RainbowRose
Member
- Aug 6, 2014
- 318
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SICK Kakariki sleeping all day on bottom of cage, is lethargic and completely silent.
I have a red fronted male Kakariki.
His name is Tiki. He is approximately a year old. Typically he is extremely hyper which is typical of Kakarikis. They have a lot of energy. Tiki is normally very sweet, lively, curious, and vocal (he loves to say āhelloā over and over again.) His absolute favorite thing is his bird bath. When changing the water, he tries to jump in it before I can even get it back in his cage! This is also typical of Kakarikis; they love baths. Tiki would take baths everyday. He loved playing with his toys. He loved climbing all over the place and he was always curious about whatever I was doing and would come fly to me and climb all over me to see what I was doing. A very hyper, sweet and interactive bird.
However, over the past few weeks, things have gradually changed for the worst. I noticed he started to become aggressive. I figured that since this is the age of sexual maturing, he may just be hormonal. But then he became silent. The only noises he would make is a little growl noise when I approached the cage or if I put my hand in the cage to pick him up. Then he would bite. I still pick him up even though he bites, because once he realizes itās me and Iām not harming him, heās fine. Heās just very defensive and cautious about everything so heās cranky.
This leads me to believe he is defensive and fearful because he is ill. I realized this after his other symptoms appeared. He suddenly lost interest in all of his toys, even his bird bath. He hasnāt taken a bath in weeks. Even if I spray him with a water mist he just sits there and doesnāt soak it all in and enjoy it like he normally does. Then he began sleeping on the bottom of his cage all fluffed up. Now he is sleeping all the time, falling asleep in his food dish or at the foot of his bird bath. He just starts falling asleep, on both feet, wherever, whenever, all day long. Sometimes he even stumbles and has fallen off a perch the few times he's climbed up onto one. He has become extremely lethargic. He also is sneezing more frequently than the occasional sneeze. Iāve noticed it more, even though there is no nasal discharge.
I will list his symptoms to make it easier:
1. Major decrease in vocalization.
2. Lethargic.
3. Sleeping very frequently.
4. Sleeping on bottom of cage all fluffed up on both feet.
He will fall asleep in his food bowl or at his water bath.
5. Loss of interest in all toys and activities he normally plays
with on a daily basis.
6. Appears to be sneezing more frequently than usual.
Instead of once in awhile itās at least once everyday.
7. Suddenly aggressive, defensive and biting.
Now, HE IS EATING AND DRINKING. He is NOT throwing up from what I have seen. His droppings appear normal. He is just lethargic, sleeping a lot on the bottom of the cage, fluffed up and quiet.
I took him to the vet yesterday (8/5/2014) and even on the examination table he just sat there with his wings drooping and dozing off. The vet said she didnāt like how he looked and didnāt know if he is going to live. Testing and examinations alone can stress out an already sick bird to the point of no return. However, she did a wellness exam.
First off, he was sitting on the examination table half asleep with wings drooping, slightly puffed up. I would have expected him to be running around all curious and lively at a new surrounding. It's like he's given up...
When she opened his mouth she said he looks anemic because his mouth was pale pink as opposed to being a bright vivid pink. When he got his blood drawn for the CBC testing, she said he bled a lot because his blood was very watery (also common with anemia). If this is in fact anemia, it would explain him being lethargic and low energy. She also showed me that his bones are visible under his belly. He has lost some weight even though he is eating and drinking.
So he got his blood drawn for a CBC and chemistry test. He got an injection of iron, and he got an injection of an antibiotic. Additionally, we were sent home with an oral antibiotic (Baytril) to be administered twice a day using a syringe. The baytril is used to treat bacterial infections, but we donāt know for sure if it is a bacterial infection until we get the blood test results back. I will be notified of the test results tomorrow (8/7/2014).
Is anemia common in birds, and are they typically caused by bacterial infections? Iām praying that is what it is because then he is already on the antibiotic and on the road to recovery. But it might not be bacterial, and that is what I will find out tomorrow.
I would like any input and/or advice on my poor bird. She said his chance of living is about 60%. Has anyone ever had a bird that they were told might die and made a remarkable recovery? Has anyone ever had a bird have anemia? Has anyone ever had a bird show these symptoms?
Iāve never been this attached to a bird before. I love him so much and Iām terrified heās going to die. Iāve been keeping a heating pad under the cage to keep him warm and I have a fleece blanket covering the cage. He has a mostly pellet diet among a seed mix, with the occasional fresh fruits and vegetables. Iām doing everything I can for him but I am really, really scared.
