My parakeet is scratching its red ear. What should I do? Is it severe?

Thanks for reaching out about Kiwi and including a good photo. This is probably otitis externa (outer ear infection) with possible inner ear involvement. These infections are usually bacterial or yeast, so a veterinary visit is needed to determine the cause. Systemic medications are probably best. Vitamin A deficiency could be an underlying component, so a review of the diet by the veterinarian is recommended. Good luck.

It would be hard to say as those are both very general signs of potential illness. It could be that Lucy is cold or had some food stuck to her beak, has nasal discharge from an illness, or is experiencing another underlying issue. Moving her to a warm spot with easy access to food and water and cleaning any crusting may help, however if these symptoms continue or worsen, seeking veterinary care in person ASAP is best to have her examined and treated for health issues.

Thanks for including the pictures of Bobby, but they are a little difficult to see clearly. With the location, it could possibly be an ear infection, which are fairly rare in birds. Try wiping the area with a warm, wet washcloth and parting the feathers to take a look at the skin. The other possibility is matted feathers due to regurgitation. When they regurgitate, they often shake their heads. Either way, I would seek the examination by an avian veterinarian.

Without a photo it would be hard to say what is going on, but if the ear is visible, has discharge or looks like it's seeping, or Sparky is plucking feathers from it, I would bring him to your vet ASAP. They can check for infections that may need cleaning and antibiotics or other medications to treat. Until you can get to your vet, keeping the area clean and dry, keeping Sparky or any other birds from picking at it, and keeping him in a warm hospital cage with access to food and water may help.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear about Lucy's ear. I cannot tell by the pictures if there is anything visibly wrong with her ear. I recommend examining it closely to look for any puncture wounds or scratches which would indicate if she was attacked. If she has any wounds in her skin, I recommend bringing her to your veterinarian as soon as you can. These wounds will need to be cleaned and flushed out so they do not become infected. Dog bite wounds are loaded with bacteria and can lead to abscesses if left untreated. I hope this is helpful!

Thanks for reaching out about Chimu. A beak infection could be superficial clinical sign of a deeper problem. Sinus or upper respiratory infections (bacterial, fungal) can lead to scratching of the peri-orbital sinuses. Topical medications will not correct this, and a need for systemic medications is needed. A veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Valerio and including a photo. The lesion is probably due to self scratching, but could be in result of a skin infection, sinus pressure (bird's sinuses surround the eye), bruising, feather mites and more. Monitor for now but if get larger or really seems to be bothering him, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.