Its that time of year again - all things bird related (feathered).

[Mark A]

Anyone had this before with their budgie? It was fine all yesterday, we had visitors and it was flying around and landing on everyone. It still seems happy today and is eating and playing, but it's starting making this goose like noise. It then goes back to chirping normally, then back to this. I'm going to look into my nearest avian vet, but just thought i'd ask here.

 

[Mark A]

It's not looking great for my budgie . We took him to the vets and they said he seemed fine and he was the happiest and most content budgie he had ever seen. Probably because as soon as we opened the cage he flew around the room and landed on the vets head lol. I told him about his tail bobbing which i read is a sign of breathing problems and that it was squeaking all the time, even all through the night. Yet he didn't seem bothered, so we went away feeling relieved. Then the next day he seemed to get worse and the day after he was hardly moving and closing his eyes all the time . So now we have some antibiotics and anti inflammatory medicine to administer by syringe, which I am dreading doing. Just hope he gets better as we have only had him nearly 2 years.

If he doesn't make it I don't think I'll get another budgie as I can't go through this again. Its breaking my heart seeing him with laboured breathing, instead of being his happy, chirping self. The last pet we had was a cat and she lived for 18 years with no medical issues at all.

 

[Mark A]

I think this thread is dead now, but thought i'd just update on my budgie. He seems to be making a bit of a recovery after getting him some iodine. A day after adding it to his water he stopped the constant squeaking at night and seemed much more alert and awake during the day. Since my first post all he would do is sit still and not play with any toys or anything. Wouldn't eat anything but seeds and only the millet and smaller seeds. But today he devoured an entire spinach leaf and seemed much more like his old self. Really happy and crossing my fingers he's getting better.

The only good thing was that because he was so lethargic he'd just sit on my shoulder for ages while I walked around the house doing stuff. He'd also let me scratch and pet him, which he never did before and seemed to love it. But now he's making a recovery he is back to doing his neo from the Matrix routine and dodging my finger lol. I'm not bothered though as long as he gets back to his old happy self.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Good to hear he’s getting better. I feel your pain. Many years ago I bred budgies and in one particular case the babies all inherited a genetic condition that meant they were small and would have trouble breathing. All except one passed away early on and it was terrible to watch because they were the sweetest, friendliest of all my budgies. Sadly the one who survived passed away at a young age. Nature can be very sad at times.

 

[Mark A]

Thanks and sorry to hear about your budgies . I never thought i'd get so attached to such a small creature, but it's just as much a part of the family as any cat or dog I've owned.

 

[d_brennen]

Hope he gets better @Mark A

My 2 are going good but look a bit disheveled at the moment, both moulting and have spiky heads

Made a gym for them with some scraps of dowel and tree branches, they are happily letting themselves in and out of the cage without a fuss now.

Raw baby sweetcorn is their favourite veg at the mo if you haven't tried that yet