| Signs of Illness Birds will naturally hide any signs of illness until it is almost too late. If a bird shows any sign of illness in the wild, other members of the flock will attack and possibly kill tehm to keep the flock strong and healthy. A sick bird will stop eating, although he may sometimes consume vast amounts of gravel -- which should be removed to prevent the crop from becoming impacted. A sick bird's droppings may become runny and/or discoloured. He will sit wit both feet firmly planted on the perch -- a healthy bird will frequently rest on one foot. He may fluff up his feathers to retain body heat, and he may sleep excessively. He will stop preening, and there could be a discharge from the nostrils or eyes. If he has a few of these symptoms, a visit to the vet mgiht be considered. Since vet's are generally expensive, and not everyone wishes to incur this cost, an over-the-counter remedy can sometimes help. However, some medications may cause diarrhea, and since thisw could already be a problem, we sometimes uswe a product called Ornacyn-Plus, which has amino acids in it to help with diarrhea, as well as being an antibiotic. The best choice for a sick bird is a visit to a vet. If you decide to go this route, make sure they are an avian vet since the larger number of veterinarians do not have a great deal of knowledge of birds. Dangers There are a few things to watch out for when keeping a budgie. Non-stick cookware can give off toxic fumes when overheated, especially if the pan is dry. If this type of cookware is in your home, ALWAYS keep watch when using it and never turn the heat on under it if you will not be there through the whole cooking process. Also, make sure your bird is not flying free around boiling pots, hot stoves, dish water in sinks, overhead fans or open toilets. Birds will fly into clear windows or mirrors thinking that they are going into another room. There are a number of plants that are poisonous to birds, so if you have houseplants the safest thing for your bird is to keep him well away from them and never let him chew on them. There are a number of internet sites that list the plants that should definitely be avoided and a simple search will locate one of these sites to check. Another danger is leaded glass in French doors or stained glass windows. Birds have died from lead-poisoning after chewing on these. When feeding fruit, never let the bird have seeds or pups since some of them (such as apple) contain arsenic which could build up in his system. Never leave a bird out of his cage unsupervised, or alone with a dog, cat, larger or smaller bird, or a young child. Apart from the obvious possibilities for injury, a bird can stood on, sat on or get trapped in a closing door. Budgies are very curious and will chew anything they can get their beaks on, so make sure you always know where he is when he is out of his cage, or he may do some reconstruction on your wooden furniture, picture frames, mantelpiece, window sills, etc. If you want to take your bird outside, always have him in his cage and be sure the cage is secure before leaving the house. Birds have been lost because one of the clips was broken or not connected properly and the bottom of the cage separated from the top allowing the bird to escape. The door should also be secured -- we have heard of a bird who flew off after a pigeon knocked against the door and it popped open. If your bird is outside, be sure you are always with him. It only takes a moment for a cat to injure a caged bird, or a wild bird landing on the cage could leave parasites behind as well as terrifying your pet. You must also be sure that your bird has fresh water and a place to get out of the sun. Birds left in the heat can develop sunstroke. And if you are leaving your home, be certain that your bird is safely in his cage. Birds have been known to fly out a door that is only opened for a moment, and sometimes an owner will forget that a small bird is sitting on their shoulder or back. If it is always a habit to check that your bird is closed inside his cage, you will never have to worry about him hitchhiking a ride out the door. |
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