Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 10/21/2007

Question
I think my parakeet could be poisoned by a "garbage tie twist" she likes to chew on them because I have been using them to  hold their toys up and swings. 2 days ago I caught her actually eating it and when I check she had a white piece in her mouth.  the "white piece" is the plastic white coating that layers the wire underneath. I tried to get it out of my birds mouth by no avail.! Two days ago she started acting weird, sitting next to me keeping me in sight. I leave her out of her cage for 3 years now.  She has green diahrea and is having trouble breathing and her feathers are always fluffed up.  she sleeps most of the day.  I gave her antibiotics at the pet store , they told me to mix it with her water. I also put charcoal on the top of her seeds so hopefully it will help her digest that and get that poison out.  I live in a small city there are no avanarians. There are pet stores but they give me basic advice. I looked up av. vets and they are like 2 hours away. I don't have a car or time what should I do? I am hysterical over this. Plus it reallys makes me annoyed that in my city with all the pet stores selling budgies, yet no expert on them or av. vet nearby. What do other people do, let them die!  Please help me a.s.a.p.   I love my bird.

Answer
Hi, Chrissy,

Your bird needs to be seen by a certified avian vet ASAP.  She is sick.  The antibiotics from the pet store are not strong enough to help her.  Besides this, the bird vet will test her to determine what type of antibiotic she needs in order to successfully treat her problem.  In addition, she may need to have the plastic removed from her crop, as they cannot digest plastic.  The charcoal won't do any good as it cannot absorb plastic.  

I don't know how you are going to handle this, Crissy, but your bird needs certified avian vet assistance like right away!  I don't know what other people do.  The people I know that own birds take them to the doctor when they need to go.  My vet is 90 miles away one way, but when a bird needs the vet, it needs the vet, regardless of how far away the vet is.  I make the time.  I have a car, but certainly someone in your family or a friend can help out.  My advice would be to not use anything in your bird's cage that can potentially harm your bird.  Hang those toys, etc., with bird safe hangers, not something that can harm your bird because if it's in the cage or even outside the cage and your bird can get to it, it will.  This is just how birds are.

Chrys