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-   -   Parakeet problems (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=559651)

  • Mar 4, 2011, 04:18 PM
    snowball12
    Ok... I usually feed her seed... sometimes I give her these brown long things (a treat)
  • Mar 4, 2011, 04:31 PM
    Alty

    The only thing you can do right now is call around and find a vet.

    If you have 5 birds I'd separate her from the others, just in case this is contagious.
  • Mar 4, 2011, 04:33 PM
    Wondergirl

    Why isn't anyone asking me about my cats?:confused:
  • Mar 4, 2011, 04:34 PM
    snowball12
    Comment on Altenweg's post
    I'm just afraid that she won't like being separated. We just had a bird and she was puffy and I separated her from the other birds and then the next day she died... I have to go. Maybe we can talk another time tomorrow! Bye. And thanks for all the help! :)
  • Mar 4, 2011, 04:40 PM
    Alty

    Quote:

    I'm just afraid that she won't like being separated. We just had a bird and she was puffy and I separated her from the other birds and then the next day she died... I have to go. Maybe we can talk another time tomorrow! Bye. And thanks for all the help! :)
    I understand that, and it is a concern, but until you know what's going on she could potentially spread this to your other birds, and then you'll lose more then just her.

    The best option, and really the only option, is to get her to a vet asap. Today if possible. Have you started calling around?
  • Mar 4, 2011, 06:47 PM
    joypulv
    Wondergirl, tell us about your CATS!
    I got my first kitten in over 50 years recently as someone for my Jack Russell to mother. Instead the dog barely tolerates being pounced on by a young'un. At least she acts that way.

    You can't have a healthy parakeet on just seeds. Talk to the pet store!
  • Mar 4, 2011, 06:54 PM
    Alty

    Joy, we always fed ours just seeds and we never had any issues. It is good to add fruits and other things, but most parakeets do just fine on seed alone.

    Also, I really wouldn't be looking for information at the pet store. The people that work at pet stores don't have the knowledge to give accurate advice on food, or behavior, health or anything. Most of them don't even know the basics.

    None of my parakeets died because of health issues, it was always old age or accidental death.
  • Mar 5, 2011, 05:24 AM
    joypulv
    OK, I defer to your expertise. I've only had one parakeet.
    And my local pet store is owned and run by one person who is very knowledgeable, but I forgot about big chain pet stores (where some know a lot and some don't). I thought it would still be an alternative as OP doesn't seem to be able to pay a vet at the moment.
  • Mar 5, 2011, 07:35 AM
    snowball12
    YAY!! SHE IS NOT PUFFY ANYMORE!! I'm so happy! She is active now! :) I think the cage was so dirty that it was making her sick. Now that we cleaned the cage, she is active!! ( at least I think that's why!)
  • Mar 5, 2011, 10:46 AM
    snowball12
    Comment on Altenweg's post
    Wow... What were some of the accidental deaths?
  • Mar 5, 2011, 01:51 PM
    Alty
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by snowball12 View Post
    YAY!!! SHE IS NOT PUFFY ANYMORE!!! im soo happy! she is active now! :) I think the cage was so dirty that it was making her sick. now that we cleaned the cage, she is active!!! ( at least i think thats why!)

    I'm glad.

    A dirty cage can make birds very ill. You have to make sure you clean the cage often. If all 5 birds are in one cage then you should be cleaning the cage 2 times a week at the very least.
  • Mar 5, 2011, 01:57 PM
    Alty

    Quote:

    wow... What were some of the accidental deaths?
    One of my budgies got his leg caught in the wire behind his cuddle bone. We were gone for the day. When we got back home we found him on the bottom of his cage. He had chewed off his own leg to get free from the wire.

    We took him to the vet, and the vet closed the wound.

    Our bird wouldn't leave the leg alone. Every morning we'd wake up to a puddle of blood the bottom of the cage because he'd been eating at his leg again.

    We ended up putting him to sleep because he was in pain.

    One of our birds flew into a window and died instantly.

    One wasn't so much an accident, but my grandpa. My grandpa was a budgie and cockatiel breeder. We were going on vacation and asked my grandparents to watch our budgie. We had bought her from a store because we really loved her coloring.

    Well grandpa loved her coloring too. We came back and my blue budgie was suddenly green. I was confused, asked grandpa what happened. He told me that budgies sometimes change color. I believed him. I was only 7 at the time.

    Turns out that he kept my budgie for breeding, and gave me one of his old budgie. That budgie only lived for 5 more years, but she was already around 10 when we got her.

    There are others. Some are pretty tragic.

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