Again, any input or advice is extremely appreciated. I'm really scared and worried.
I have a red fronted male Kakariki.
His name is Tiki. He is approximately a year old. Typically he is extremely hyper which is typical of Kakarikis. They have a lot of energy. Tiki is normally very sweet, lively, curious, and vocal (he loves to say āhelloā over and over again.) His absolute favorite thing is his bird bath. When changing the water, he tries to jump in it before I can even get it back in his cage! This is also typical of Kakarikis; they love baths. Tiki would take baths everyday. He loved playing with his toys. He loved climbing all over the place and he was always curious about whatever I was doing and would come fly to me and climb all over me to see what I was doing. A very hyper, sweet and interactive bird. However, over the past few weeks, things have gradually changed for the worst. I noticed he started to become aggressive. I figured that since this is the age of sexual maturing, he may just be hormonal. But then he became silent. The only noises he would make is a little growl noise when I approached the cage or if I put my hand in the cage to pick him up. Then he would bite. I still pick him up even though he bites, because once he realizes itās me and Iām not harming him, heās fine. Heās just very defensive and cautious about everything so heās cranky.
This leads me to believe he is defensive and fearful because he is ill. I realized this after his other symptoms appeared. He suddenly lost interest in all of his toys, even his bird bath. He hasnāt taken a bath in weeks. Even if I spray him with a water mist he just sits there and doesnāt soak it all in and enjoy it like he normally does. Then he began sleeping on the bottom of his cage all fluffed up. Now he is sleeping all the time, falling asleep in his food dish or at the foot of his bird bath. He just starts falling asleep, on both feet, wherever, whenever, all day long. Sometimes he even stumbles and has fallen off a perch the few times he's climbed up onto one. He has become extremely lethargic. He also is sneezing more frequently than the occasional sneeze. Iāve noticed it more, even though there is no nasal discharge.
I will list his symptoms to make it easier:
1. Major decrease in vocalization.
2. Lethargic.
3. Sleeping very frequently.
4. Sleeping on bottom of cage all fluffed up on both feet.
He will fall asleep in his food bowl or at his water bath.
5. Loss of interest in all toys and activities he normally plays
with on a daily basis.
6. Appears to be sneezing more frequently than usual.
Instead of once in awhile itās at least once everyday.
7. Suddenly aggressive, defensive and biting.
Now, HE IS EATING AND DRINKING. He is NOT throwing up from what I have seen. His droppings appear normal. He is just lethargic, sleeping a lot on the bottom of the cage, fluffed up and quiet.
I took him to the vet yesterday (8/5/2014) and even on the examination table he just sat there with his wings drooping and dozing off. The vet said she didnāt like how he looked and didnāt know if he is going to live. Testing and examinations alone can stress out an already sick bird to the point of no return. However, she did a wellness exam.
First off, he was sitting on the examination table half asleep with wings drooping, slightly puffed up. I would have expected him to be running around all curious and lively at a new surrounding. It's like he's given up...
When she opened his mouth she said he looks anemic because his mouth was pale pink as opposed to being a bright vivid pink. When he got his blood drawn for the CBC testing, she said he bled a lot because his blood was very watery (also common with anemia). If this is in fact anemia, it would explain him being lethargic and low energy. She also showed me that his bones are visible under his belly. He has lost some weight even though he is eating and drinking.So he got his blood drawn for a CBC and chemistry test. He got an injection of iron, and he got an injection of an antibiotic. Additionally, we were sent home with an oral antibiotic (Baytril) to be administered twice a day using a syringe. The baytril is used to treat bacterial infections, but we donāt know for sure if it is a bacterial infection until we get the blood test results back. I will be notified of the test results tomorrow (8/7/2014).
Is anemia common in birds, and are they typically caused by bacterial infections? Iām praying that is what it is because then he is already on the antibiotic and on the road to recovery. But it might not be bacterial, and that is what I will find out tomorrow.
I would like any input and/or advice on my poor bird. She said his chance of living is about 60%. Has anyone ever had a bird that they were told might die and made a remarkable recovery? Has anyone ever had a bird have anemia? Has anyone ever had a bird show these symptoms?
Iāve never been this attached to a bird before. I love him so much and Iām terrified heās going to die. Iāve been keeping a heating pad under the cage to keep him warm and I have a fleece blanket covering the cage. He has a mostly pellet diet among a seed mix, with the occasional fresh fruits and vegetables. Iām doing everything I can for him but I am really, really scared.
Again, any input or advice is extremely appreciated. I'm really scared and worried.
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