My parakeet is on cage bottom, breathing hard. Should I see a vet?

I am so sorry to hear about Birdy. Any time that a bird is on the bottom of the cage it is concerning, and especially if she is not moving and having trouble breathing. Birdy needs to go to a veterinarian as soon as possible. They will provide her with oxygen, heat support, and may administer medications to her. Birds that are as sick as Birdy sounds are in critical condition, and unfortunately may not do well with handling. This can cause them to pass away suddenly with very minimal stress - I am not saying that this will happen to Birdy, but it is a potential, so I want to try to prepare you for that. I am so sorry that this is happening, and I hope that you are able to get her into a veterinarian very soon.

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!

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.

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.

Unfortunately those are very general signs that Bubble may be ill and should be seen by a veterinarian in person. Extreme stress may also cause a bird to breathe rapidly or act aggressively. It is best to contact a vet near you to see if they treat birds or can point you to an avian vet if he continues to breathe rapidly. Until you can be seen, keeping Bubble in a warm hospital cage with easy access to food and water may help make him more comfortable, as well as keeping him in a calm, quiet area in case the breathing is worsened by stress/fear.

I'm sorry to hear Jimmy isn't feeling well. Heavy panting, difficulty breathing, or gasping for air are all serious symptoms and very concerning. It would be best to seek veterinary care ASAP especially if he is having difficulty breathing. Moving him to someplace cool and shaded as well as kept quiet and dark may help if the panting is caused by heat or stress, however if he continues to pant, seeking care is needed.