Signs & Symptoms Of A Sick Bird

In the wild, predators are on the lookout for the weakest as they make for an easy meal. To help overcome this, birds hide the signs of illness so that they look well even when they are quite sick. A sick budgie will go downhill very quickly and so if you spot any of the following, speak to your vet straight away:

• Watery droppings
• Fluffed up feathers
• Lack of energy/sleeping more than usual
• Roosting during the day with both feet on the perch
• Laboured breathing and a pumping tail
• Loss of appetite
• Drinking much more or less than normal
• Unusual swellings
• Limping or holding one leg up
• Unusual bleeding
• Watery eyes or nostrils
• Vomiting

However, during the year your bird will discard feathers (called moulting) and this will depend on temperatures, heating or lack of it and other factors. Some birds may seem to be in a permanent moult while for others this may just happen once a year. As long as the bird looks healthy there is nothing to worry about if the bird is moulting.