Opinion - tail bobbing?

[Inger]

Does this look like tail bobbing? I’m going to call for a vet appointment regardless, I just want opinions.

[ame="https://youtu.be/mrPm_vOP_Os"]Tail bobbing? - YouTube[/ame]


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[Sunnyclover]

So I personally don't see any type of tail bobbing...no idea what you're talking about here. Also that movement is not what I think of when I think of tail bobbing. I'd say the tail is was more pointed downward and the bird would be less steady if that makes sense. is she acting normal otherwise? If so then I'd say you've got a case of "home and looking at my bird too muches" lol.

 

[SailBoat]

Tail Pumping is commonly tied to heavy breathing (extensive movement of the chest muscles) to move air in and out of the air-sacks. The Tail Pumping is an extension of the extensive working of the chest muscles. Sometimes a clicking sound can be heard in combination with the Tail Pumping and heavy breathing.

Sadly, I am not able to see either the Tail Pumping and Heavy Breathing. Does not mean that it is not there, only that I am not able to see it in the video.

You choice to see the Avian Vet is the correct choice!

 

[Inger]

Thanks. And Boats-don’t be sorry if you don’t see it. Hopefully, given your far greater experience, it means I’m imagining things. I don’t hear any clicking.

The vet appointment is at 2:45. Both of the CAVs are out until Friday so I decided to let the clinic’s “exotic specialist” see her today-better than nothing for the moment. If I’m not comfortable with the results I’ll take her back.

She just seems like she naps a lot and you know it’s my job to worry, so I was watching her sleep and her tail moves but hopefully that’s just normal movement. I will keep you all posted.


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[Inger]

So I personally don't see any type of tail bobbing...no idea what you're talking about here. Also that movement is not what I think of when I think of tail bobbing. I'd say the tail is was more pointed downward and the bird would be less steady if that makes sense. is she acting normal otherwise? If so then I'd say you've got a case of "home and looking at my bird too muches" lol.

Haha I hope that’s it. She seems like she naps a lot but like short little naps. She is perching fine, eating fine (crunching pellets as I write this), flying fine, pooping fine, active and sassy when she’s awake.


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[MonicaMc]

I don't see it either... but I have seen even healthy birds tail bob. Mainly birds that were out of breath.


Hopefully it's nothing! You know your bird best, and it is better to be safe than sorry!

 

[itzjbean]

I see tail bobbing once and then nothing. But its' very slight and could be nothing. My tiel will do this when he poops, but that's it.

 

[Inger]

Ok the vet said she could see a little heavy breathing and fluffiness in the video but not anything that would cause her concern if it was her bird. She then did a full physical, says she looks and sounds “devastatingly normal,” breathing is good, heart sounds good, etc. She asked if I would like to have them do a CBC to rule out anything systemic and I said yes please.

I did full disclosure and told her I’d been home a lot more than usual and maybe I’m just looking at her too much. She laughed and said when she was home on vacation she almost brought ALL of her animals in for blood work because they all napped a lot. She also mentioned that since I’m home more, there’s more interaction and out of cage time, and that might be tiring her out a little.

So I’m waiting for them to bring her back now and then we’ll be heading home.

I’ll let you know when I get the results of the CBC (probably tomorrow based on past visits) and in the meantime, thanks for looking at the video and always for all the support.


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[Sunnyclover]

Looks like my diagnosis was right! Lol.

 

[Laurasea]

Ok inger will be waiting with you! I thought she looked fluffed in video too. I hope it is nothing fingers crossed. Glad vet thinks she is healthy! Always better safe than sorry for sure.

 

[noodles123]

Here are better exaples of tail-bobbing-- (do keep an eye on yours, but it isn't classic)


[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcnkdPOysyU"]Budgie tail bobbing - YouTube[/ame]
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSbjVTI4Bvw"]Tail bobbing - YouTube[/ame]


THIS LAST ONE IS NOT AS GOOD...
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDBTgpcpdVc"]Budgie sick, tail bobbing - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Inger]

Here are better exaples of tail-bobbing-- (do keep an eye on yours, but it isn't classic)


Budgie tail bobbing - YouTube
Tail bobbing - YouTube


THIS LAST ONE IS NOT AS GOOD...
Budgie sick, tail bobbing - YouTube

Thanks Noodles. I had looked at a couple of YouTube vids, but budgies have so much more tail that it was hard to translate that to short tailed parrotlet.


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[Laurasea]

So all is good news from vet?

 

[Inger]

So all is good news from vet?

Yes, unless something shows up in the blood work. [emoji3526]


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[EllenD]

I don't see any "tail-bobbing" that would indicate illness at all, however the first thing I thought when I looked at him was honestly "He's fluffed-up quite a bit". That's the only sign of illness that I see, well, that and he's not moving and looks to be sleepy/lethargic, but obviously I don't know your bird's normal, daily behavior, nor do I know what time of day this is, etc. Only you can gauge whether or not he is lethargic or sleeping more than normal...but his being fluffed-up is the only sign/symptom that I can see, albeit in a very superficial setting without any context of time of day, what activity he had just been doing prior, the temperature of the room, etc.

***This is just my opinion, but over time I've come to believe that "tail-bobbing" should not be used as a sign/symptom of illness, as even Avian Vets cannot really define/describe "tail-bobbing" or differentiate a sick "tail-bob" from a normal "tail-bob"...If you look at your birds at any given time, chances are that you're going to see their tails "bobbing" to some degree. It can be due to simply their breathing and the muscles causing their tails to bob, or it might not actually be a "bob" but rather just a normal tail movement that birds do regularly....In other words, unless there are other signs/symptoms of illness that are apparent in-combination with a "tail-bob", in my opinion tail-bobbing is nothing but a red-herring that gets bird owners all upset and worried to death about their birds...Now I can look at this bird and say "Well, he may or may not be tail-bobbing, it's extremely slight if he is, but he is quite fluffed-up, so the two combined may give me reason to take him to the CAV to make sure he's not sick"...But if your bird wasn't at all fluffed-up in this video and your only concern was his extremely slight tail-bob, I would say that I think he's totally fine. So I don't personally use only a tail-bob by itself as an indication of illness...

Either way, you already got him to your CAV, and you've got bloods coming back, so you're on top of it...Keep us posted on how he's doing...

 

[LordTriggs]

I'm kind of with you Ellen on tail bobbing. Only time I would take note of it is if there are other signs too. For example if I were to see a tail pumping away on a parrot who's been sleepy all day then I'd say it's a sign. But say if a parrot was being normal and running around playing the day away and I saw the tail going I would assume they're tuckered out from play.

Bumble is looking okay to me in that video, just a tiny blue puffball having a chill out

 

[Inger]

Thanks for your input and reassurance, Ellen. She always fluffs up when she sleeps, so that was less concern to me (except it seems like she sleeps a lot). I will make sure to update everyone when the vet calls-hopefully later today.


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[EllenD]

I hope everything goes well/went well...

And the "fluffed-up" thing is often just a trait that some birds do all the time, and is not an indication of illness, same as the tail-bobbing...Only you know what is "normal" for your bird...I hope worst-case scenario is an infection that can be easily and quickly treated with meds and that will be it!

 

[Sunnyclover]

My Finley is ALWAYS puffy and his tail is ALWAYS pointed downward. So yeah...

 

[Jottlebot]

I was with you Inger. I thought she looked fluffed up, like she was breathing heavily and that her tail was bobbing. However, I think if you'd told me she was playing a violin and that was a bad symptom in a bird I'd probably have seen one! I may be a little over the top when it comes to panicking about bird health, but I think that's the best way to be...right!?

Glad everything's all good with her