I think SUNNY is SICK. Help please!

[HannahandSunny]

Hi everyone!

Just as I was about to leave for work I chased Sunny out the hay barn as he isn’t allowed in there but he just flew down onto the ground when he’d usually fly somewhere else or into the tree opposite. I thought he looked a little fluffed up so I stepped him up onto my hand and took him to get some seed to which he did it want!! This is very unusual Sunny loves his food! I was in a rush for work so asked my partner to keep an eye on him.
He’s since phoned me agreeing that he doesn’t look to well, and poo’s Are slightly runny. He also brought up spit stuff after having a drink.
He’s still enjoying strokes!
I’m so worried! I’m at work so I don’t know what to do!
It was a VERY windy cold night last night, could that have anything to do with it?

 

[HannahandSunny]

And it’s bank holiday! I’m not sure if vets will be open!

Ugh things always happen when I’m at work!!

 

[Inger]

Oh no. I don’t have any advice, but I’ll keep you and especially Sunny close in my thoughts.


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[noodles123]

Get him to the vet as soon as you can. You might consider bringing him in for the night to keep an eye on him...I don't know if you do that, but it's something to think about. At leas then your could monitor his poop and eating and ensure that he isn't bullied by other birds.

 

[Allee]

Poor Sunny, I’m sorry your little wild guy is feeling bad. Hopefully he ate something he shouldn’t have but the symptoms could be due to something more serious. I agree with Noodles, if possible bring him inside, monitor him closely, keep him warm, make sure he’s eating and drinking until you can take him for a vet visit. Hugs for you and positive thoughts for Sunny’s quick recovery.

 

[Scott]

With multiple symptoms, your instincts to get Sunny to a vet are keen. Hard to know what is happening; are you able to check his weight?

Hope he feels better by now, please keep us updated!

 

[LaManuka]

Oh these things ALWAYS happen on a long weekend don't they?!!

I hope you can get Sunny checked out and that he's OK!

 

[HannahandSunny]

Thank you so much everyone for the quick responses and advice!
It’s been a hectic day at work in the kitchen being understaffed and only 2 of us working in the cafe that I haven’t had time do anything at all! It’s so so typical it happens today on a bank holiday! I also have work tomorrow but I’ll decide what to do tonight!
I’m really hoping his is still hanging about when I get home in a few hours, but it will be dark and he may fly off to bed! If I can finish half an hour early I should hopefully get to see him. However I recon he’ll just be waiting in the barn anayway.
If I do see him, I’ll probably keep him inside tonight where it’s a bit warmer and out of the winter weather. I might syringe feed him critical care ( for small animals)I gave it to him in the early days when he was young and sick.
Thank you for all your get well wishes.
Sorry I’m typing fast as trying to work at same time lol..

 

[Betrisher]

Oh no! Our mate, Sunny, can't be crook! Sending warmest healing thoughts that he feels better in the morning! XXXX

 

[HannahandSunny]

Thank you everyone

So Sunny was waiting at the front door when I got home, I let him in and sat with him for 15 mins. Partner said before I got home he tucked into some apple. Which he has refused to eat for months so that’s good! He also said he was digging around for roots earlier!
I gave him a drink of water which he drank quite a bit.
His Bum is a little green. And I can’t tell if he breath smells or if he’s been digging on fresh cow poo lol..
He still had his cheeks puffed up.
I’ve put him in the outside Aviary tonight as I don’t think the sudden change of temperature would be good for him in the house being warm and then going back out into the cold?
He’s still active, and making his little sqawrk that he makes when he wants attention.
Fingers crossed he will be much better by the morning. Gosh I hope so!!
If he is the same but no worse tomorrow, I’ll make an appointment for the vet for Wednesday. If he is sicker in the morning I’ll have to phone in sick to work and take him in the morning!

 

[noodles123]

Thank you everyone

So Sunny was waiting at the front door when I got home, I let him in and sat with him for 15 mins. Partner said before I got home he tucked into some apple. Which he has refused to eat for months so that’s good! He also said he was digging around for roots earlier!
I gave him a drink of water which he drank quite a bit.
His Bum is a little green. And I can’t tell if he breath smells or if he’s been digging on fresh cow poo lol..
He still had his cheeks puffed up.
I’ve put him in the outside Aviary tonight as I don’t think the sudden change of temperature would be good for him in the house being warm and then going back out into the cold?
He’s still active, and making his little sqawrk that he makes when he wants attention.
Fingers crossed he will be much better by the morning. Gosh I hope so!!
If he is the same but no worse tomorrow, I’ll make an appointment for the vet for Wednesday. If he is sicker in the morning I’ll have to phone in sick to work and take him in the morning!

A stained vent (butt) is a sign of illness---and you also noted changes in poop appearance. It is possible that he has some sort of infection. I would get him in..Just my opinion--I think I also love this bird and I have never even met him.
I am glad you are so attentive and I wish you luck---if you don't want to take him in, consider collecting a fresh poop sample while he is indoors and bringing that to the vet for a gram-stain and/or fecal float (2 sep things).
That doesn't even require the bird to be there...If he is having weird poop due to yeast or bacteria in his GI tract, that should pick it up.

