My budgie walks in circles and leans its head. What should I do?

Inability to perch and balance are very concerning signs, and seeking vet care is needed to find the problem. Even if the vets in your area do not specialize in birds, seeing if one can still take a look is best. Injury to the legs, illness, malnutrition, stroke and a myriad of other issues can cause balance and perching issues, and they require medical care in person to treat. At home you can try to offer low, flat perches and food and water in shallow dishes that are easy to get in and out of, however seeking veterinary care in person is needed to get Bluey feeling better.

Some neurologic, muscular, diseases processes, and nutritional issues can cause similar symptoms. It would be best to bring Parrot into a local vet ASAP to have him examined, bloodwork taken and possible X-rays taken to look for underlying issues and provide treatment. In the meantime, making sure he is kept calm and quiet, can still access food and water (and is eating a balanced diet of seeds and pellets for budgies) and separating him from any other birds in the cage can help him feel more comfortable until the underlying cause can be determined.

Loss of balance is a very concerning sign and I would recommend bringing her to a local vet for a complete exam. Muscular and neurologic issues, underlying illness, seizures, old age, toxicity, nutritional issues and more can call cause problems with balance and requires an exam to help narrow down the possible causes. Until you can get into the vet, you can move Millet's perches closer to the floor of her cage to prevent injury if she falls, and make sure she has food and water dishes that are easy to climb in and out of if she is having trouble getting around. If you see any additional signs of illness, be sure to let your vet know.

Thanks for reaching out about Blueberry. The most common finding with ataxia and possible vision concerns is the ingestion of heavy metals (lead, zinc). These can come from ingested paint, small pieces of metal or other things. A veterinary visit is recommended as these show up very well on radiographs, and prognosis is very good with proper treatment. Renal, liver, heart problems and vision loss can also account for these signs, and veterinarian can help with this. Remove perches and place a soft towel on the bottom of the cage for comfort, providing heat support in the 80-85 F range can give some aid. Good luck.

If he's like that even while eating, drinking, or being active (not sleeping) and never has his head in a normal position, it wouldn't hurt to have him examined by your vet. It's possible there could be an underlying issue such as a nutritional problem or even a neuromuscular issue that would benefit from being checked out.

I'm sorry to hear about Blue! If moving his cage to a quieter area or covering it for a bit doesn't help him to relax, or he seems to be showing signs of illness in addition to the sudden pacing, seeking veterinary care in person to rule out any health issues is best.

It would be best to bring your bird to a local avian veterinarian, especially if he has been ill for a few weeks. it's possible that an underlying illness, neurologic issue, muscular disease, stroke or other problem has occurred that needs to be examined and treated as needed. In some cases birds may not recover fully, and you may need to adjust your bird's environment to help him get around a little easier, such as adding in flat platform perches or changing access to food and water.