Is my cockatiel's eye infection contagious? How can I help him gain weight?

This is probably due to either an eye infection or an upper respiratory infection. in some cases vitamin A deficiency can also contribute to these conditions. i would recommend taking him to the vet ASAP in order to get this checked and treated, he will probably need antibiotics.

Thanks for reaching out about Pip. A veterinary visit is recommended as seems very sick. Remove perches and place a soft towel on the bottom of the cage, for comfort. Provide heat support in the 80-85 F range for aid. Lethargy and conjunctivitis are possibly chlamydophilosis, which is potentially contagious to humans. Isolate from other birds. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Taka and including photos. That is a significant weight loss (20-25%), and infectious or metabolic disorders are a consideration. Amoxicillin might help but is aimed at more gram positive bacteria such as staphylococcus or streptococcus, and not bacteria such as e coli or salmonella. Prescribing or suggesting a medication is not allowed on this website. Seeking the advise of a local veterinarian is recommended. Good luck.

Hello. It appears your question got cut off so please consider reposting it. I will say though, based on what you wrote, that Snow White may certainly be sick. If there was no veterinary exam, fecal, or blood work done beforehand, then there’s no guarantee that the birds you acquired weren’t harboring some disease that may only show itself in times of stress (like entering a new aviary, reproduction, etc). Since you already have many birds, their health is potentially at risk and I would recommend having a veterinarian evaluate the new birds. At minimum a physical exam and fecal should be done, but consider Chlamydia screening, blood work, fecal gram stain. Other infectious disease tests can be done but your vet can recommend what they feel is indicated. Good luck!

Unfortunately, if the eye is infected it needs to be seen in person by a vet (even if it isn't an avian-specific vet) in order for medication to be prescribed. Keeping Karo separated in a warm hospital cage with easy access to food and water, and continuing to remove any debris from the eye can help until you can find a vet near you.

Thanks for reaching out about Nibbles. A bird this small/light weight probably needs diagnostic testing to determine the problem. You should start with a CBC (complete blood count) to look for signs of infection, a serum biochemistry to check kidney/liver function, and possibly radiographs. You need to feed more than twice daily and improve the caloric intake, but food is not fixing the problem. Continue to heat support so Nibbles doesn't get cold and have to shiver to generate heat, thereby using up calories. Good luck.

Crestwood Animal Hospital in your area is listed as possibly seeing exotics/birds so you may want to give them a call if Rococo continues to act ill. In the meantime, keeping him warm in a separated hospital cage from your other birds, and eating and drinking may help with any illness. If the eye has any discharge, keeping it clean with a warm washcloth and free of debris may also help. You can also look for parasites or other skin issues around the eye that may need to be treated.