Need help, my conure has a cold?

[baron1282]

He also told me a reptilian basking bulb of 50 watts would be fine, but not a reptile UVB bulb. I still need an avian bulb for the UVB lighting. I think being I will never keep him in the basement again, I should not need a heat lamp. So I am going to stick with the avian UVB bulb I still have.

 

[Birdman666]

birds get sick from germs, not temperatures. I live in wi and it's often below 70 in my house. My birds are fine. That's not why your bird got sick.

As a mom of both birds and a kid, i am pretty sure a bird sharing an infants room is just a really bad idea.

thank you!!!

 

[Birdman666]

As I said earlier, it's excessive heat, rather than excessive cold that can kill a bird. They may live in the tropics, but they live high up in the shade of the jungle canopy where it is cooler.

A respiratory infection is caused by germs. More progress can be made by steam cleaning the cage, than by adding a light bulb.

http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pe...nimal-health/respiratory-disease-in-birds/802

 

[baron1282]

So, what do you suggest?

Not listen to my vet, and just turn off the heat treatment? Even thou every website I read has said that a sick bird benefits from heat when needing to heal from a sickness. Unless the bird has a fever the heat needs to be in the 80is or even 90is!

I can agree that the issue was not caused by the room being cold, so the question is what caused it? I clean my cage regularly, and I clean the rope perches and toys in soap and water. I clean my cage twice a week or as needed if a lot of poop is on the paper.

I feed my bird fresh fruits, such as apples and black berries. I also feed him Zupreem pellets. The fruit blend as well as the veggie blend. He mostly goes just for the fruit blend. I also give him one Nutriberry very day. I also feed Romaine Lettuce and tomatoes. He eats a very balanced diet.

The only thing I can really think of, is his stress level. I know it's been hard on him because of the New Born and how much time he has lost with us. I also know my new Kitten (Which I DID NOT WANT, it was dumped on us), has not been helping matters. I try to keep both separate as much as possible, but he keeps sitting by the cage. So The solution to that was to move my bird, and I now am going to be able to move him to a better part of the house once he has recovered. One where no cats will be present!

I am saving for a better cage for my bird. One without the bars so I can make sure no poop is left over if I miss one bar. It's a toss up between these two!

Hybrid Bird Cages : 24"H x 48"L x 24"D H2 budgie cage, Sun conure cages, parrotlet cage

or

Hybrid Bird Cages : 36"H x 36"L x 24"D H2 finch aviary, conure cage, parrotlet cages

The first one has more length while the other one is taller. I am leaning towards more of the first one, because my bird does not use the bottom of the cage that much anyway. I would rather give him more space to run, than a taller area. I don't know! I am also thinking of this one and get the best of BOTH worlds!

Hybrid Bird Cages : 48"H x 48"L x 24"D H3 canary cage, lovebird cage, budgie cages

Just way more expensive.

 

[baron1282]

I also have a UVB Avian lamp!

 

[Birdman666]

I'm not suggesting anything of the sort. And I am not implying that you don't clean. I'm just saying don't necessarily blame it on the cold... that's an unlikely cause and effect. He came in contact with a bug somehow.

Respiratory infections happen occasionally.

 

[Phlox]

Why do you get a cold? We all know it's not from wet hair, but from germs. He got a bug, probably from wherever you got him from, and the stress made it flare up.

Baby birds do need warmth, and super sick birds can benefit from stable temperatures while healing, but that isn't why he got sick. It's not a bad idea to keep him a little warmer while he's getting better, but make sure he has plenty of water and doesn't get too warm. Make sure he gets all his antibiotics too.

 

[RavensGryf]

Why do you get a cold? We all know it's not from wet hair, but from germs. He got a bug, probably from wherever you got him from, and the stress made it flare up.

Baby birds do need warmth, and super sick birds can benefit from stable temperatures while healing, but that isn't why he got sick. It's not a bad idea to keep him a little warmer while he's getting better, but make sure he has plenty of water and doesn't get too warm. Make sure he gets all his antibiotics too.

We don't get a cold from wet hair?! Really? Lol that gave me a giggle.
Not to be too off the subject, but THIS is why it irks me when some people out there assume that just because they bought (or rescued) a "healthy" bird, that they'll NEVER need to see a vet or pay big vet bills :49: (I'm not talking about the OP here ; )

 

[goalerjones]

In a basement environment mold might be the culprit.

 

[baron1282]

I didn't adopt my bird, I bought him 2 years ago after some research.

I know vet bills come with the game, all my animals go to the vet. In fact, I am in debt because of my cats. At least my Conure only cost me 65 dollars. My cats together cost me close to 3 grand. One is allergic to EVERYTHING, and the other got stopped up.

I have no doubt the basement is causing a lot of my issues, but I can't put my finger on it. I tested for mold and it came up negative, I tested the air quality and it was fine. The ONLY thing I can really think of is no direct Sun Light. For ALL of my animals. I try to get them outside, but they are too scared to even step foot outside.

I got my bird a UVB Avian light because of the lack of sun. So the only other thing is stress. Stress can be a BIG part of all my animals problems. I really do think being in the basement and the new baby has put stress on all of my animals and it's showing now. :-(

To Top of my WONDERFUL day, my Singapore Angel Fish (Salt Water) just died. Out of NO where. :-( All of my other fish are fine and swimming happy and healthy, and he was fine not 3 hours ago! Out of no where, I saw him on the sand bed fighting for his life. I moved him to a hospital tank, but he died shortly after. :-( Of course my water test perfect too. So I don't know what happened. :-(

As far as Patrick goes. He is doing fine, still sick looking. He still has his balance and is able to get around his cage quickly. Now he knows when I am giving him his medication and he starts running from me. It's not like I enjoy forcing it down his throat. At lest he is drinking and eating, so that's good.

