My bird is suddenly quiet and inactive after changes. Is she sick?

Thanks for reaching out about Sky. Stress can definitely present as being quiet, especially in a new environment. Monitor appetite, thirst, fecal and irate production. Is she remains quiet, call the seller or seek visit to a veterinarian. Good luck.

Birds do have periods of rest throughout the day in between periods of activity that is normal behavior. However, If your bird is unmoving and seems very lethargic and this has been ongoing for several hours or the entire day/several days, it could be a sign of illness. As these symptoms are very vague, it is best to seek out veterinary care ASAP to help determine the cause and get her feeling better. Illness, infection, malnutrition, obstructions and more can all cause similar symptoms and should be checked out by a vet. Until you can get to the vet, moving her to a hospital cage that is separate from other birds, and kept warm and quiet with easy access to a balanced diet and water may help, however if symptoms continue or do not improve, seeking veterinary care is best.

Hello, I would recommend taking Ollie into his veterinarian for a check up. Birds often hide illness until it is very severe, so even a mildly quieter bird may be a very sick one. They will likely recommend bloodwork and x-rays to start investigating possible causes of illness. Parakeets can commonly suffer from respiratory infections, abdominal tumors, and reproductive disease. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for your question, and congratulations on your new pet! Budgies can be a very shy species, and this is often exaggerated when they are put into unfamiliar settings (such as a new house). I would recommend giving her a little more time to adjust, as long as she is eating and producing feces. You can find these at the bottom of the cage. Alternatively, you can also take her to a veterinarian for evaluation. This is a good idea from a wellness perspective, as it will slow you to gather information about her baseline health, and your vet can determine whether Frost is ill or not. They can also provide you with basic information on husbandry and nutrition as well. I hope that gives you a place to start, and good luck with your new bird!

If your lovebird is suddenly very lethargic, you should have her seen by a vet. She might have an infection or other illness that needs treating. Birds are good at hiding illness, so once they look sick,they are often so much sicker than you think. Please get her seen by a vet to figure out what might be going on.

It's possible something may have startled your bird and is causing the wary behavior you are seeing, however if she is puffed up or refusing to eat/drink then that can indicate a potential illness. If you see other signs such as changes to the stool, or listless behavior those can also indicate illness and should be checked out by a vet. Otherwise, giving her a little space and leaving food and water where she can easily access it may help her calm down some and return to normal behavior.

Thank you for your question. It is common for birds who have been frightened to not want to vocalize or play - I would recommend looking to see if there is anything different in their environment, or even in the area surrounding their cage(s). This doesn't have to be something that is a really big change - it can also be something subtle, like a new person in the house or the addition of a new piece of furniture or picture on the wall that has been added. I would also ask if there have been anything that could have entered the air, such as use of a non-stick (Teflon) pan, or anything that scents the air (smoke, air fresheners, candles, etc.). These can be very irritating to the respiratory tract (lungs, windpipe, air sacs, etc.), and can make birds silent as well. It can also be very harmful to them. If you are unable to find any changes to their areas and they continue to be silent for the remainder of the day, then it may be time to have them evaluated by a veterinarian in your area. I hope that gives you a place to start, and that they improve quickly!