Why is my parakeet breathing with beak open and standing on perch?

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.

This could be an indication of a respiratory infection which can become very serious. I would recommend taking your bird in to the vet to be examined. In the meantime, make sure there is clean, fresh air for Venus to breathe. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Respiratory distress can be caused by a number of things including stress, overheating, or even an underlying illness. If something stressed Romeo out, moving him to a quiet room where he can calm down is a good first step. Making sure he isn't too hot or too cold and the room is well-ventilated, along with providing a bath can also help if he is too warm or overheating. If he continues to be in distress with open-mouthed breathing and doesn't settle down, or you see other signs of illness, seeking veterinary care ASAP is best.

Thanks for reaching out about Baby. With open mouth breathing, a veterinary visit is needed as soon as possible. Aspiration pneumonia, infections and other causes need to be assessed and diagnoses, so a treatment plan can be provided. 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.

Those pictures are very blurry so it is hard to tell anything, but if there is discolored discharge coming from the nose and it is making Bella have a hard time breathing, she could be suffering from an upper respiratory infection or blockage of the nasal passageways. It would be best to get her into a vet ASAP so any blockage can be flushed out and treatment can begin to treat the underlying issue. In the meantime, keeping her warm, stress-free and gently wiping any debris from the nose to help her breathe better may help. You may also want to place her in a hospital cage if she is housed with other birds, and provide easy access to fresh water and a balanced diet until you can be seen by your vet.

Birds can sometimes do this motion to adjust their crop after eating, however if it is happening often, Warrior seems to be having trouble breathing, or there are other signs of illness (lethargic, not eating as much, listless, etc), a vet visit is best to rule out health issues.