Coughing Budgie

I would like a little help with this.
Moth, one of my two budgies, has been coughing lately. At first it was only very occasionally, so I wasn't to worried. I know sometimes a seed or some dander from preening gets where it shouldn't be so it wasn't much of a worry, however recently it has become more regular and last night she was up in the middle of the night coughing.
It's a strange sound. It sounds like there is something stuck, almost like phlegm along with clear, exaggerated head movements and tail bobbing after but there are no other outward symptoms. She doesn't have a any discharge on her cere or eyes, she isn't fluffed up and her behaviour, aside from the cough, is normal. She preens, plays, eats and I have seen her drink. Melia, my other budgie, lives in the same cage, plays with the same toys, eats the same food and has shown zero signs of any issues.
What could be going on? I've thought on it; dry air? An infection? I would have thought Melia would be showing similar symptoms if that was the case.
Another possibility is an allergy, I keep a log of what they get daily (going back two weeks now) and since Sherbert has had no issues either I've been really perplexed by this.

I'll be taking her to see the vet as soon as we get the travel carrier, but if anyone has any input it would be much appreciated. Is there anything I could do to help ease the symptoms for her. I feel so bad for her because it's a really nasty sounding cough.

Take the bird to a vet ASAP. Birds hide illness because in the wild, acting sick would get them killed. If he is coughing, you need to get it checked out BEFORE he gets so bad that you are seeing deadly symptoms, like hanging out on the bottom of the cage. I don't mean to be an alarmist, but I would NOT wait. Especially because you have more than 1 bird and this illness (if an illness) could be contagious over time. If your other bird has a better immune system then it is possible that something like aspergillosis would not impact both of them but still needs to be addressed in the ill bird. I would at least have a blood test run (even though that won't really rule out aspergillosis----tricky tricky to diagnose). Occasionally, swelling of organs or heart issues can also cause respiratory distress due to pressure on lungs or fluids. I am hoping/guessing that is not the issue here, but the point is, I do not know for sure but I vet might give you a better idea. Good luck!

In a pinch, you can drill a dowel into a plastic pet carrier (As a perch). At this point, even a box could work. Birds decline quickly when ill...I would say you could try taking her into the bathroom and running the shower to see if the steam helps (don't get her wet)...BUT if aspergillosis is the issue that could make it worse...plus, leaving a warm environment like a bathroom and entering the colder rest of the house could cause a chill/shock to a sick bird's system.


Make sure she is getting enough food and water. Try wet food if dry food stops working.

I don't think birds can cough.. but at minimum, I'd definitely recommend getting her checked out for AGY just to be on the safe side!

I had two budgies at one point in time, one bird got sick but the other never did. Shared the same cage as well. After the sick one died, the other continued to live a healthy life with no issues.

Prior to them, I also had 5 budgies and 1 got sick from something that is found on farms (if I am to believe the report of the necropsy and it wasn't contaminated). The rest of them never got sick with what the one had and continued to live healthy lives.


Sometimes we just don't know why things happen the way that they do.

noodles123 said:

Take the bird to a vet ASAP. Birds hide illness because in the wild, acting sick would get them killed. If he is coughing, you need to get it checked out BEFORE he gets so bad that you are seeing deadly symptoms, like hanging out on the bottom of the cage. I don't mean to be an alarmist, but I would NOT wait. Especially because you have more than 1 bird and this illness (if an illness) could be contagious over time. If your other bird has a better immune system then it is possible that something like aspergillosis would not impact both of them but still needs to be addressed in the ill bird. I would at least have a blood test run (even though that won't really rule out aspergillosis----tricky tricky to diagnose). Occasionally, swelling of organs or heart issues can also cause respiratory distress due to pressure on lungs or fluids. I am hoping/guessing that is not the issue here, but the point is, I do not know for sure but I vet might give you a better idea. Good luck!

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I certainly wasn't planning on waiting until deadly symptoms occur and I will be taking her to the vet but for now, while it's closed, I would atleast like something to help her.

I've thought of aspergillosis too, I hope that is not the cause.

