My baby bird shakes, sleeps oddly, and has weird poop. Is it normal?

If your baby bird doesn't have all his feathers in yet, he could still be having a hard time regulating temperature. Feeding food that is chilled or too cold may cause his temperature to decrease some, causing the shivering. Making sure the food is room temperature and that your baby bird is in a warm enough environment can help. However, if the shivering continues or if you see any other signs of illness it is best to have it checked out by a vet.

Depending on what she was being fed before, a sudden change to new food and a new house may cause a bit of stress and a change in stool. Making sure she is on a balanced diet and is kept in a calm, stress-free area for a few days while she adjusts may help. if she doesn't return to normal behavior, the stool continues to be discolored, or you see other signs of illness such as listless behavior, not eating or drinking, excessive scratching or feather loss, etc, then having a vet take a look is always best.

Thank you for your question, and thank you for being concerned about this bird. It is very kind of you. I am wondering, if you haven't brought it to the attention of the pet store staff, I would recommend starting there. I would agree that I don't think that it is a great idea to bring a sick bird home with you, especially into a situation that can be stressful for some birds (even if a dog is very nice, they can be very scary to a bird of this size). And with non-specific signs of abnormal droppings and sleeping a lot, there are numerous things that could be going on. I would recommend bringing the bird's state to the attention of the pet store, and hopefully they will have it evaluated. There are many pet stores who work directly with veterinarians to treat the animals that reside at their stores, and when the animals are feeling better, they can then go to a new home. I hope that gives you a place to start, and I hope that you are able to help this little bird feel better!

An exam with your vet or an experienced avian vet is always recommended for new birds. At the very least, Phoebe will get a clean bill of health. The sleeping posture and squeaking noises are normal unless Phoebe is sleeping all the time. This doesn't seem to be the case by your description. Monitor for lethargy, loss of appetite or loose droppings. These are symptoms that should be addressed by a vet.

The consistency and appearance of droppings can be affected by diet. It is possible Flint had some fruit or fluids which resulted in looser droppings than normal. If he is behaving normally, keep an eye on what he eats and his droppings. If they remain loose and larger than normal, consider an exam with your veterinarian or an experienced avian veterinarian. You may want to submit the droppings to diagnose intestinal parasites or bacterial/fungal overgrowth. It is never recommended to medicate a pet without the advice of your veterinarian. Inappropriate antibiotic use can lead to resistant bacteria and may complicate any underlying condition which can delay diagnosis. If Flint did have an infection that was not susceptible to the antibiotic used, then there would be no improvement. An exam would be recommended to diagnose and properly treat any infection. Your vet can also take a look at the wing feathers to rule out infection (mites, bacterial, viral, fungal). You can bathe or mist him with warm water to promote preening and healthy plumage.

Thanks for reaching out about Sky and including photos. Birds are typically fluffed when cold or ill. A veterinary visit is recommended, sooner than later. Providing heat support can give some aid but is not a cure for illness. As a new bird, moving to a new home can be stressful for a young animal, and suppressing the immune system, allowing subclinical infections to manifest. Good luck.

It could be stress or excitement from the new environment, handling or a combination. If she is bobbing her tail excessively while breathing, this can indicate potential illness. Monitor for lethargy, decreased appetite or loose droppings. Give her a few days to acclimate and if the behavior persists, have her examined by your veterinarian. Have her examined sooner if she develops any of the above symptoms.