Budgie being sick

[itzjbean]

I read somewhere online that if they don't go near an item of food then to take out what they normally eat, and soon they will get curios and go and try it. Is this something you recommend?

Perhaps it may be presentation. A small budgie may not want the apple because it's presented in such huge pieces. Cutting them down to very small, bite size pieces for your budgie to enjoy might make him enjoy it a little more. You can also feed him a variety of other fruits and veggies, as well as cooked legumes and grains. Check out my recent thread about my batches of bird CHOP I make for my two birds

The CHOP Chronicles!

Diet is actually very important and may be a cause of some issues you are having with your budgie. A diet high in seeds is not good, as well as too much fruit, which has a lot of sugar, can be harmful. Try mixing it up with different things and his health may improve. Of course, a certified avian vet will be able to determine what is making him act different.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

I read somewhere online that if they don't go near an item of food then to take out what they normally eat, and soon they will get curios and go and try it. Is this something you recommend?

Perhaps it may be presentation. A small budgie may not want the apple because it's presented in such huge pieces. Cutting them down to very small, bite size pieces for your budgie to enjoy might make him enjoy it a little more. You can also feed him a variety of other fruits and veggies, as well as cooked legumes and grains. Check out my recent thread about my batches of bird CHOP I make for my two birds

The CHOP Chronicles!

Diet is actually very important and may be a cause of some issues you are having with your budgie. A diet high in seeds is not good, as well as too much fruit, which has a lot of sugar, can be harmful. Try mixing it up with different things and his health may improve. Of course, a certified avian vet will be able to determine what is making him act different.

I agree with this who;e heartedly! I am going through with this with BB right now! He is on antibiotics at the moment for a bacterial infection basically from an improper diet. Millet is junk food,and even though he was getting nupreem fruity pellets (which I discovered he wasn't touching ) and a "special blend" cockatiel seed mix that the breeder put together...it wasn't enough..he would only occasionally eat fruit or veggies..but never in his bowl...he had to eat from MY plate,and at times, I just didn't have time,or be around,to have dinner or lunch with him,so now he is paying the price for my stupidity!

Now I make an extra effort. I make him a small plate of veggies and fruit and put it here on my computer desk and he'll ectually climb down my arm and pick at if for a few minutes...I've found he likes corn nibs and broccoli..his doctor said it could take 6 months or more to convert him. I have reduced his millet to a small piece a couple times a week and reduced the amount of tiel mix..cant have him go cold turkey!



Jim

 

[Lacewing]

Praying for good health for little bird.

 

[JakeNTech]

Ok, thanks so much for your help. Today I have an exam in the morning but on my way home will pick hip up some carrot for him and something to keep him of the bottom of his cage. At the moment he had a breakfast feast, lots of seed and some apple, but has gone back to sleep. He is not much of a morning bird, I know how he feels. Will let you know how he gets on. Thanks for your help again its really appreciated. He also seemed to be more active yesterday evening too. Thanks once again!

 

[Lacewing]

In my budgie experience of many years, they do not eat any fruit. I feed all veggies such as kale, carrots, romaine lettuce, corn on cob. I put a cut portion of cooked corn on cob on a skewer and they love it. It helps keep the weight on them also. They have ceased eating veggies from a bowl and love the skewer. Oh and broccoli also.

 

[JakeNTech]

Hello. Thanks once again for your help. I was on the phone to the vets to see if there was a possibly they could move the appointment forwards and I saw something amazing, data was happy. He was dancing to the music in his head. A few moments ago I put my hand in his cage to rub his chest and he just stood on my finger, he has nerves done that before. He is currently shouting a Judge Judy. He is clearly better. He has even tried a strawberry, but that might be because I dropped it into his seed pot, oops. The appointment isn't until tuesday unfortunately but if he is like he is today tomorrow, if that makes any scene then I will cancel the appointment. Thanks once again!

 

[Teddscau]

Personally, I'd still take him to see the vet, even if he's still singing and dancing tomorrow. I've lived with budgies for years, and even when they're really sick, they'll often still try to play and fly around. They only completely quit singing, playing, and flying when they're about to die.

It definitely sounds like he's suffering from some sort of problem with his crop. You'll want the vet to do a crop culture, perhaps a fecal, and you'll definitely want the vet to weigh him. Heck, maybe even ask about having his crop flushed. Foam coming out of his mouth definitely isn't a good sign, so even if Dave "claims" he's feeling all better, don't believe him.

As for getting him to eat veggies, id buy organic leafy greens for him. Thoroughly wash with soap and water, rinse thoroughly, and clip a small, moist piece of leafy green to his cage. Spinach and romaine lettuce are the easiest to get birds to try. After he's started eating those two greens, he should be willing to try Swiss chard and other greens. Just clip a fresh leafy green to his cage every day, and he'll eventually try it. It also helps if you eat vegetables in front of him.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Go steady with strawberries, I sometimes find I react to shop bought ones, feel unwell after eating them.

Please do have those tests, it could save you some heartache along then line.

 

[BoomBoom]

Following Ted's suggestion, an alternative to washing produce w/ soap and water is vinegar and water. Soak 5-10 mins, rinse well. It removes a lot of waxy yuckiness from everything. Not sure if soap with impart a lingering soapy after-taste.

 

[Teddscau]

Or you could buy that Veggie Wash stuff. I use soap to wash their veggies in order to wash off germs, and if the food isn't organic, wash off any pesticides. I've only been feeding them organic food the past several months, so pesticides haven't been as much of a worry.