 

[HannahandSunny]

Thank you noodles for your advice! Unless he’s on deaths door in the morning I will book an appointment for the next day as I need to go to work tomorrow to be able to pay for the vets as I also need to take one of my guinea pigs in soon once I can figure out who has the UTI!
Everything does point to an infection, and if he is any worse in the morning I wint wait another day. Honestly I feel awful not rushing him straight In! But I only work twice a week and it’s typical for something to happen on those 2 days!
But Sunny is my priority so I’ll do whatever it takes. Now I just need to find a good bird vet in the area! Which could be difficult as I find it hard enough for my Guinean pigs!
However I did take Sunny to the vet once in the first few weeks of me finding him as he had a sprained leg, they were pretty good! So I’ll go there again I think!

 

[noodles123]

Just remember that gram stains are cheaper than bringing the bird in in many cases---here, it costs me like 20 bucks.

 

[HannahandSunny]

Just remember that gram stains are cheaper than bringing the bird in in many cases---here, it costs me like 20 bucks.

Oh wow thank you! Good to know, I’ll see if that’s an option when I phone the vets!

 

[ParrotGenie]

He fluff up, so he maybe a little sick, or cold. I would get him check out as soon as you can. Maybe just a infection of some kind, or eat something bad. Good thing is he active and still eating, so may not be serious and hopefully he get over it,

 

[EllenD]

Oh he doesn't look well to me at all! The weather/cold temperature would not have anything at all to do with him becoming ill; just by looking at his droppings you can tell something is not right, and as Noodles already stated, one of the most definitive signs that a bird is sick, besides the loose/runny/watery droppings, is finding feces/urates around their vents or anywhere else on that area of their bodies. That's not good...Then combine that with his appetite not being what it usually is and you've got a sick little birdy.

If you smell any type of odd/weird smell coming from his breath/mouth/beak, especially if it's a kind of "sour" smell, then that would also correspond with the white frothy stuff he spit out of his mouth after taking a drink, as these are both signs/symptoms of a Fungal (Yeast) Infection in their Crops, and most-likely throughout the rest of their Gastrointestinal Tracts. Also, if you see any bubbles in his droppings, that's another sign of a GI Yeast infection...They often also have a GI Bacterial Infection at the same time...A Fecal Gram-Stain as Noodles mentioned is a must, and they can do that right on the spot in the office with their Microscope...Typically they will also send-out a Fecal Culture to whatever outside lab they use to have a Culture & Sensitivity done, where they put the Fecal Culture on an Agar-Plate and allow it a few days in an incubator to allow whatever Fungi and Bacteria present to completely grow-out, because some of them will not show-up on the Gram-Stain. So if the Gram-Stain is positive for Bacteria, Fungi/Yeast, or both, they will typically put the bird on an Anti-Fungal and/or a broad-spectrum Antibiotic, and then in 3-4 days the results of the Culture & Sensitivity will come back and will tell them specifically what strains of Fungi, Bacteria, etc. are actually present, and then they can change the type of Antibiotic or Antifungal meds they give him if they gave him the wrong ones initially (a Gram-Stain will show them if Bacteria and/or Fungi/Yeast are present and they can usually tell the general class of Bacteria, which will narrow-down the Antibiotics they give them a little bit, but they can't get very specific about what Bacterium is present (or certain types of Fungi other than Yeast) and that's why they send out the culture to the lab to be grown-out...

Birds don't get "Colds" like we do, unfortunately (that would be a lot easier to deal with, lol), nor would a "cold" cause loose/runny droppings or any other GI issues. So that's why you have to keep a close eye on him and make sure you get him to your Avian Vet for complete Fecal Testing ASAP. You know how birds are, they hide any and all signs/symptoms of illness for as long as they possibly can, usually weeks to months and months, so by the time we finally notice something is wrong, they've been sick with the infection(s) for quite a long time...That's why it's so important to get them to your Avian Vet as soon as possible...Good luck, and keep us posted on how he's doing and what the Vet says...I'm sure he'll be fine, but it needs to be addressed...

 

[Scott]

Agree with Ellen, he doesn't "look" right. Subjective for certain, but his beak is dirty (birds typically don't like that) and his eyes don't seem as bright. (could be lighting, but overall not the same vibrant Sunny)

If you are able to weigh him, that would give a solid bit of evidence of illness.

 

[ParrotGenie]

His droppings look like my Cooper when he was sick and had a Bacteria and yeast infection. Take him in he does look sick.

 

[Inger]

In case you’re counting votes, I’m with the “take him in” crowd. They do hide illness as well as they can. [emoji3590]


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[HannahandSunny]

Agree with Ellen, he doesn't "look" right. Subjective for certain, but his beak is dirty (birds typically don't like that) and his eyes don't seem as bright. (could be lighting, but overall not the same vibrant Sunny)

If you are able to weigh him, that would give a solid bit of evidence of illness.

You’re right he definitely doesn’t look his normal bright happy self, and he’s very tired. However Sunny does often have a dirty beak as he loves digging then coming to say hi to me straight away lol!
Oh yes I did weigh him, he is 456grams which is the same as 3 days ago. I hadn’t weighed him for a few months before that, his last weight in March was 440. So unfortunately can’t tell if he’s lost or gained.
Thank you so much Scott. I’ll get him to the vet ASAP !