Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 3/18/2006

Question
hi chrys

my lovebird has been sneezing a lot over the last 2 weeks or so, its nose is even wet sometimes; but otherwise seems fine. should i do something different? or should i take it to the vet?

eunice

Answer
Hi, Eunice.  Thanks for posting.

Birds sneeze for various reasons:  could have a seed hull or something else up the nose, could have gotten water up it's nose when it was drinking, could be something in the air (dust, fumes from something, cat/dog dander, etc.).  Even though your bird seems fine, it could still be sick.  Birds hide illness until they can't hide it any more, i.e., they try hard to act normally until the sickness won't allow them to do so any more.  By the time we realize something is wrong, it becomes an urgent matter because the bird has already been sick for a while.  They hide illness instinctively because an ill bird is a threat to others and himself as far as predators are concerned.  You know your lovebird better than anyone else does.  If you think your bird is sick, get s/he to an avian vet (not a cat/dog vet, but an exotic animal vet).  

The nose wetness concerns me a bit...could be respiratory problem.  However, could also just be water the bird recently drank coming out of the nose or normal nostril fluids, but only a bird vet could confirm this.  If the fluid becomes crusty around the nostrils and/or the bird shows ANY signs of illness, get s/he to an avian vet immediately.  Weight loss is a definite sign of illness.

Chrys