocrine or hormonal diseases, and organ-specific problems such as liver, heart or kidney failure. Lethargy is not a disease but indicates a serious underlying medical problem requiring diagnostic evaluation and appropriate therapy

  1. isolate your bird
  2. monitor for other signs of illness
  3. monitor food intake
  4. monitor droppings
  5. weigh your bird
  6. provide Electrolyte
  7. keep warm
if symptoms persist contact your vet.
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vomiting or regurgitation

Vomiting is common in pet birds. It can be a sign of illness or part of courtship or parenting. birds do not have a diaphragm and so there are no strong abdominal contractions when vomiting. Secondly many birds can vomit voluntarily and do so as part normal life. the vomit usually comes from the crop – which is a food storage organ located in the lower neck rather than from the stomach or intestines as in mammals.

Disease Causing Vomiting in Birds - Avian Veterinarian

Infectious disease– which include bacterial, viral fungal and parasitic disease
Metabolic disease– e.g. enlarged Thyroid , liver disease, peritonitis
Nutritional cause e.g. high protein diets.
Toxicity – Heavy metal toxicity (Zinc and lead are most common), plant toxicities
Physical obstructions – e.g. foreign body in the crop, overfeeding, tumors
Trauma esp. crop burn
Allergic – food
Behavioural – usually not pathological e.g. courtship behaviour, crop milk feeding in pigeons (SEE FIGURE 1}
Cancer – causing nausea and obstructions
Iatrogenic / caused by treatments– from drugs esp. doxycycline, nitoimadazoles
Other – e.g. motion sickness when travelling to vet – show.

Regurgitation is finely controlled vomiting that is part of normal physiology that a healthy bird may do. They bob their head up and down and then bring up softened undigested food into their mouth and place the regurgitated food carefully in a desired place. Vomiting is more uncontrolled ejection of food from both the crop and stomach that is spat out, and flicked around the cage, often landing on the head and neck and is always a sign of disease.

  1. isolate your bird
  2. remove all food except seed and water
  3. monitor for vomiting
  4. monitor food intake
  5. monitor droppings
  6. weigh your bird
if symptoms persist contact your vet
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chronic egg laying

Normal egg laying creates great nutritional demands; excessive egg laying creates proportionally greater ones. Hens that are laying chronically can suffer from serious, even life-threatening nutritional problems, including (but not limited to) calcium deficiency.

Chronic egg laying has an environmental cause and it is essential to address the factors that are causing nesting behaviour. A more in-depth discussion.

  1. reduce the amount of daylight
  2. reduce access to nesting sites, happy huts
  3. encourage foraging
  4. provide mental stimulation
  5. avoid inappropriate touching
  6. do not remove eggs
  7. transition to a balanced diet
Contact your vet medications known as GnRH agonists can potentially help control excessive egg laying but, used alone, they will never cure the problem.
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weight loss or prominent keel (breast bone)

Weight loss or an underweight condition may indicate a health problem. Conversely, weight gain should be managed to prevent obesity and its associated health problems. Frequent weighing is the best way to monitor weight loss and we recommend weighing twice weekly, a 5% reduction of weight should be regarded as a sign of illness. Feeling the keel bone is very imprecise and definitely not the best way to monitor your bird's condition over time but is valuable in determining initial condition. A well nourished healthy bird will not have a prominent keel bone. In an obese bird, it is very difficult to feel the keel as there is just a groove where the keel would normally be felt.

If weight loss becomes apparent

  1. isolate your bird
  2. provide his normal diet
  3. monitor his food consumption
  4. monitor droppings
Weight loss in birds can indicate serious under laying conditions, contact your vet.
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abnormal beak growth or colour

Beaks grow continuously throughout life. The Beak should grow and be worn down at equal rate. The shape of the beak is maintained primarily by the lower beak grinding against the inner surface of the upper beak. This happens during chewing. Resting birds often grind the lower beak against the upper beak. The outer layers of the beak are also rubbed away by “wiping” the beak on perches and abrasive surfaces. Smooth dowel or plastic perches are not appropriate for birds. Its essential for good health that suitable chewing opportunities be provided. Safe plant material, dried roots, dried seaweeds, gum nuts, seed pods and hard wood timber perches should all be provided.

The beak has nerves in it making the beak quite sensitive. The beak also has a good blood supply. To maintain a healthy beak there needs to be a balance between beak formation and wear. The the raw materials for beak production come from the liver via the blood. Thus a bird with systemic disease, especially the liver may have an abnormal beak. If your bird shows signs of abnormal beak growth do not simply trim the beak find the cause.
Possible causes:

Inadequate activity, so inadequate wear
Malocclusion (the upper and lower beaks do not meet properly)
Infection with the mite cnemidocoptes pilae (budgerigars and cockatiels)
Inadequate nutrition (eg vitamin A or D deficiency)
Cancer
Liver disease
Metabolic bone disease
Psittacine beak and feather disease syndrome or "beak rot" (cockatoos and other psittacines)
  1. provide a balanced diet
  2. provide suitable chewing opportunities
  3. monitor for other signs of illness
  4. take your bird for regular health checks
If your bird develops an abnormal beak then contact your vet
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any change in behaviour

Birds respond to changes in their environment in ways that make sense to them—even though their actions may not make sense to you. Observe your pet and learn about his normal behaviour. Boredom and neglect are two of the most common causes of behaviour changes in birds. Its important to provide a stimulating environment and we recommend everyone practice the art of captive foraging.

  1. eliminate medical reasons for the change in behaviour
  2. remove fear and stress
  3. ensure adequate sleep
  4. meet the basic needs of your birds (food, water, sunshine, chewing and bathing opportunities)
  5. change the environment, provide a varied diet
  6. practice the art of captive foraging
  7. use positive reinforcement
  8. never punish your bird or raise your voice
Ask the experts
Consult avian veterinarian or a bird behaviour specialist to identify causes and find solutions for changes in your birds behaviour. Be patient and consistent. Your efforts will ensure your bird is a happy member of your family.
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Electrolyte

  • 1 Cup warm Water
  • 2 teaspoon Sugar
  • 1/8 salt
  • 1/8 Baking Soda

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