Sick Lovebird

Falconry

New member
Aug 25, 2014
23
0
My new addition to the family, a 4 month old Lovie, is sick. I bought him/her from a petstore in a city two hours away and I believe the drive and change in environment really stressed it out. On the drive home I heard sniffling/sneezing in the carrier. It wasnt much but it got worse. Marnie is showing symptoms of a respiratory infection. The vet gave me some medicine and during the medication process marnie was doing a lot better but did not fully recover. After the process he had a few sneezes but eventually got back to being full blown sick. Money is tight right now since my cats are being treated for leukemia. Yes all three cats (my pack leader cat got in a fight with a stray who infected him and then he play fought with his younger siblings infecting them) and that is expensive. I can take him to the vet but would have to wait for my paycheck and I fear the wait would only make him more sick. I bought some VetRx for caged birds and rubbed it on his beak and during the night he barely sneezed but in the afternoon the next day he was sneezing again. I really hate having to catch him to apply the medication because he is not tame and freaks out and bites. I dont want to stress him out even more.

These are his symptoms currently:

sneezing- he does this a couple times throughout the day but it is more throughout the night and early mornings.

sitting on perch, not very active- he will fly about when he hears the other birds and calls for them.

Puffs up when he is cold.

There is no nasal discharge its just sneezing. I dont know if I am overreacting or not but I really don't want to lose him.

Also, he preens A LOT, several times throughout the day. I do not see any mites on him but didnt get to thoroughly check.

He is eating well and drinking water. I want to approach natural remedies since the antibiotics did not work.

I have echinacea and grapefruit seed extract but the GFSE kills both good and bad gut bacteria.

I also have colloidal silver which my sister has been feeding to the cats and y other sisters rabbit who has snuffles.
Now before you get alarmed about the silver read this product report: Silver Colloids: Colloidal Silver Product Reports

There are three kinds of colloidal silver. I have the ionic silver and it is absolutely safe to use. There is a lady who has been using it on her leukemia kitten for five years. Her kitten is not blue nor is it dead or sick. Actually it lived longer than what a leukemia cat normally lives (the vet said a leukemia cat on steroids or other conventional treatment methods lives at the most 3 years).

I would like to know what you have to say. I would really love to here some holistic remedies for upper respiratory illnesses in birds. I would visit holisticbirds.org but I am already apart of so many forums.
 

EAI

New member
Jul 25, 2014
867
2
Honolulu, Hawaii
Parrots
Budgerigar: Arrow, Esther, Kratos, Cora, Ducky.


Lovebird: Izzy, Gizmo.
When he's on his perch, are the cat's anywhere near him/in his presence? He could be in the "fear mode" not wanting to move a muscle in fear that he'll be a snack.
Usually, when birds are cold, the puff their feathers to catch as much heat as they can around them. Preening is also a good sign of a healthy bird, it means that they are still caring about their hygiene and their looks but I don't want to assume his 100% healthy.

Does he show any signs of unusual feces? The sneezing could possibly be from dust around him (possibly cat hair--but I'm not sure if birds can get allergies). Also, I'm a bit lost-are you using the colloidal silver on Marnie? Is there anything that has a smell around him? I'm thinking that it could be small particles from his environment which makes me think that he is okay-but I'm not an Avian Vet so I can't conclude anything. Does he sneeze during/after preening, while he's eating, when he rubs his beaks against something?


I use VitaSol Bird Vitamin if I start sensing that something is wrong-it says one drop per ounce, but I never use more than 2 no matter how large the water dish is.
 
Last edited:

weco

New member
Nov 24, 2010
3,342
12
USA
Parrots
Nanday, suns, parrotlet, Patagonian
My new addition to the family, a 4 month old Lovie, is sick. I bought him/her from a petstore in a city two hours away and I believe the drive and change in environment really stressed it out. On the drive home I heard sniffling/sneezing in the carrier.

I don't know your lovie, but my flock have all got a lot of road miles under their wings, all without stress (at least none that was ever exhibited), but definitely changes in environment...Boston to Georgia, Texas to Georgia, different parts of Georgia to other parts of Georgia and in different seasons, including hot summer, cool fall & snowy winter, so can't offer anything as to stress caused by environment/location changes or travel problems.....

It wasnt much but it got worse. Marnie is showing symptoms of a respiratory infection. The vet gave me some medicine and during the medication process marnie was doing a lot better but did not fully recover.

Did you administer all of the prescribed medication?

Parrots don't get colds, like humans do and while they can get respiratory infections, a parrot sneezing is often found to be the bird copying a sound it has heard... has anyone in your house or have you been sneezing lately...cold or allergies, maybe (s)he's heard someone else sneezing? Often a bird will mimic someone it's heard sneezing...birds don't get colds and while dust in their nares might cause a sneeze or two, but continued sneezing is often the bird showing off.....


