"It’s hard to tell if birds are sick, because the signs are so subtle. But if owners are aware of their birds' baseline for what's considered normal, they will be more alert to changes which may indicate illnesses." - Dr. Arman Chen, BVSc (Qld.), BAppSc (Qld.)

In the wild where threats of predators are real, birds tend to hide weakness or illness so they don’t get singled out and picked off by birds of prey. This innate behaviour is still stuck with domesticated birds. That is why they do not tend to display their discomfort. But, as pet owners and companions, we have the capabilities to watch for signs of abnormal behaviour. Common signs are listed here but this is not an exhaustive list:

1) Lack of Appetite and Weight Loss

To tell if your bird is eating well, clean out her cage before you feed her so you can check what’s leftover, i.e. the amount that was consumed. If your bird stops eating and starts to lose weight, you should call your vet quickly. Sudden weight loss from lack of appetite could be due to blockage in her intestines and she may require surgery. 

Your bird can still eat normally but lose weight. The best thing you can do is to weigh your bird regularly and record it, or use a body condition score chart to check.

2) Colour and Texture Changes in Droppings

Regular cage cleaning also helps you monitor droppings. Changes in poo colour, texture and consistency from the usual should be noted, e.g. too hard or too runny poo compared to normal droppings.

3) Ruffled Feathers

Birds usually ruffle their feathers when they preen and clean themselves to get rid of dirt or feather dust stick. So it is abnormal to ruffled feathers for hours and stay fluffed up. Your pet bird’s not pissed off, but most likely feeling discomfort from something e.g. respiratory problems. If you start to notice this prolonged fluffing for 24 hours or more, do contact your vet. 

4) Dirty Feathers

Birds naturally like to keep clean. Hence, messy feathers around your bird's face or feathers that are stuck together at the rump area (the part of your bird’s body immediately above her tail) may be signalling an underlying issue. Start to observe droppings and food intake and note down any abnormalities. Consult your vet quickly.

5) Lethargy & Weakness

Is your pet bird is quite active by nature but seems to have slowed down? Or is she moping in a corner of her cage for disproportionate amounts of time? Is she sleeping a lot more than usual? These may be signs that she is sick. Do rule out issues that impact sleep first, e.g. changes in environment or sudden increase in noise level, as these can be easily corrected.

6) Red and Runny Cere or Eyes

A bird’s cere is the area on the beak where nostrils are located. Any discharge, redness etc. may indicate an illness. Same for her eyes too. Dull, cloudy eyes with discharge may be signs of respiratory problems. 

7) Breathing with The Mouth

Like us, if your bird is opening her mouth wide to breathe, it is an indication of respiratory problems.

8) Change in Vocalisation

Pay attention if your song bird stops singing or changes her normal pattern of vocalisation, i.e. making new sounds or different sounds. This may be an indication of discomfort from illness or she is feeling stressed out by something. 

9) Bobbing of Tail

The muscles at the base of your pet bird’s tail helps her to breathe by expanding her lungs to take in more air. Birds bob their tails  up and down repeatedly to work their tail muscles harder when they experience respiratory difficulties. Similar to humans when we pant to take in more air more quickly. Call your vet immediately if you notice this behaviour.

To conclude, early diagnosis for sick birds make a huge difference in their ability to recover from many diseases. Regular health checks will give your vet a better chance to catch any subtle changes in your bird. At Gaia Vets, we see and treat birds so if your pet bird is showing the signs mentioned above, do contact us.