Vet Q&A-Bird

Baby bird is shivering after I hand fed it.

If your baby bird doesn't have all his feathers in yet, he could still be having a hard time regulating temperature. Feeding food that is chilled or too cold may cause his temperature to decrease some, causing the shivering. Making sure the food is room temperature and that your baby bird is in a warm enough environment can help. However, if the shivering continues or if you see any other signs of illness it is best to have it checked out by a vet.

I have a cockatiel bird and I noticed his poop has blood on it, is that normal?

Hello. Blood in the droppings is not normal. This could signify an serious infection of the gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, or reproductive tract since birds have a single common opening for all 3 systems (the cloaca). Other possible causes of blood would be a retained or broken egg, heavy metal toxicity, foreign body, trauma, or a bleeding tumor. Whatever the underlying cause, it is potentially serious and requires a thorough assessment and treatment by a veterinarian. One thing I have seen is birds that have recently eaten red berries or other red food may pass droppings that may resemble blood. If Angel hasn’t recently (within 12-24 hours) eaten anything very red, then i would take her to a veterinarian as soon as possible. Good luck.

I don't know if my budgie has bumblefoot. Does he? If so, how do I treat it?

The feet look relatively normal from what I can see, however if you are noticing any major swelling, open visible wounds, or Coqui doesn't seem to want to stand on one or both feet, then it could indicate an infection. Soaking the feet in epsom salts and keeping them clean and dry with a clean washcloth can help resolve minor issues, however if the swelling worsens, the wound worsens, or Coqui seems very painful and isn't able to get around, vet care is needed. Your vet can help clean the affected area and provide antibiotics or other medication as needed.

It has been 5 days since my budgie laid her third egg, I know she isn't egg-bound. She has been acting normal but hasn't laid any more eggs. They are meant to lay 4 to 6, sometimes more but I have never had a budgie lay less than 4 eggs in a clutch. Should I be concerned? She is probably only 9 or 10 months old. She has laid 2 or 3 clutches since November last year and I couldn't stop her from breeding because she laid her first egg when her last baby was leaving the box.

Thanks for reaching out abut Kylea. Even though most birds can lay between 4-6 eggs, that is only an average/ Some lay more, some less. She might be done this time. Be careful on how often you allow her to lay and raise young, as the energy expenditure is immense. Assessment of diet to ensure good nutritional intake to counterbalance energy loss. Seed is not enough. If concerned, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

My budgie laid 6 eggs the nesting box was hit while moving things the eggs are okay but nest box has to be changed because I do not think it is safe enough for the eggs can I replace the nesting box and move the eggs while wearing gloves in hopes she won't abandon her eggs.

You can try to move the eggs if the nest is beyond repair, however do note that the eggs are EXTREMELY fragile, and are likely to break or crack even with gentle handling. If the nest is still viable enough that she is able to properly lay on the eggs without her or the eggs/hatchling being harmed, then not disturbing it, or disturbing it as little as possible is best.

Both of my birds seem to destroy everything made of wood in their cage whether it be a ladder or their perches, what is somethjng I could do about it, I don't want to switch to plastic perches.

Destroying wooden toys and ladders is actually natural behavior in birds and is good enrichment. Some things you can do is offer a variety of other toys and things that they can destroy. Use newspaper or cardboard rolls to wrap and hold treats to give them something to destroy and forage at the same time. You can consider getting slightly thicker woofer toys that may last longer or combining some plastic perches and ladders with wood. A variety of shape sizes and textures is healthier than one size and style only. Concrete type perches help to file thier nails. Wood such as Manzanita is extremely hard and much more durable than the plain wood perches. Below are some toy ideas. There are also resources available on the web to see what tree branches you may have in your yard that are safe for perches. https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/top-toys-for-parakeets/ https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/bird-owners-can-find-new-uses-for-these-recyclables/

My bird is losing feathers under her wings is it normal?

Thanks for reaching out about Tuyu. Birds often have a feather-less area under the wing but is actively pulling out feathers, that is a concern. Self mutilation or over grooming can be a sign of disease, but also stress. Nutritional deficiencies need to be corrected, especially is on a seed diet. If the feather picking behavior continues, a veterinary visit is recommended. After ruling out diseases, anti-anxiety medications have been used in birds to reduce stress. Good luck

How many times take to lay eggs for yellow parrot fish after digging sand process in aquarium tank with a pair ?

She may spawn (lay eggs) about once a month. The male will then pass over them and fertilize them. Most male parrotfish are infertile, so be prepared to not have any viable eggs. Unfertilized eggs will turn opaque or cloudy after a day or two due to fungal growth. If the parents don't eat them, remove them to prevent fouling the tank.

8 months ago, I bought a budgie that had french molt, but i didn't realise till i fiind out that she lost a lot of feathers in her belly. I kept her with two budgies, in a tall Cage, and she falls all the time. I have some questions: - can the two budgies be infected with the virus as well? -i want to put her in a separate cage, but what kind of cage has it to be, and what does it need inside of it? -how long is she going to live? How can i make her live longer and have good conditions?

Thank you for your questions, and I am sorry to hear about your bird. Yes, the other two birds could have contracted the virus already, so there isn’t necessarily a need to separate them as they have already been exposed. For caging if your bird is falling - the most important part will be to keep everything low so she doesn’t injure herself. Otherwise it can be made of anything (many people will even use Tupperware containers) and can still have toys. Just keep the perches low and make good and water easy to reach. How long she will live varies - some birds still have a relatively long lifespan, while others succumb at a young age. You can help to support her by providing her with a clean environment, good ventilation, and a good diet. This will help to support her immune system as much as possible. I hope that helps, and thanks for using Boop by Petco.