Slightly Concerned

So I've had my lovebird for a few weeks and everything's been great, but today I noticed a difference in the feathers around his nose.

He's acting completely normal otherwise, and his poops are fine. Am I just being paranoid? Or could something be wrong with him?

What do you mean when you say you notice a difference?

It looks like drainage from his sinus, nostril, you are right to be concerned. He heebds to see an avian vet, is one open today?

You might also notice sneezing, shaking his head, itching his nose, if he let's you hold him tip him upside down and see if a drop of liquid comes out his nostril? I would be concerned if this is moist around his nostril

Yes, if that's actually "wet", then you do need to be concerned, as it's a sign of a possible upper-respiratory infection. Sneezing, coughing, wheezing when he breathes, shaking his head, etc. are all also signs of this; honestly, just the drainage from his nostrils is enough for him to need a trip to the Certified Avian Vet for a swab/culture of the drainage to diagnose the bacteria/fungi that may be causing this, as well as to identify what antibiotic/antifungal will be effective against it. And be sure to talk to them about giving him the medication by Nebulization rather than just giving it to him orally, as broad-spectrum antibiotics like Baytril (Enrofloxacin) or even the better drugs like Tylosin/Tylan 50 do not penetrate into the upper respiratory or lung tissue well at all when given orally, and it often takes multiple rounds of drugs to cure the URI when given orally, while it only takes a week of a once-daily Nebulizer treatment with Tylosin/Tylan 50 to get rid of it...

I agree with the above.
Here are some links to help you find vet, if you don't have one.

Certified Avian Vets
https://abvp.com/animal-owners/find-an-abvp-specialist/
Avian Veterinarians
http://www.aav.org/search/custom.asp?id=1803

In my opinion, any of the vets listed here should be better than a regular vet, since they have engaged in additional continuing education and special preparations.

EllenD said:

Yes, if that's actually "wet", then you do need to be concerned, as it's a sign of a possible upper-respiratory infection. Sneezing, coughing, wheezing when he breathes, shaking his head, etc. are all also signs of this; honestly, just the drainage from his nostrils is enough for him to need a trip to the Certified Avian Vet for a swab/culture of the drainage to diagnose the bacteria/fungi that may be causing this, as well as to identify what antibiotic/antifungal will be effective against it. And be sure to talk to them about giving him the medication by Nebulization rather than just giving it to him orally, as broad-spectrum antibiotics like Baytril (Enrofloxacin) or even the better drugs like Tylosin/Tylan 50 do not penetrate into the upper respiratory or lung tissue well at all when given orally, and it often takes multiple rounds of drugs to cure the URI when given orally, while it only takes a week of a once-daily Nebulizer treatment with Tylosin/Tylan 50 to get rid of it...

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He's not doing any of those things, only the drainage from a single nostril. After getting back home from the gym it looks like it's dried up, and hasn't discharged anymore. Is that single instance still enough to worry? If so I can try to call a vet on Monday

Both of my rescue lovebirds had this when I got them, the cause was vitamin A deficiency

Yes call Monday! Sometimes cones out nose sometimes down throat, sometimes stops up the nostril from the inside, needs to see an avian vet.

Laurasea said:

You might also notice sneezing, shaking his head, itching his nose, if he let's you hold him tip him upside down and see if a drop of liquid comes out his nostril? I would be concerned if this is moist around his nostril

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This vet I found isn't open again until Monday. He's not doing any of these things, just had the one instance of a little discharge. It seems to be drying up and nothing else has come out

Birds hide being sick, sometimes you only know they are sick when they are dead. Truely a nasal discharge needs to be evaluated by an avain vet. I'm giving you this advise as a person who has dealt with a respiratory infection in parrots before. If you deal with it quickly it will coast you less in the long run, and could possibly save the life of your bird.