Armadeo- I didn't mean to imply that you were being negligent or anything. It just sounded like this had been going on for awhile and you said you were waiting on a carrier, so that was why I was so emphatic about the importance of time.

I didn't mean to come off as condescending if I did.

noodles123 said:

Armadeo- I didn't mean to imply that you were being negligent or anything. It just sounded like this had been going on for awhile and you said you were waiting on a carrier, so that was why I was so emphatic about the importance of time.

I didn't mean to come off as condescending if I did.

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No, I understand your concern. I know birds hide illness and completely understand your sense of urgency.
She's been coughing like this for a couple of days maximum. I have a bird carrier arriving tomorrow and an appointment booked with the vet. I just hope they can deduce a cause of these coughing fits. (I've looked up all sorts of possible causes; dry air, repertory disease, allergy, something from a toy but I'm still stumped for a reasonable explanation.)

There isn't a whole lot you can do except get her to a Certified Avian Vet immediately, and make sure that they actually take cultures to properly diagnose the microbe that is causing the infection before they put her on any medications. It may be caused by either a bacteria or a fungi, and a lot of vets (especially non-CAV's) tend to do no cultures or diagnostic testing at all, but rather just prescribe an antibiotic (usually Baytril/Enrofloxacin), and if it's a fungal infection the antibiotic does nothing to help it but rather just makes it much worse. And Baytril, though broad-spectrum, does not treat all common bacterial causes of an Upper Respiratory Infection...

There just isn't a lot more you can do...as already stated by Noodle, he has likely been sick for quite a while and is now just showing outward symptoms of it (possibly why your other Budgie isn't showing any outward symptoms right now, yet still may be sick, and i would also take him with you to the CAV by the way)...So it's imperative that you get him to a CAV asap, as once they start coughing, wheezing, etc., it's usually pretty progressed...

Anybody reading this and needing a certified avian vet... here's a link.
http://www.aav.org/search/custom.asp?id=1803
Regular vets often "wing it" with birds, although some are very helpful.
Good luck, Amadeo and Mothie!

Anybody reading this and needing a certified avian vet... here's a link.
http://www.aav.org/search/custom.asp?id=1803
Regular vets often "wing it" with birds, although some are very helpful.
Good luck, Amadeo and Mothie!

A little update on Moth.
I have been to the vets for the examination and have great news.
It's not a clinical problem and is mostly likely a sensitivity to something in the air (I'll be keeping an eye on her though, better safe than sorry).

Amadeo said:

A little update on Moth.
I have been to the vets for the examination and have great news.
It's not a clinical problem and is mostly likely a sensitivity to something in the air (I'll be keeping an eye on her though, better safe than sorry).

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Hi Amadeo,

I know this is quite an old thread, but I’m new to this forum and was hoping to find out what the long-term outcome was for Moth? My little guy has been (what I now realize is) coughing for several days. He isn’t showing any other signs of illness and continues to act like a happy, active budgie. I have an appointment with the avian vet next week, but am interested to hear if Moth’s coughing cleared up on it’s own without medication? Also, did your vet run tests to verify that it wasn’t a clinical problem? TIA for your help!

bijoux said:

Amadeo said:

A little update on Moth.
I have been to the vets for the examination and have great news.
It's not a clinical problem and is mostly likely a sensitivity to something in the air (I'll be keeping an eye on her though, better safe than sorry).

Click to expand...

Hi Amadeo,

I know this is quite an old thread, but I’m new to this forum and was hoping to find out what the long-term outcome was for Moth? My little guy has been (what I now realize is) coughing for several days. He isn’t showing any other signs of illness and continues to act like a happy, active budgie. I have an appointment with the avian vet next week, but am interested to hear if Moth’s coughing cleared up on it’s own without medication? Also, did your vet run tests to verify that it wasn’t a clinical problem? TIA for your help!

Click to expand...

With air-sac congestion /coughing, a medication is commonly provided to treat an illness. If as stated, if it was something in the environment, the cleaning /removal of the driver is recommended. That said, the Avian Medical Professional is required to define the source. It is important to know that Parrots are Fragile and such medical support is part of the process as Parrots are so very good at hiding when they are sick.