Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 6/2/2007

Question
QUESTION: hey there,
i lost my Albino hen budgie not too long ago, and we have no idea how she died, she used to look healthy and would sit how any ordinary budgies would, but about a month ago,she started to hold onto the bars of the aviary we have when sitting on the feed bowls, or would only hang onto the bars of the aviary, when she didn't do that she had her head tilted backwards, though my cockatiel i have does that too, but never as much as she did it, he just looks at the things above him, and at an angle, she didn't however, and then the other birds attacked her ( we presume ) because she had half of her face covered in blood, she was OK after we brought her in from the aviary, and when she was able to go back, we put her back in, for a while a day so they would get used to her again, it was her first night staying out there again, when i went to check on them, she was on the aviary floor, head right back, almost resting on her back, wings spread out on the floor, running in a circle trying to fly, i don't know if this was caused by fighting, since she had no blood or any feathers plucked out, but i brought her back in to show my mother, she said put her in the cage again and ill get an appointment for the vet tomorrow, but she didn't last the night... we don't know what caused her to die, or the way her head was tilted so far backwards it rested on her back. and through all the deaths I've seen with my budgies, I've never seen that before...

ANSWER: Hi, Leanne.

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your budgie.  Your budgie may have been ill.  Since budgies are flock birds, and a sick bird in a flock attracts predators to the flock, sometimes other birds in a flock will try to run the ill/injured bird away so as not to attrack predators to the rest of the flock.  If the bird can't/won't leave the flock, flock members often attack the ill/injured bird.  This is just how Mother Nature works.  Your budgie may have had some other type of illness or had a stroke or something like this.  You might want to take your budgies body to the bird vet for a necropsy to see why your bird died.  

Chrys

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hey there again!!
your answer was great about the albino, and thought that maybe the problem with my green opaline budgie isn't the same, shes old, the oldest i have in the aviary, and everythings dieing before her! but she cannot fly anymore, and resorts to climbing and running, she has lost all her tail feathers and i don't know what to do about her, I'm worried shes going to spook at something, try to fly away and hurt herself during the night... do you know of anything i can do, as i don't want to separate her from the others, since shes been in the flock since she was born
ANSWER: Hi again, Leanne.

Let's back up!  I need a better picture of what's going on and your setup.  How many birds total do you have?  Are they all in 1 cage?  If so, how big is this cage?  What is the sex ratio in the cage?  How old is the oldest bird?  How long has it been since she hasn't been able to fly?  What type of diet are all these birds on?  Did the older bird lose her tail feathers all at once or gradually?  Is this bird in a molt right now?  How would the older bird hurt herself during the night inside the cage if she got spooked?  Do you use a nightlight with your birds?  Is the older bird showing any signs of illness other than not able to maneuver around the cage very well?  Is the older bird overweight?  

Thanks.

Chrys

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: How many birds total do you have = 20. Are they all in 1 cage = yes  If so, how big is this cage = 8 ft by 6 ft  What is the sex ratio in the cage = hens - 11 cocks - 9  How old is the oldest bird = 7  How long has it been since she hasn't been able to fly = 4 months  What type of diet are all these birds on = seeds, veggies and fruits  Did the older bird lose her tail feathers all at once or gradually = gradually  Is this bird in a molt right now = no.  How would the older bird hurt herself during the night inside the cage if she got spooked = hanging food dispensers, toys  Do you use a nightlight with your birds = a small one  Is the older bird showing any signs of illness other than not able to maneuver around the cage very well = no  Is the older bird overweight = not that i can tell

Answer
Thanks, Leanne, for all the information!  This certainly helps.

Regarding the older budgie - As birds age, they often can't get around as well as they used to.  Just like when people age.  Therefore, you may have to remove this older bird into her own separate cage so she doesn't have problems doing what she needs to do.  She may not like it at first, but you have to do what has to be done for the birds.  You may have to modify/customize her separate cage to fit how she is.  You may just need to add some customizations to the flight cage so she can get around better.  Maybe she has a medical problem that needs avian vet attention.  Four months is a long time to be this way...sounds like a permanent problem.  If she lost her tail feathers gradually, she probably molted them out...they will grow back in.  Birds can also lose feathers by just playing around in their cages or by another bird stepping on their tail feathers that are just about ready to come out, etc.

To tell if your bird(s) are overweight, look at their chest/keel bone and between their legs.  If it looks like they have clevage, they are overweight.  If they stand with legs too far apart, they are overweight.  If you can see a bulge between their legs, they are overweight.  If you can see yellow under their skin, they are overweight.  Since your birds are on all-seed diet, some of them are likely overweight.  This may be the problem with this older bird...she may be too heavy to get around well.  All seed is also a poor, unhealthy diet for birds.  I recommend you gradually convert your birds over to pelleted food (provide 24/7), as well as a variety of healthy, nutritious human foods, such as cooked brown rice with veggies mixed in, scrambled eggs, pasta (no sauce), multi/whole grain breads/dry, sugarless cereals, corn bread, etc.  You can mix seed with pelleted food and offer.  However, don't provide seed at the same time you offer other foods or your birds will always choose the seed over the other food.  Also, birds won't eat what they don't recognize as food, so you just have to keep offering the food every day...be persistent.  One will try the new food and the others will follow suit.  It can take time, but your birds will be much better off and healthier.

One thing I want to add...if you had one ill bird that passed, you need to watch your other birds carefully.  Illness/disease is spread via droppings, water/food dishes, and sometimes via air.  The first bird could have had a stroke or other, but it also could have been ill.  Just be on the lookout and seek avian veterinary assistance at the first sign of illness.  You don't want something to spread to all your birds.

Chrys