Bad Feeling! - Paw Talk

Millimi · #1 06-26-2004, 12:24 AM

Today when I came home from the mall, my two parakeets were really weird. It was around nine o' clock, thirty minutes after their bed time, and Soda, the older one, had really small pupils and was totally out of breath. He also kept opening his beak and he looked like he was in a lot of pain. I read that when parakeets open their beak like that, they're in pain. Pony, they younger one, was sitting next to Soda, also out of breath. I couldn't tell if his pupils were small cause he's a lutino. Then, when I was covering the cage, they kept pecking each other maliciously and both fell of the perch. That's been going on for the last weeks or so. I'm really scared to wake up one morning to a dead bird. The weird thing, though, is that during the day, the two are always together and grooming and playing with each other. Someone please tell me what to do!!! I'm really scared and worried.

CTChin · #2 06-26-2004, 12:37 AM

Could they possibly be overheating? Were their wings held out from their body? I know this time of year the house will get really hot if is closed up while we are out. Are they covered up? This could add to the overheating.

Fumes? Could any fumes be building up when the house is closed when you leave?

The only other thing I could think of is something is scaring them. Sometimes silly things we con't notice, scare the crap out of birds.

Millimi · #3 06-26-2004, 12:50 AM

I know for certain there are no fumes and the house is always moderately cool. Nothing scared them, I asked my dad if anything had happened and he said no. Gaahhh, this is so nerve wracking!

***Jade*** · #4 06-26-2004, 01:05 AM

Were you cooking shortly before? Cleaning anything?

Millimi · #5 06-26-2004, 01:11 AM

Nope. Nothing no cleaning or cooking.

This is so frustrating. None of the websites or books I've been researching say anything....

***Jade*** · #6 06-26-2004, 01:14 AM

You may want to have them checked out by a vet then. Our avian vet tells us that most open-beak breathing is an emergency and needs seen as soon as possible. Especially if they're pecking at each other, they may have injuries that you're unable to see under the feathers.

Millimi · #7 06-26-2004, 01:16 AM

Thanks for the info. My mom said that if this continues we have to take them to the vet. Now the problem is finding a vet that knows about problems like that.

**kittygurl823** · #8 06-26-2004, 01:18 AM

I'm so sorry to hear about your birdies.

My first original thought was maybe your birdie wasn't a *he* but a *she* and possibly was maybe going to lay an egg/or egg binding, but then I saw that both of your birdies were doing that..

Some of the symptoms of egg binding could be legs separated, panting or some straining. But this probably isn't the case since both of them are doing this..

How old are they? I wonder why they are all the sudden pecking at each other like that?

Any other things that have happened that are different?? I would definately suggest an avian vet visit.I'm so sorry, I hope everything is ok with your birdies.

Millimi · #9 06-26-2004, 01:21 AM

Aww thanks!

I know for sure Soda is a he. He has a blue cere, and Pony is a lutino, and everyone says they can't breed. Also, they were sitting normally. Onto finding an avian vet. Does anyone know one in NJ?

CTChin · #10 06-26-2004, 08:53 AM

Keep in mind that things we would not even notice can scare a bird half to death. A ceiling fan, a new red hat, a hawk flying outside of the window.

One time my African grey was fluttering around in his cage agitated. He just wouldn't settle down. He took me several minutes of scanning the area and moving things around before I figured out the phone cord had been moved. He must of thought it was a snake coming to get him. I put it back down behind some furniture hidden and he immediately calmed down.

RondaNC · #11 06-26-2004, 10:08 AM

Hi, sorry to hear about your babies not feeling well.I had a pair of budgies a long time ago before i knew anything about birds,and they would love on each other alot then start pecking each other all the time,we came in one day and the male had pecked the female to death.I had no idea at that time,that birds even did that,i thought it was normal because they acted like they loved each other alot when they were not pecking each other.
CTCHIN,your so right it can be the most simple thing and they will freak out,with our mustache parakeet,we bought him a perch ,the ones that are colored that are scratchy to do there nails and beak on.He went crazy wouldnt calm down till it was out of the whole room,and he wouldnt re-enter his cage untill he knew for sure that we some how diddnt float it in there lol
I found a site for avian vet listing it has NJ.
http://www.parrotpro.com/avianlst.htm
Hope this helps and best wishes on good health for your lil sweeties.

Jodi · #12 06-26-2004, 10:49 AM

Here's an avian vet list for NJ:
http://www.petparrot.com/AvianVets.htm
http://www.birdsnways.com/articles/abvpvets.htm
http://www.parrotparrot.com/avianvets/

Millimi · #13 06-26-2004, 10:51 AM

Thanks guys! I will go check out that website right now Ronda. My mom actually had a good idea to keep Pony and Soda from fighting. She said that maybe I should try not covering their cage at night because that is always when they start fighting. I think the idea just might work since we have no drafts or sudden changes of temperature in our house. I think my babies fight when the cover is being put on because they begin to feel cramped and feel like they have no room, although their cage is huge. If that idea works, I won't have to separate them or do anything else drastic.

BTW, when I uncovered their cage this morning, their were grooming each other's heads. Birds are so strange!

Millimi · #14 06-26-2004, 10:53 AM

Also thanks to Jade for the websites.

Jodi · #15 06-26-2004, 11:07 AM

*ahem ahem* I'm Jodi not Jade

That's ok, lots of people get us confused.