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My new budgie, Apollo, seems to have trauma regarding water, and hasn't had more than a single drop for 2 and a half days (I'm home all day and watch him), despite being offered all sorts of waters, juices, and Pedialyte in many different vessels. He is genuinely terrified of water, despite having fully settled in. He is not afraid of me or the other birds, in fact he takes millet and steps up!

The vet can't get to us until next week, and by then it would be too late. At this point, I have to towel him and give him Pedialyte, he's super dehydrated and only has the energy to sleep and explore a bit. Any tips?
 
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My new budgie, Apollo, seems to have trauma regarding water, and hasn't had more than a single drop for 2 and a half days (I'm home all day and watch him), despite being offered all sorts of waters, juices, and Pedialyte in many different vessels. He is genuinely terrified of water, despite having fully settled in. He is not afraid of me or the other birds, in fact he takes millet and steps up!

The vet can't get to us until next week, and by then it would be too late. At this point, I have to towel him and give him Pedialyte, he's super dehydrated and only has the energy to sleep. Any tips?
Oh Ollie, the risk of aspiration is high when forcing fluids. Offer the tip of the syringe to his beak when toweled but if he does not voluntarily drink, don’t force it. Have a shallow dish nearby for warm bath, just dunking his lower end in will get him wet and he should have the subsequent need to preen. Just ingesting the moisture from those wet feathers should help.

After, he needs to dry alone in his cage with food and water in a dimly lit room with no other birds. Give him his space as well and observe from a distance.

I wish you both well!
 
OP
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Oh Ollie, the risk of aspiration is high when forcing fluids. Offer the tip of the syringe to his beak when toweled but if he does not voluntarily drink, don’t force it. Have a shallow dish nearby for warm bath, just dunking his lower end in will get him wet and he should have the subsequent need to preen. Just ingesting the moisture from those wet feathers should help.

After, he needs to dry alone in his cage with food and water in a dimly lit room with no other birds. Give him his space as well and observe from a distance.

I wish you both well!
Yeah, sorry, I'm desperate...
I really hope that works.
 

Laurasea

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Can you show a picture of his poop?
What did the water dispenser look like at the pet store? Can you offer how they did?
I agree don't syringe water , big aspirations hazard.
You can offer applesauce.
 
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OP
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Can you show a picture of his poop
Sure, he poops maybe 10 times a day. Trust me when I say this, it is very small and dry.
IMG_20220226_162208.jpg
 

Laurasea

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Looks normal, tho hard to tell size. The good thing is urate is present and normal white color.

And is eating ok?

But weak and sleeping a lot?
Warmth is always helpful.

You could get baby bird formula and mix and use. This is much safer than water. With benefits of calories. Probably just 1-2 ml once daily to twice daily. Would more than enough provide his water needs plus some added calories
 
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Looks normal, tho hard to tell size. The good thing is urate is present and normal white color.

And is eating ok?

But weak and sleeping a lot?
Wsrmth is always helpful
He's eating ok, and yes, weak and sleeping a lot.
 

Cottonoid

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I was thinking about you and Apollo when I woke up this morning and am sending you both and the rest of your flock lots of love today!

I've been lurking here for a couple months and one thing that's super obvious is how dedicated you are to caring for all your pets, and how generous you are with your support for others! I'm really glad I've found such a loving birdy family here!

P.S. you can be my honorary human kiddo anytime 😁
 

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Stormy, will he eat fruit? Fruit has a lot of moisture and it would help keep him hydrated.
 

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Leaf lettuce has a lot of water in it as well. You could do a good rinse so that the leaf is soaked and he would get some as he nibbles. Sending healing wishes to Apollo.
 
OP
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I was thinking about you and Apollo when I woke up this morning and am sending you both and the rest of your flock lots of love today!

I've been lurking here for a couple months and one thing that's super obvious is how dedicated you are to caring for all your pets, and how generous you are with your support for others! I'm really glad I've found such a loving birdy family here!

P.S. you can be my honorary human kiddo anytime 😁
Lol, honorary human kiddo - might have to accept that (never mind, definitely accepting that)!!!
Apollo is getting more active and we've bought him multiple different feeders to see what he likes to drink out of! He seems to be settling in, and I'm reducing any anxiety he might have to the best of my ability.

Stormy, will he eat fruit? Fruit has a lot of moisture and it would help keep him hydrated.
I'll try to give fruit, but he was weaned on to seed do that might be hard. I know he hates pineapple, but I'm not sure about anything else. Good idea!

I keep waiting for the update on Apollo. Hoping its good news
He's still not drinking. He sleeps a lot but seems less anxious and is fitting in with the flock, so I'm hoping he'll start drinking soon. I'll also try offering foods higher in water, and see how he does.
 
OP
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So...
I got him one of those silo feeders to see if he'd like that better and... still no. He does find it less threatening, though, and I am putting bowls of Pedialyte on every surface I can find, hoping I can entice him to drink. Sometimes my other budgies take a sip, is that ok?

Thankfully, he still has a bit of urine during his morning poop, which I'm crediting to the pineapple juice drop I gave him 2 days ago.
 
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Laurasea

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Since he are some chop I think that would take care of moisture needs.

I really don't think toweling is necessary . Members have shared some great ways to get moisture to him with foods, or misting.
 
OP
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Yup, I'm not toweling him.
Ok, heres a really weird thing I discovered...don't think I'm crazy, ok?
He kinda has to relearn how to drink....
Like, I'm training him to drink.
It's kinda crazy, but I'm doing daily training with him, and he drank a tiny drop on his own!
I purchased the water feeders he's had his whole life, but for some reason, I still have to teach him to use them...
Oh well, he's making progress!
 

HeatherG

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Yup, I'm not toweling him.
Ok, heres a really weird thing I discovered...don't think I'm crazy, ok?
He kinda has to relearn how to drink....
Like, I'm training him to drink.
It's kinda crazy, but I'm doing daily training with him, and he drank a tiny drop on his own!
I purchased the water feeders he's had his whole life, but for some reason, I still have to teach him to use them...
Oh well, he's making progress!
Budgies are from very dry regions and can get much of their water needs through their food. I have worried about water intake in the past but tomatoes, fruit, etc can be quite wet and give lots of water. I am supposing that you have tried a water bottle?
 

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