Desperately Need Help!!! Budgie sick?

[WorriedMama]

I'm going to type fast, please excuse typos...

Our budgie Charlie is about 18 months old. He's been generally healthy since we got him, other than the first couple of months when his feathers kept falling out. We took him to the one avian vet in town and he prescribed some meds, I gave them via a dropper to his beak, and it seemed to help. That ended last October (2018).

About a week ago, we bought new food. They were out of the one we normally buy (he is very picky and only eats seed) which is the Kaytee FortiDiet. Instead, we bought the Kaytee Fiesta, which seemed to be basically the same thing but with more green looking things in it.

He ate it happily for about 4-5 days. No issue other than his poop was a bit more fluorescent green than dark pine green.

Last night about 11pm, when we were getting ready to go to bed, my hubby was changing out his water and food, which we do every other day at the same time. He panicked because he saw that the food was literally untouched. Not a kernel/shell mixed in, and really not much on the base of the cage either (I had just cleaned the cage a couple of days before that, I normally wipe it down about 2x a week).

We just got hit with a severe cold front, and have been running the heat, but it's a big open house, and never really feels "hot"- but definitely isn't freezing cold either. Temp stays about 70ish.

For the 2 days he wasn't eating, we noticed he was VERY chirpy. Very desperate for affection. He's normally a biter haha. Suddenly, he wanted to be rubbed, and almost was pulling our hands into the cage. Now, of course, it makes sense- he was trying to tell us that he didn't like his food anymore, but we didn't know that then.

All the pet stores were closed last night, but I found one of his honey/seed treat columns that hangs from the cage, and put it in there. He nibbled a couple of seeds, but then just went to sleep.

All day today, he hasn't chirped much. As soon as the pet store opened, hubby went and got the normal food, brought it home, cleaned out the whole container and put in the fresh that he likes. He has nibbled some today- not eaten a ton, but some.

He's still hunkering down over by his mirror, with majorly ruffled feathers. But, he will fly over to me and give me loveys (I push my nose to the cage and he rubs his beak on it, he lets me put my hand in and rub his belly, and his feathers go back to normal when he's near me. He's not whistled much today, but he is some.

Please please please tell me that he can recover from this?!?! By our calculations, he went right at 48 hours with food he couldn't stand and apparently wouldn't eat, and then another 9-10 hours with food in there that he liked but showing very little interest in it.

Everything I've googled says 48 hours no food, they die, and that ruffled feathers means death.

I can't stop crying. Our kids, hubby, we're all on edge. We love this sweet baby sooooo much. You have no idea- he has learned all the little songs we sing and he is so much a part of our family- everyone adores him and he gets a lot of affection and interaction. The kids even ask him if he minds if they turn off the lights to watch a movie there in the den- if he chirps and flies down to the lower perch, they think it means yes, but if he flies to his mirror, then it means no because he needs to have a conversation with himself! He's the smartest, sweetest little thing.

Is there anything else I can do to help him recover successfully?!??!

Please help. I'm frantic with worry!

 

[18WheelsOfSteel]

Hopefully the little guy will make a full recovery, they are tough little dudes, I feel bad for parronts with picky eaters...my babies give very little trouble about food...mostly if it goes in the food bowl they just gobble it right up...it isn't exactly the healthiest thing ever, but a millet spray is probably something he would munch readily and would at least get some calories in him.

 

[KawaiiTori]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take him to see a Certified Avian Vet as soon as possible!

 

[bug_n_flock]

This doesn't sound like picky eating to me. Sounds like he may be ill. I would call my CAV straight away. If the non eating were due to being picky, he would have DOVE into a treat stick or his normal food.

 

[Laurasea]

So sorry your bird is sick. Offer millit spray. And yes vet. You can increase heat in home.
https://www.littlecrittersvet.com/sick-birds.pml

 

[WorriedMama]

Oh dear! There's only one CAV in the entire city- and he doesn't work Fridays or weekends I've already tried to reach him. The soonest I can have him seen is Monday IF they let me walk in with him!!

I'll look up the millet spray and see if I can buy some today. Thank you for your help!

 

[Laurasea]

Millet available at all let stores and some grocery stores. So you should be good
Us he perche's or on the bottom of the cage?
Warmth really helps sick birds. You can put a towel on top of cage and heating pad on top of the towel. You can put a high watage lamp next to cage, lamps can put out some heat, but drape cage so light doesn't dusterb him.
Live culture yogurt if hi will lick some, might be beneficial. I learned of probiotics here from members. Really helped my bird. You can by probiotics for birds at the pet store and sprinkle over his food. Never add to water. You don't add anything to the water do you?
I have hope. We had a member from another country rescue a Budgie from the trash it was thrown away because it was sick. He nursed it back to health. We are rooting for you.
Call the avain vet, they night have an answering service, and the vet might call you back to help...

 

[Scott]

Welcome to you and Charlie, we're with you in a time of need.

Are you able to handle Charlie, and if so can you feel his breast (keel) bone? I am not familiar with budgies but there ought be a reasonable layer of skin/fat covering. A sharp feeling with little flesh may signify low weight. One of the best diagnostic tools is a sensitive scale measuring grams. Given the tiny size of a budgie, the acceptable tolerance is likely small.

I'd be concerned with the fluorescent green droppings. Might be undigested dye from the new food or possibly signaling infection.

Most vets have slots for emergencies or are willing to work you in. Typically will drop everything for a critical patient. If you cannot reach them by phone, appearing at the front door at opening time Monday sends a powerful signal of need.

Good luck, please keep us advised of Charlie's status!

 

[noodles123]

I am also concerned---green droppings could be a liver issue, an infection or something like PDD.
The fact that his feathers are falling out also makes me nervous about PBFD.
You might see if you can get him to eat some organic fruit/veg baby food (no citric acid or preservatives, no salt, NO ADDED VITAMINS...just veg/fruit if at all possible---you can buy it in jars or even make your own).
I know they say budgies shouldn't eat much fruit but in a pinch, I am guessing that some calories are better than none.
You just don't want to spike blood sugar through the roof---plain oatmeal cooked some mashed banana might work??? I have a larger bird, so it's hard to know how a budgie will react to that...Check with other members but a small amount of carbs should be okay.

 

[bug_n_flock]

My (45 budgies) guys ignore things like oatmeal. Maybe too sticky or too thick and gooey? IDK. But they really like cooked pasta and rice. Maybe a small amount of cooked brown rice or whole wheat pasta? Could do some sort of mashed fruit/veg with it. Just to build on Noodles' idea.



My phone is acting oddly tho, guess internet is not in my stars for today. I'll check in later on this thread tho.