I feel so strongly about you not having to loose your bird that I am going to share my very painful and personal loss of my Green cheek conure Burt the Bird. She had an infection that scared close one nostril when she was a chick. For the rest of her 17 year life she would off and on suffer from upper respiratory infections, that required treatment. Sometimes she would go years without an infection. A few months ago she had one drop of liquid from her nose. She was eating, playing, abd pooping Normally. It was Sunday, and I planned to take her to the vet on Monday. I gave her some love, gave her some treats. I went outside to water the garden when I cane back inside after an hour she was dead. I still feel the guilt and the loss so deeply........ I think your bird will be fine until Monday. But let me assure you my sweet baby gave no other indication that she was so ill. She played, she ate treats, and then she was dead. This isn't a story I wanted to share, it's making me cry right now. But if sharing it saves the life of your bird, or someone else who reads this story, then it's worth sharing my guilt and shame and sorrow...... Please please take this very seriously, abd take your bird to the vet on Monday. And be so thankful that you noticed something was wrong

What a cute little bird! I always recommend taking new birds to the vet and after that taking them for an annual checkup. As far as around her nose being wet I would keep a close eye on her. If it something that happens once in a blue moon than I wouldn't be thinking the worst. But monitor her and if it does happen again then I would be very concerned. All birds sneeze once in a while but if she is sneezing more than once in a while then I would recommend vet asap.

Regardless I would recommend a vet to see her to you can have an ease of mind and because she is a new bird in your home.

Good luck with your baby.

MrNubby said:

EllenD said:

Yes, if that's actually "wet", then you do need to be concerned, as it's a sign of a possible upper-respiratory infection. Sneezing, coughing, wheezing when he breathes, shaking his head, etc. are all also signs of this; honestly, just the drainage from his nostrils is enough for him to need a trip to the Certified Avian Vet for a swab/culture of the drainage to diagnose the bacteria/fungi that may be causing this, as well as to identify what antibiotic/antifungal will be effective against it. And be sure to talk to them about giving him the medication by Nebulization rather than just giving it to him orally, as broad-spectrum antibiotics like Baytril (Enrofloxacin) or even the better drugs like Tylosin/Tylan 50 do not penetrate into the upper respiratory or lung tissue well at all when given orally, and it often takes multiple rounds of drugs to cure the URI when given orally, while it only takes a week of a once-daily Nebulizer treatment with Tylosin/Tylan 50 to get rid of it...

Click to expand...

He's not doing any of those things, only the drainage from a single nostril. After getting back home from the gym it looks like it's dried up, and hasn't discharged anymore. Is that single instance still enough to worry? If so I can try to call a vet on Monday

Click to expand...

Yes, as I stated just the drainage is enough that you need to get him to an Avian Specialist/Certified Avian Vet, and get a culture taken from the nostrils. Again, birds hide all outward signs of illness for as long as they possibly can, it's an innate survival instinct, and unfortunately results in the deaths of many pet birds, because by the time we as people see them coughing, wheezing, etc., they've already been sick for weeks to months, and it's too late for the antibiotics/antifungals to help them. The fact that he has drainage from his nostril makes you extremely lucky, as it's an outward sign of infection that he can't hide from you...This is your signal that he needs to get to an Avian Vet tomorrow...

i doubt it's a vitamin deficiency, again, they need to take a culture from the nostril and send it out to see exactly what microbe is causing this, as birds suffer from upper-respiratory infections caused by both bacteria and fungi, and you can't just give a bird an antibiotic and expect it to work if it's a fungal infection. Again, you're extremely lucky, as the nostril draining is a sign that he cannot hide from you. That usually doesn't happen. So you need to take advantage of this and get him to the Vet ASAP...Birds are not like other pets, you cannot wait to get them medical help to see if it will "clear up on it's own", as whenever people do this, it's typically ends in tragedy. They are extremely sensitive, and extremely good at hiding their illnesses. What I meant in my prior post was that usually by the time the bird is wheezing, coughing, sneezing, etc., they are extremely sick and have been for a long, long time...So the runny nostril is your cue that something is wrong and he needs immediate medical attention...