My new baby budgie breathes heavily and has yellow poop. Is he sick?

Anytime a small bird like a budgie has abnormal breathing sounds I recommend they get checked out ASAP. This is because respiratory diseases can become very serious, very quickly so early diagnosis and treatment is important. Your veterinarian may need to do tests but in some cases an exam and antibiotics are what is needed.

Thanks for reaching out about Dudo. Lipomas or fatty deposits are a common condition of budgies, and can be large enough to impinge on the cloacal area, making it difficult to defecate. Fat deposits can also happen in the liver and abdominal cavity that can reduce respiratory capacity. Diet is the primary cause, too much seed. If continues to have breathing concerns, a veterinary visit is recommended to assess for secondary bacterial infections. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about George. Fluffed feathers and closed eyes are general signs of illness. A yellow droppings must be differentiated from yellow diarrhea and yellow urine/urates, as these are due to different affected organs and therefore different treatments. Providing heat support in the 80-85 F can give some support. A veterinary visit is recommended, as soon as possible. Good luck.

Constant open mouth breathing could be a sign of a respiratory issue, extreme stress, other underlying illness, or even being too warm. If Honey is already in an area that is quiet and stress-free and is not too hot or too cold and she is still having problems breathing, it is best to seek veterinary care ASAP. Changes in stool could also point to an underlying illness, infection or even parasites that are causing her to be ill. If she's housed with other birds, it is best to move her to a separate hospital cage that is kept warm and with easy access to food and water until you can be seen by your vet.

Thanks for reaching out about Eggbert and including a photo. These baby parrots need to be fed every 3-4 hours, almost as soon as the crop empties. Providing heat and humidity support are very important. Concerns are over some underlying disease (bacterial, viral, developmental) and that is why hen kicked it out of the nest. A veterinary visit might be needed to assess and determine if antibiotics might be needed. Good luck.

Unfortunately, these symptoms point to illness. A visit to your veterinarian or an experienced avian vet would be recommended. Birds are quite adept at concealing illness, so by the time they are showing symptoms, they are already quite ill. For now, clean and sanitize the cage, bowls, toys and perches. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Use paper towels on the bottom and change daily. Keep the cage away from strong drafts and keep your budgie warm and as stress free as possible until she sees the doctor.

Budgies hide ill-health well, and a dirty vent might be your bird's only symptom. Sometimes diarrhea only lasts a day or two, but longer-lasting problems indicate a more serious condition, requiring a visit to the vet. Dangers of diarrhea include waste build-up due to clogged vents, and intestinal damage from blocked ducts. Diarrhea makes him at risk from dehydration, weakness, lack of appetite and weight loss. Extreme cases lead to fits and starvation. Checking your bird's poop when he has a dirty vent can give useful information. Normal droppings are soft, olive-green to brown and coiled or cylindrical. Poop that's very dark, very pale, liquid, lumpy, dry, sticky or bubbly mean illness and need vet attention. Green-stained vents often mean poor quality feed and usually appear within 24 hours of eating new food. Providing healthier food should make symptoms disappear. One check of feed quality is biting. Grains should split cleanly and be hard to bite. Intestinal inflammation causes most diarrhea in budgies, due to bacterial or fungal infections. Vets can test for infections and treat with antibiotics. Worms, gut changes due to abnormal growths, viruses, liver disease and problems with egg production can also cause diarrhea. Less obvious causes of upset tummies are stress from a change in environment and over-use of antibiotics, causing an imbalance in normal gut bacteria. Vets can use probiotics and prebiotics to re-introduce healthy bacteria. Sick budgies need to be kept warm to conserve energy, and clean water is important in preventing dehydration. When he's lost his appetite, tempt your bird with his favorite treats, or offer specially-designed, easily digested feeds. Some budgies love soaked millet sprays. Cold, sweet black tea provides fluids and energy from sugar, and tannin in tea coats his intestines. Intensive nursing can often help in cases without a specific cause.