Help me somethings up

[TeenageBirdMom]

Hi, So I have a fairly young Green Cheek Conure. He is super healthy, he eats a lot, plays a lot, and is overall a lively healthy bird. I've had birds all my life so I know the birdy can haves and cant haves. SO, in the past 24 hours my little Apollo has gotten plenty of zupreem cockatiel feed, roudybush pellets, and a slice of pineapple to snack on. it's 73 degrees in my room at all times and his cage is cleaned once a week. Now my concern:
When I came home from my internship today, my GC was having a sneezing fit. Like sneezing LOTS of orange mucus. Once he was done, he continued eating and playing. So WHAT THE HECK, why did he do this. could somebody please give me causes, possible reasons, what to look out for, and what to do...IM STUMPED

 

[crimson]

since today is Saturday, I would see if you can get him into an Avian Vet today.

It is not normal for birds to sneeze orange mucus.

It sounds like the beginning of an upper respiratory infection, which you don't want to take the 'wait and see' approach.

although I have to admit, I'm a bit stumped on the 'orange' part....usually it's clear or yellowy/green

 

[MomtoPercy]

I don't know - if she's stopped and everything else is normal, could it be that she got some food up her nose maybe?? I'd watch her closely, just to make sure there isn't something else cooking. How is her poop?

 

[MikeyTN]

How long have you had him??? During anytime when your bird start to get sick you should seek help from a avian vet!

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I agree with others that getting him to the vet ASAP is the best approach. That is certainly not normal, and better safe than sorry is what you'll want to do.

The truth is, birds mask symptoms quite well. He may 'appear' to be fine - eating and playing but he could clearly be masking a much more serious underlying problem. Birds mask illness as a protective method. If they 'appear' sick, they are tossed from the flock, so to speak.

By the time he shows severe symptoms such as constant diarrhea, puffed feathers, watery eyes, lack of appetite and sitting on the bottom of the cage it is often too late.

The mucus part is NOT normal and that concerns me as well. If it was just clear discharge every once in a while, I'd say don't worry about it. Skittles, my sun conure will sneeze 'clear' discharge every so often - and he sneezes a LOT, most of his sneezes are 'air'. I don't worry about Skittles since the discharge is rare and also suns use sneezing as an attention getter too. (He sneezes a lot when he is being 'playful')

Is there a reason you feed him cockatiel food? I'm not familiar with Zupreem (though I have heard of it) since I use Harrisons. Having watery DROPPINGS after eating fruit (such as the pineapple you mentioned) is normal, but not nasal discharge.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[SandyBee]

Any time there is mucus that is not clear it's vet time.

 

[TeenageBirdMom]

I'm definatley taking him to the vets. but what really stumps me is that he literally has and is showig NO symptoms of illness other than his little episode today. My mom whos had birds for 20 years or so said that sometimes a bird who has a hard sneeze can regurgitate and it gets ejected through their nasal passages.. but this seems strange to me.. is it a possibility?

somebody please reply for Apollo's sake

 

[Freespin]

sounds about right, people can do the same... Has he been eating anything orange?

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Anything is possible - but I still say better safe than sorry.

 

[Ambermai]

What does his poop look like? (You know you're in a bird forum when discussing poop is acceptable!)

 

[mandolynn]

Birds hide their symptoms because in the wild they can't seem weak. It's usually bad enough to see a vet anytime they even show small signs of sickness.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

What does his poop look like? (You know you're in a bird forum when discussing poop is acceptable!)

I'd be curious to know too. As an FYI, their droppings should not be consistently 'watery'. A few times is okay, especially after eating fruit/drinking fruit juice.

But normally, they should be in sort of a solid ball. Dark Green (feces) with whitish in the middle (urates). Now, the feces may be a different color depending on what they last ate. So take that into consideration. But he urates should always be whitish regardless. Any other color and it COULD be a kidney issue, but a vet visit would be required for certainty.

Birds hide their symptoms because in the wild they can't seem weak. It's usually bad enough to see a vet anytime they even show small signs of sickness.

That's EXACTLY right!

 

[legal_eagle]

It sounds like allofeeding to me ... which happens a lot at this time of year and is normal. Was your bird bobbing his/her head up and down or front to back when this happened? Did it then pass? The orange mucus may have been regurgitated food (which sounds like it would be consistent with the food you're using). Birds often sneeze after they allofeed because some of the regurgitated food has gone up their nostrils.

 

[Birdbrain91]

I agree with everyone that birds mask their illness until its to late. I don't use Zupreem but isn't it colored pellets? That could be the cause of the orange color. My Sun Conure sneezes a lot but nothing comes out. Call the vet first thing in the morning. Better be safe then sorry.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I agree with everyone that birds mask their illness until its to late. I don't use Zupreem but isn't it colored pellets? That could be the cause of the orange color. My Sun Conure sneezes a lot but nothing comes out. Call the vet first thing in the morning. Better be safe then sorry.

I would imagine when ur sun conure sneezes nothing but 'air' comes out? Mine does the same. Just so you know, that is normal of suns. It's just something they do. Just like the 'froggy' noises. Supposedly the sneezing is for 'attention', kind of like their way of 'giggling', I guess.