After the process he had a few sneezes but eventually got back to being full blown sick. Money is tight right now since my cats are being treated for leukemia. Yes all three cats (my pack leader cat got in a fight with a stray who infected him and then he play fought with his younger siblings infecting them) and that is expensive. I can take him to the vet but would have to wait for my paycheck and I fear the wait would only make him more sick. I bought some VetRx for caged birds and rubbed it on his beak and during the night he barely sneezed but in the afternoon the next day he was sneezing again. I really hate having to catch him to apply the medication because he is not tame and freaks out and bites. I dont want to stress him out even more.

If you were to keep him in a small cage while he's in this condition, you would not have to chase him around to catch him.....until this new lovie gets used to you and its new surroundings, there is going to be an amount of stress in its life ! ! !

If the veterinarian did not prescribe VetRX, you may be compromising the prescribed medication.....sometimes feeding over-the-counter compounds does more harm than good.....

These are his symptoms currently:

sneezing- he does this a couple times throughout the day but it is more throughout the night and early mornings. Really needs to be diagnosed by an avian veterinarian ! ! !

sitting on perch, not very active- he will fly about when he hears the other birds and calls for them. Have you offered him any toys to entertain himself? Does he know how to play with these toys, many young birds really have no idea what to do with toys unless the have been taught or seen other birds in their flock playing with specific toys.....

Puffs up when he is cold. What temperature is he puffing up at?

There is no nasal discharge its just sneezing. I dont know if I am overreacting or not but I really don't want to lose him.

Also, he preens A LOT, several times throughout the day. I do not see any mites on him but didnt get to thoroughly check. Unless you find evidence of mites or know that it came from an infested environment, you really don't want to treat this bird for them.....you can lay a sheet of copy/typing paper on the floor of its cage, leave it for several hours then suddenly turn the lights on & check the paper, if he has mites or there are mites in the cage, you will find some on the paper & they will quickly scurry to darker recesses.....many birds will preen a lot, especially if they are molting.....medicating a bird that does not need it can be dangerous to the bird ! ! !

He is eating well and drinking water. I want to approach natural remedies since the antibiotics did not work.

I have echinacea and grapefruit seed extract but the GFSE kills both good and bad gut bacteria.

I don't know about any benefits from using echinacea but there is a forums sticky about GSE or as you mentioned, GFSE, that you might be interested in reading:

http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/47378-gse-grapefruit-seed-extract.html


I also have colloidal silver which my sister has been feeding to the cats and y other sisters rabbit who has snuffles.
Now before you get alarmed about the silver read this product report: Silver Colloids: Colloidal Silver Product Reports

Things that are fed to other animals should not be arbitrarily fed to a parrot unless prescribed by an avian veterinarian, whether the veterinarian practices regular/normal/routine veterinary medicine or whether practicing
holistic veterinary medicine.....since you offered the above link to un-confirmed data/information, you might be interested in You may want to read an article written for The South African Horse Association about their beliefs on colloidal silver...I know horses are not parrots, but the data can be checked & affirmed, while the anecdotal information and suppositions offered by the purveyors of colloidal silver or other colloidal and/or silver type therapies cannot at least none that have been published relevant to parrots:
Sabinet - Therapy or quackery? A look at alternative treatment for AHS : health & feeding



There are three kinds of colloidal silver. I have the ionic silver and it is absolutely safe to use. There is a lady who has been using it on her leukemia kitten for five years. Her kitten is not blue nor is it dead or sick. Actually it lived longer than what a leukemia cat normally lives (the vet said a leukemia cat on steroids or other conventional treatment methods lives at the most 3 years).

Again, what might work to benefit one specie of animal does not mean it is safe to use that particular compound on/with any type/specie of parrot!

I would like to know what you have to say. I would really love to here some holistic remedies for upper respiratory illnesses in birds. I would visit holisticbirds.org but I am already apart of so many forums.

I think if I'd brought a new animal into my home, especially an animal I need medical information on, I think I might try finding just enough time to properly research that information, even if it meant joining just one more group/forum.....

While the members of these forums are glad to offer whatever help they feel might be prudent in a given situation, we are not veterinarians, so probably don't have the specific answer(s) you are looking for.....

I am sorry if this reply sounds critical of your thread, but I prefer following therapies that can be validated/checked/verified, when any of my flock are sick/ill.....


I also believe that unproved information/remedies/theories that may be read by first time bird owners can be as dangerous as doing nothing for the bird and does not equip the new bird owner with the information necessary to make informed decisions about their bird's healthcare ! ! !
 
Last edited:

Most Reactions

Latest posts

Top