My happy but panting budgie

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My happy but panting budgie

by Serena

Hi I'm Serena, I have two female budgies, Maxi and Molly, who have never been with a male bird before. About a month ago, I noticed that Maxi was panting every, about, 15 seconds and only lasts a couple of seconds each time and finally stops after a while. It's wierd how it only happens between the afternoon and night and I'm pretty sure that it happens just about every night.

We keep them well away from cookware that contains teflon and other non-stick items. We know the toxic foods like avocado etc. And we also put them outside for a while if it's a nice day and we bring them in at night. But she seems to look happy as she eats her seeds, fruit and veggies normally and as well as drinking fresh water normally too.

She also plays with her toys and does her usual crazy flapping thing with her wings occasionally and flying. She also still cleans herself and does her buzzing thing at night and sleeps on one foot. She seems healthy, but the panting is worrying me alot! And I know that she is not overheated either. Do you have any idea why she pants regularly just about every evening like this? And its also not from flying either. Please help!

Kind regards
Serena

Comments for
My happy but panting budgie

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Jan 06, 2012

Maxi
by: Serena

Ok, I'm so glad that we can take her there because the other avian vets are quite far from where we live.
Thankyou so much for all of your help :)

Serena

Jan 04, 2012

Panting budgie
by: Serena

If you type into google 'Balcatta vet WA' and click on their page, you will find a tab at the top that says 'services'. When you click on it and go down the list click on 'avian medicine'. When you click on it a page comes up telling you about the avian vet they have there. I'm not sure but if you are able to read that page and let me know if it's ok to take my budgie there? Only if you have time.
Thank you!

Editor's note: The exact page is http://www.balcattavet.com.au/Services/AvianMedicine/tabid/23796/Default.aspx and this looks good!

Jan 04, 2012

Dog/cat vet vs bird vet
by: Tracie

Dog/cat vets often kill birds accidentally due to their lack of training and experience. Their vet assistants are not trained for small birds either and sometimes hold the birds wrong and break their fragile hollow bones.

Do Find an Avian Vet for your bird.

Jan 03, 2012

Panting budgie
by: Anonymous

Thankyou very much once again. A question about the vet thing. There is a vet close to us that people take the usual cats and dogs too, but there is someone who specializes in birds and is an avian vet. Is that ok? Thanks

Jan 03, 2012

My happy but panting budgie
by: Linda

As for fatty liver disease, if your birds are young, their livers should heal completely. If they are older birds who have spent many years eating a low quality diet, then the fatty liver disease will go away, and as Tracie said, there may still be liver damage. An Avian Vet can do some basic bloodwork to see how organs are functioning.

You have to take birds to a licensed and trained Avian Vet only. You cannot buy any over the counter meds especially from a pet store because until you know what is wrong, it cannot be treated. The over the counter meds will either kill your birds or complicate Avian Vet's ability to diagnose a problem.

Before making any dietary changes from seeds to organic pellets found here, your birds must be examined by an Avian Vet to make sure they are not suffering from any kind of illness. Sick birds cannot be trained or go through any dietary changes as both are too stressful for a sick bird.

Never use home remedies either because some of these are highly toxic to birds, and this includes ALL herbal treatments. Rule here is birds have to be diagnosed and treated by only an avian vet to make sure they are treated correctly and that they get well.

Linda

Jan 03, 2012

Panting budgie
by: Tracie

It is possible for a bird to recover from fatty liver disease, in the sense that it will live a longer life from a better diet. It is like if a person stops smoking, even though they stop smoking their lungs have been damaged.

Changing a bird's diet is stressful, so if your bird has an infection, you would not want to change anything until the avian vet says your bird is well.

The only way to get treatment from a bacterial infection is by getting a prescription from your avian vet. (Regular dog/cat vets often accidentally kill birds due to lack of training and experience.)

The thing is, you have to know what you are treating. Unless your bird is diagnosed, you don't know what is wrong. You wouldn't want your mother to treat you for an infection if you have cancer, for instance.

I am sorry, but the best thing for your bird is for you to Find an Avian Vet to examine and treat exactly what is wrong with your bird.

Jan 03, 2012

My happy but panting budgie
by: Serena

Ok, thankyou very much for the help.

Could my budgie die from fatty liver disease even though I do get her started on the pellets now? And if she has a bacterial infection, could she also die? Or is there something that I could buy to treat her or should I just take her to the an avian vet?

Thankyou very much!
Serena

Jan 03, 2012

Panting budgie
by: Tracie

Dr B can not tell what might be causing this without a physical exam and possibly running tests.

You did not mention anything about pellets in the diet. If your bird is eating mostly seeds, it may have fatty liver disease. Your budgie should be eating 60 - 70% high quality pellets, like Harrison's or Roudybush and only 30 - 40% healthy treats including some seeds.

I suggest you Find an Avian Vet to examine your bird soon.

It could also have an infection that is causing this behavior. Birds that drink from water dishes often get bacterial infections. Bacteria from food and poop in the water is unavoidable. If your bird is drinking from a water bottle and you only leave bath water for a couple of hours, then you can rule this out.

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