How to tell if your pet bird is sick or just acting unusual?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Do my birds look sick at all to you?
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on June 15th, 2019
Thanks for reaching out and including photos. By the pictures, they don't appear ill but if you have concerns, you should follow up with a veterinarian. An annual examination is recommended for birds, just like dogs/cat/people. Good luck.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on June 30th, 2018
If your birds have eaten any food or item that is not within their normal diet and are looking sick, I would recommend having them evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. There are many food items that birds are not meant to eat, and can make them feel ill. Your veterinarian can evaluate your birds, and then may determine that they need to have diagnostic testing performed, including blood work to evaluate their systemic health. They may also be prescribed fluids or other medications.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
Are these birbs healthy? Please dont give a vague response! :)
thanks for reaching out about your parakeets and including pictures. Two of the pictures are out of focus. The two birds appear to be food sharing. It is not possible to ascertain health through pictures but this act is usually performed by healthy individuals. If you are concerns about their health and require better answers, a veterinary visit is needed an should be performed annually anyways. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Is my Blue-Crowned Conure sick
It is difficult to determine illness in a bird from just images. A physical exam is necessary to definitively diagnose illness or injury.
That said, your bird appears to be "bright and alert". A sick bird will be perching low with the eyes closed and feathers puffed out. It will be lethargic, have a decreased or loss of appetite and possibly loose droppings. The problem is that birds are good at concealing illness or injury until the condition is quite serious.
If Golgappa is exhibiting any of these symptoms or is acting oddly, then an exam with your veterinarian or an experienced avian veterinarian would be recommended.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Is leaning ,over almost lying down on their perch a sign of sickness in budgies? Grandpa has always has bad posture (hence the name), but my other bird, banana has started to do this too. They lean forward like their lying down. Are they sick?
Thanks for reaching out. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess. Not sure if this is an infectious problem, toxic exposure, nutritional problem or other, but a veterinarian and a good physical exam should be able to help. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hi I'm very worried that my budgie Penny is looking like she is sick but her behaviour is normal The photos are not showing much but in live possition she is having a horrible face and red spots like a sick budgie What to do Pls tell emergency I'm go
You are correct in that the images appear to show an apparently healthy budgie. An exam with your veterinarian or an experienced avian veterinarian would be recommended to diagnose any illness or injury. At the very least, Penny will get a clean bill of health. Clean and sanitize the cage, bowls, perches and toys. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Use paper towels on the cage bottom and change them daily. Offer a commercial pelleted diet supplemented with a small amount of a fortified seed mix and fresh greens and vegetables. Cooked foods, such as rice, beans and plain pastas, can also be offered in small amounts.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Ive had my bird for a week, and hes frequently fluffed up. He eats and drinks well. Chirps happily. Hes active and alert. Poop looks healthy. The house is plenty warm. Other bird owners say it is concerning. What could the fluffed up feathers be indi
Thanks for reaching out about Sky and including photos. Birds are typically fluffed when cold or ill. A veterinary visit is recommended, sooner than later. Providing heat support can give some aid but is not a cure for illness. As a new bird, moving to a new home can be stressful for a young animal, and suppressing the immune system, allowing subclinical infections to manifest. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I think my pet budgie is sick, or getting sick. She is always been a quiet bird so I can’t tell with less vocalness, but she has recently has a lot of feathers on the bottom of her cage , and I am watching her right now and she is fluffed a bit and s
Hi and thank you for using PetCoach, It's difficult to know if Kiwi is ill based on the pics. The feet look ok, the feathers she lost could just be d/t normal molting and her fluffing up could be because she's cold. If she is eating well and maintaining her weight (based on several measurements on a gram scale) then she is probably ok, but when in doubt... A visit to the vet is the safest way to go.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My bird is acting strange she eats in very quick flies to her water and sits over it and poops then splashes and makes a mess then she gets out and puts a foot on one toy while the other is on another toy she stands there for a long time and then fal
Thanks for reaching out about Verde and including photos. Getting ready to lay an egg can change behavior. Can't tell by the first photo if the beak is elongated. Concerns would be about the falling. Heavy metal toxicity (zinc, lead), low calcium levels, other malnutritions could all be causes. A veterinary visit is recommended for diagnostics and a treatment plan. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My parakeet is puffy an not him self . His feathers r ruffled but not falling out .
Thanks for reaching out about Yes and including photos. Birds fluffed their feathers to provide more insulation, whether cold or ill. Providing heat support in the 80-85 F range can give some comfort. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and help determine why he is acting ill. Monitor for food and water intake, might have to be separated from other bird to determine. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Today she fell down and there is no injury external... but she is having fever body temperature keeps increasing..she is not having any food whatever she had she vomited... she is not feeling good.. she keeps sleeping as she is not well...how can i t
Thanks for reaching out about Ibruz and including photos. These clinical signs of illness but are general and not specific for any particular disease. A veterinary visit needs to be arranged to assist with a diagnostics/treatment plan, as different conditions are treated with different medications/procedures. The key is early diagnosis to improve outcome. Try offering food and water via a syringe, in small amount to decrease chance of regurgitation. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hi my Budgie doesn’t look well though he’s acting ok. I think he loses his voice sometimes too as he seems to move his beak but no sound comes out (although I have heard him at other times). His head particularly around the eyes looks bad. I’ll send
It's hard to tell if there is anything wrong from the photos, and the beak moving without sound could just be your bird adjusting his crop as he digests food. However, if he is looking worse than his normal, or you are seeing obvious signs of illness, it is always a good idea to schedule a vet visit in person to rule out any health issues. If he seems very ill or worsens, moving him to a hospital cage that is kept warm and away from your other birds may help make him more comfortable until your vet can take a look.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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