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deltadawn
Lv 6
deltadawn asked in PetsBirds · 1 decade ago

Need Budgie (Parakeet) Experts Help...Sick or Normal?

I've rescued cats/dogs/rodents for years, but am totally at a loss with a rescued budgie bird's sudden health change? I got her over a year ago, approx. 7 yrs. old.

Fine until 2 days ago, and still eating, drinking, alert, BUT making CONSTANT "chittering/chattering" noises (not chirping).

At first thought she was just talking to another recently rescued male bird in separate cage,.. but her non-stop chickletting sounds may be laboured breathing????

I was also concerned last year when she appeared to have a growth above her beak.

But learnt that was normal hormone change of the cere of female birds during certain seasons.

So am ignorant when it comes to avian species.

Does anyone in the bird world know why my older still active female budgie is persistently rattling out chatter?

[Although incapacitated (completely snowed in) and financially depleted, called a local

vet today for advice,.. only said to bring bird in and minimum cost would be $150. I'm hoping someone here could enlighten me as to whether this is a common or normal occurrence and if there may be a home remedy, I do have meds. that I know how to use on cats, dogs, but dare not with a bird,... and not even a drop of brandy!]

The bird is presently in small room with a heater for extra warmth.

Thanks for reading and any help.

Update:

Thanks Hallowsweets for reply.

She's not grinding beak and not "quietly" chattering, but non-stop chittering/chattering without reprieve.

It's not "squeaking" sounds either.

But does seem laboured chest breathing, maybe...?

So maybe air sac mites may be it ? Although I never heard of it, mites yes.

Can anything be done at home.

Yes, avian vets are just as costly as taking my felines/canines, etc. to vet.

But with sub-zero temps. here and still snowing now, as I type, it would also be hard on the bird to transport to vet.

4 Answers

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  • hallowsweets
    Lv 4
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    Too hard to say really.

    She could be griding her beak (normal)

    She could be quietly chatting to herself ( normal)

    She could have airsac mites with clicking sounds to breathing (sick)

    She could have a respiratory issue with squeaking sounds to breathing (sick)

    In all reality, she needs to see an avian vet. $150 is a rip off and you need to shop around. most avian vets should cost $50-$60 for a consult.

    ***ADDING MORE***

    If you cant get to a vet, then try ringing one and see if they can help you out over the phone.

    Without hearing the sound its so hard to diagnose.

    If airsac mites, they can be treated with some bird wormers (not all do it, but some do)

    If a respiratory issue then she needs treatment and possibly antibiotics (acquired from a vet)

    Good luck and i hope she gets better

    Source(s): Owner and breeder of budgies for over 15 years http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index.php
  • OR
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    i have been dealing with ill and neglected birds since 97.

    i have had a bird with air sac mites and it wasn't very much fun to have treated. she repeatedly became ill.

    all i can say if you have any sort of intuition that your bird is ill please find an avian vet right away. the sooner the better. in the past my boys have had countless respiratory infections. and i have a get avian vet.

    i changed their diets. whole foods, pellet and egg food mixed with some seed. beware of toxic foods and toxic house hold items as cleaners, candles and teflon will kill birds for example.

    highly suggest seeing a vet and getting loads of educational materials from them.

    i have transported birds to the vet in all sorts of weather. keeping them warm is very easy to do. it's okay. one trick is to add a waterproof heating pad with a cover and set it on low. my friend who does animal rescue work has a cigarette adaptor for hers.

    best wishes.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Either your guess is right and it is laboured breathing or she is just chitter-chattering like my 12 year old female budgie does. Either way you should bring her to the vet because it could be air sac mites.

    Source(s): owner of 12 year old female budgie and 2 year old male budgie
  • helene
    5 years ago

    wow macenzie that chick is rare please send a picture of it to my email addy u already have i would love to see him and he/she is deffinatly rare so keep him and breed him in the future aswell as let the parents breed again you are likely to gain alot of money from this mutation there was a breeder who once bred black budgies im not sure what happened about that but it doesnt appear to be around anymore. WOW lucky you a bet the members of the budgie forum im on will be very interested to know about your budgie. hopefully i will recieve a picture from u :)

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