My parakeet is breathing hard but still eating and singing. Why?

Heavy breathing can be a sign of a number of things, including stress, changes in temperature, and sometimes illness. Birds do breathe by moving their chests in and out, and it is often more visible than other pets, however if she is heavily breathing, open mouthed panting, or has her wings away from her body those can all indicate stress or distress. If she doesn't calm down after being moved to a quiet, cool location, or shows other signs of illness in addition to the heavy breathing, seeking veterinary care is best. A vet exam is a good idea anyway since she was recently acquired and possibly not in good condition when you got her.

Hello. I am sorry that Bobo isn't feeling well. It does sound like Bobo is very very sick. I would recommend having him to a vet right away. Birds do not show they are sick unless they are severely compromised, and a parakeet sitting on the bottom of a cage breathing hard could be near death. It also sounds like Bobo might be suffering. If you can get him to a vet right away I would suggest this. Best of luck with Bobo.

No, it is not normal. birds do not show signs of disease until the disease is in a very late stage in most cases, heavy breathing is a sign of a respiratory disease, you should take him to an avian vet specialist ASAP.

I would recommend taking your bird to the vet as soon as you are able. Respiratory disease can be very serious, especially in small birds. If you have the capability to nebulize at home it could be helpful until you can get her seen. You veterinarian may recommend performing X-rays to help determine what is going on. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck!

Open mouth breathing in a bird can be a sign of respiratory infection. I would recommend taking Jada in to see an avian veterinarian as soon as possible as respiratory infections can be very serious in birds. In the meantime, I would recommend making sure Jada has plenty of fresh, clean water and her favorites foods available so she does not stop eating. You may also want to try placing her in a room with a humidifier (or in the bathroom to breathe in steam from the shower) to help open the airways. Jada will likely need antibiotics and possibly X-rays and blood work. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

This is a very serious problem in a bird and indicates illness. What you are describing sounds most like an upper repiratory infection or illness. Your bird needs to see a vet right away. Birds are good at hiding illness and are often sicker then you think. Using a small cage or small aquarium (lined in paper towel and have a screen lid) with a heating pad on low underneath, can help your bird out until you get to a vet.

If Borah is panting heavily and has stopped eating or drinking, it may indicate that he is feeling unwell or has an underlying illness. Removing him to a hospital cage away from other birds, keeping him warm, and providing easy access to food and water may help, however if he is having a very hard time breathing or is refusing to eat or drink at all, seeking veterinary care immediately is best to rule out issues such as illness, infection, or injury causing his problems.