How to Detect Illness in Caged Birds

It is often difficult to tell if your caged bird is sick until it's too late. By instinct, birds hide it when they do not feel well. In the wild, they are picked off violently in most cases if it's detected by a flock of birds that there is an ill one amongst them. Sadly, what protects birds in the wild, can lead to their demise in a caged bird situation. You, as their owner and caretaker, MUST know how to detect illness and disease in your caged bird.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Adult birds normally sleep on one leg only. Take note of how your bird behaves when at rest. If your bird begins sleeping with both feet on the perch, they could be sick and needing the extra balance of both feet to keep them on the perch. More advanced symptom (and alarming) would be a bird who sits at the bottom of the cage instead of a perch.

2. Inspect their droppings each day when you clean the cage. Note the appearance, texture and frequency. Birds defecate and urinate in one dropping so it will often have a fried egg like appearance. Black/brown droppings with clear liquid around them. If their droppings begin looking odd such as really watery or of a different color such as green, they could be sick.

3. 
   Observe Activity of Caged Birds

   Observe your caged bird's activity. If they begin to act sluggish or just not as active as normal, they could be sick. There will normally be very little difference in your birds behavior when they are healthy. Birds aren't subject to the same mood swings and such as the rest of us.

4. Monitor how much food your bird eats. Feed them at the same time each day and note how long it takes them to eat, etc. If their appetite varies or stops, they could likely be sick. Don't confuse picking at food for actually eating the food. They may be hungry and sitting there 'wishing' to eat but not actually eating anything.

5. 
   Caged birds should not be fluffing feathers up

   Fluffing up of the feathers is the most distinct and glaring symptom of a bird not feeling well. It usually means they are losing body heat. Something an animal so small really can't afford to lose.

6. Observe your pet birds eyes. They should be black and shiny. If they become dull or sunken, illness should be assumed.

7. If your bird displays these symptoms, make note of them on paper, and call your vet. If you can not get to the vet immediately, place your bird in a darkened state (towel over cage or to a safe, towel lined box) and move to the bathroom after running a hot shower and getting a fair amount of steam for humid warmth. After this, add an infared heat light which they can choose to go under or get away from. LOW WATTAGE only.

Tips & Warnings

• Before or right after purchasing a pet bird, be certain you have a veterinarian who is well versed in avian care. Birds who are sick need speedy care and no time for vets who need to guess at what to do or how to diagnose them. Not all vets are good with birds. It is a specialized area.

[sixstring2slim]

on 2/7/2009 HI Babydoll! Jan, Congatulations! Too Cool, is this like the 100th time or ? LOl, you sooooo deserve ehower of the year! (get the dog, reference?) lol, You and I gotta PM, cause I am a Vet Tech and little experience with bird.. Own a Canary and a way Kewl Parakeet, named Yankee! So Excellent Info! 5*stars and luv ya, bye.. missed ya! Carson!

[Wasatch]

on 2/5/2009 Well written article. My brother in law raises parrots and finches for an income producing hobby. t can be a lot of work to take proper care of them.

[goodselfme]

on 1/31/2009 Thank you for this great 5*article. We do have to keep track of our pets even the lovely caged birds. I know who I will pass this info to in the east.

[Rockney]

on 1/28/2009 Great article about taking care of pet birds.

[1InternetSmarty]

on 1/27/2009 Very well written and detailed. Thank you. Five stars.