I work at a pet store and I believe 85% of people shouldn't own pets, and nearly 99% of people should not have aquariums. It always irks me when people come in and want a dollar fish to clean algae and they don't care that it will get 24in. They don't care it will die in their 10 gallon, and they will just come back and get another one. people don't respect life at all, they think it just does a job and dies. When they can live for much longer than 1 year. I try so hard to get people to buy the proper items for their animals and they don't care. I also try to sale them the proper fish that will clean algae in their 10 gallon and never outgrow the tank, but because it's a dollar more they don't want it! 2 DOLLARS AND they can't swing it! IRKS ME!!!

 

[baron1282]

At least I can deny the sale of big ticket pets if I feel the owner will not be ready for that kind of commitment.

I did have one crazy lady that asked to see the Egg of the conure we are selling. She says all conures are taken out of the wild and shouldn't be sold at all, and blah blah blah. lets not talk about the cocktail she already has. LOL, some people! I do know that our bird comes from a breeder. I work for a big chain pet store and I happy that I get to interact with this conure and make sure it goes to a good home. That is if I am the one to sale it. :-/

 

[Ducatimom]

Sounds like you've had a tough go of it. Hope Pat recovers fast and soon. I'm sorry to hear about your fish.

 

[baron1282]

Guys

He just does not look like he is getting any better at all. The Medication does not seem to help. He fights it so much that after he looks 100% worse than what he looked before I gave it too him.

He is off balance and when he does try to fly away from me he is landing badly and walking on the ground like he is dieing. This is all in his cage no less. :-(

I washed everything again, including his happy hut (Which I did not even think about until now). I am giving his medication and we are going back to the vet on Tuesday. I am just getting really worried because of how off balance he is and how he looks after he fights me. He fell of my shoulder and unto the floor. He just laid there with his wings spread out and his head resting on the floor. Eyes closed! I picked him up and he tries to get on my shoulder again, I don't let him! I just hold him onto my neck which he seems to like being at. He also seems to have a little dried up blood on his left wing, upper part. I figure it's just in an area that he hit when he fell. I am trying to find something to cut off the bottom of the cage. I don't have any smaller of a cage. I am just worried.

Is it one of them "it gets worse, before it gets better" things? I really hope so, because if he dies it will break my families hearts. I don't think I could own a parrot again. :-(

 

[baron1282]

I was able to put a towel in the cage to cut off more of the cage. So if he drops, he will only fall a few inches. My bird is just so lethargic and has no balance. I took him out of his happy hut for a few seconds and he stumbled over to the food, and barely made it back to the hut.

I wish I could go sooner than Tuesday but I can't. :-( I am just going to keep giving the medication and hope things turn better soon. He was more alert today saying his normal voice, than right after medication he turned into a stumbling poor looking guy. I thought he was getting better as he was saying his normal "pretty bird", something he has not done in a since last week! I am just worried. :-(

 

[baron1282]

Ok, maybe I am overreacting, but I have never seen my bird walk or feel this way. So it's jarring to say the least.

I was able to to hold him for a good 30 minutes and just let him stay on me. I pet him a little, and he didn't want to let go of me to go back into his happy hut. He seemed a little more balanced which tells me he is only that way when he over exerts himself trying to get away from me when I give him his medication.

I am just praying he gets better. I never thought a little bird can mean so much to me, but he is just so apart of the family right now, and I want my daughter growing up with him. I know it's been stressful with the new baby and us not being there as much for him, but I didn't know how hard it's really been on him. I had him out of his cage every single day still, but not as much I use to before my daughter was born. :-(

 

[goalerjones]

Is his happy hut clean? Fabric items can trap mold and spores.

 

[baron1282]

I cleaned everything! Including the happy hut!

Please pray for my bird! I took him to the vet today and we put him on a stronger antibiotic! We go back on Friday for x-rays of his lungs to check for scaring. If he does not get better by Friday and there is scaring the vet said there would be no point in continuing treatment and we would need to move it to a end case. In other words put him down! :-( so please pray that will not be the case!! I am so worried and scared for him!

 

[RavensGryf]

I hope that this antibiotic works well. Wishing for the best outcome for you and your birdie.

 

[baron1282]

Just an update.

The x-rays came back without any scaring according to the vet. His air sacks and lungs are just really congested. So we are continuing the treatment. I am keeping the room at 85 degrees and he is still eating and drinking.

The only issue is, he is still really and I mean REALLY off blance. The poor guy can walk to get to his food and water, but he stumbles and sometimes flips over to get there. :-/. I am making sure he does eat and drink every time I am in the room. Mostly he is just in the corner of the cage sleeping. I know he eats and drinks without me there as I see food in the water which leads to me thinking he is still soaking his food. Which is good!

I added a humidifier in the room. Didn't think about that until last night! Being it's so hot in that room, plus his congestion. Not to mention the RAD heater makes everything so dry.

I feed him 100% pure pumpkin, he does not eat a lot but enough. He mostly I eatting the fruit pellets. I also give him low calorie grape gateraid. I am going out today to get 100% pure juice. I didn't know the Gateraid had salt, I thought being its good for us to help us not get dehydrated, it had to be good for him! Right?

Besides cleaning and changing out the towel that I am using to cut the cage in half everyday. Plus the stuff listed above, what else can I do? I heared it can take 5 to 6 weeks for this to heal up! Does it get worse before it gets better? I am just worried about my little guy! He goes back to the vet on the 22nd.

 

[Allee]

Thanks for the update, so glad to hear there was no scarring. Hope he gets his balance back soon and starts feeling much better. Sorry he's had such a tough time.