Bird Q&A: Real Answers from Vet Experts

Dove is very itchy. She is prescribed itching meds and they help but sometimes she still itches. I read that some dog owners whose dogs have allergies as well put gold bond powder on their dogs and that helped. Is it safe to put gold bond itching powder on my dogs? Thank you.

This is acceptable but it is not recommend to put all over the dog. It is better used in between toes, under the tails and under the arms. This works well mainly is creases of skin to help keep the dry.

We have 3 birds, found 1dead earlier and now a second is dead. My son has been feeling sick for a week & my husband has broken out in hives. Coincidence? Do birds carry disease?

Birds can carry disease that is transmissible to humans, such as psittacosis. Since you have multiple birds and people in your household that are ill, I would recommend scheduling a vet visit for your remaining birds and a doctor's visit for any medical issues your human family is experiencing.

I thought I had 2 male parakeets- after 4 years I put a "coconut hut" in the cage and one of the birds laid 5 eggs. 3 have hatched and the parents are caring for them, however the coconut hut is quickly becoming too small. Can I move the babies into a larger nest box - will the parents still care for them? If so, how and when should I move them?

Yes, you may move them without consequence. Gently scoop them up with a bit of nesting material and place them in the larger nest box. Your hen may complain, but she will settle down once she is back with her chicks.

My parakeet's bottom beak is turning green it looks like moss

If you're seeing discoloration or growth on the beak itself or Rj is acting ill (not wanting to eat or drink, trouble breathing or eating, listless behavior, etc) in addition to the change, it would be smart to have a vet take a look to rule out any issues such as a bacterial or fungal infection causing it. Some foods and pellets can also cause staining of the beak or feathers, so checking to see if any fruits or vegetables given match the discoloration may alert you to what is causing it so you can remove it and offer other items in addition to her regular diet.

I have a parakeet who has been laying eggs continually for about a year and a half. When she starts, I put out plastic eggs for her to lay on (and take out her eggs). She lays on them for 2 weeks, realizes they aren't hatching and comes up to play with her boyfriend. Within a few days she is back to laying more eggs. This time she also lost her flight feathers on one wing. Is this connected to her egg laying?

It is possible the stress of chronic egg laying may be affecting her appearance and feathers. Remove any nesting boxes in the cage. If she's laying in the seed bowl, use a smaller container that she cannot sit in. Limit Camille's exposure to daylight to 8 hours or less. Use a dark cage cover or sheet to block light if necessary. Use a calcium fortified seed mix. Leave the fake eggs in the cage for at least 4 weeks.

What does an empty crop of baby cockatiel look and feel like? My 4 week cockatiel'crop seems not to be able to empty fast enough. In the morning, before breakfast, her crop feels like a small soft ball, about one fourth of the fully expanded size. Looked from the front, the crop ball looks quite obvious. Though looked from the side, her crop area is rather flat. And she is often hungry and begging for food before her crop completely flatten, like in the attached picture.

A full crop will feel like a giant, fat balloon just under the chin/neck, and in birds that don't have their feathers in yet may be visible. An empty crop will just be a flat, normal looking neck. Keeping a full crop in a baby bird is best as it means they always have something for nutrients and to keep them full and happy. If they constantly have empty crops they need to have their feeding throughout the day increased to keep them full. Following the guidelines on your baby bird formula can help you make sure you're feeding enough and often enough.

My Canary, Ringo, won't pick at his Cuttlebone. He is 1-1/2 yrs. old, and has never picked at it. I bought a different type of Cuttlebone, in a Block form, and tan in colour. The first 2 - 3 days, he picked at it, and I thought everything would be Okay now. But, he stopped picking at the new one, also. I understand Cuttlebone is a Staple for Birds. Will he be Okay, the rest of his life, without eating his Cuttlebone? Is there something else I can give him, in place of the Cuttlebone?

The cuttlebone helps to provide the bird with minerals, but they don't really tend to eat it massively. As long as it is available in the cage the bird will pick at it as necessary. One cuttlebone could last a small bird years. Ensure you are feeding a good quality seed mix and Ringo should be great.

My budgie has started eating from my hands but when ever I try to touch him he bites. I have a pair the female is afraid to come on my hand to eat so may be it scares the male budgie. How should I tame them? Also they bite each other while eating what should I do to avoid this?

It will take time. Allow him to keep eating from your hand. Use treats to coax him onto your hand and when you pet him, do not come in from above. This can be a threatening motion for birds. Approach at or below eye level and move slowly. The female will require a bit more work in getting acclimated to your hand. You can do the same though. Use treats and rewards. Keep your hand near her, but don't try to touch her, for ever increasing periods of time. Provide additional food and water bowls to prevent resource protection.

My budgie got hurt on his cere and it was bleeding. He was doing flight training and he hit the wall, now he is sleeping and getting a rest in his room.

I see that you asked this question twice, so I am reposting my answer here to you to make sure it gets to you. If Pirrot has been injured it is best to seek veterinary care right away, especially if he was bleeding. It may be possible that there are more severe internal injuries, or there are wounds that need to be properly cleaned and treated with antibiotics to help heal. Until you can get to your vet, it is best to keep him in a warm cage separated from any other birds, and to clean up any blood or wounds with a clean washcloth. If he begins to act ill or the bleeding is unable to be stopped, seeking veterinary care immediately is needed.

Bird Vet Q&A

Dove is very itchy. She is prescribed itching meds and they help but sometimes she still itches. I read that some dog owners whose dogs have allergies as well put gold bond powder on their dogs and that helped. Is it safe to put gold bond itching powder on my dogs? Thank you.

We have 3 birds, found 1dead earlier and now a second is dead. My son has been feeling sick for a week & my husband has broken out in hives. Coincidence? Do birds carry disease?

My parakeet's bottom beak is turning green it looks like moss

My budgie has started eating from my hands but when ever I try to touch him he bites. I have a pair the female is afraid to come on my hand to eat so may be it scares the male budgie. How should I tame them? Also they bite each other while eating what should I do to avoid this?

My budgie got hurt on his cere and it was bleeding. He was doing flight training and he hit the wall, now he is sleeping and getting a rest in his room.