This blog is regarding how to save your sick bird from dying. I know feel how does it feel when your cockatiel is sick and all you be trying is how to save your bird. I lost one of my dear cockatiels.
When I was searching through Google at that time I didn't find many recourses. So today after 3 days of my cockatiel death, I decided to help each one of them going through this situation. And I hope your bird will recover soon.
So the first thing when you see your bird sick is to visit a veterinary doctor soon as possible. In my case, I didn't have any veterinary doctor near me, But no worries still you can save your sick bird. But if you have access to a veterinary doctor surely you should visit.
Apart from that online veterinary doctors can also help with cockatiel bird treatment. They will suggest some medicine that may help your cockatiel recover.
Emergency Treatment for Sick Birds at Home
Step-1: Separating your sick bird from healthy birds
Isolate your sick bird from a healthy bird and keep it in a separate small cage until its recovery. As your ill bird can spread its disease and make your healthy bird sick. The time duration of isolation should be 30-60 days. It will also be easy for us to monitor their behavior and it will be also easy for the bird to have food when it is closer to them.
Step-2: Providing warmth to your sick bird
As your bird will be sick its body temperature may decrease. So you must give your bird warmth. Giving warmth to your bird will stimulate your bird's appetite, improve digestion, and help to fight against the disease.
A temperature of 22-23 degrees would be sufficient. A chill bird will fluff its feather and will hide inside its feather, also it is sleeping always. And a warm bird will raise its feather and will be active.
- Keeping your sick bird inside the room
- Providing a hospital cage for the bird. Check out
- Providing a heat lamp. Check out. Make sure you prove a heat lamp during the daytime only at night to let your bird rest. Instead, cover your birdcage with a cloth.
- Don't overheat your bird keep some distance between your bird and the lamp.
- Keep your room fans off until your bird is recovered.
Step-3: Preventing dehydration in birds
The above table explains about signs of hydration, moderate hydration, and dehydration. If your bird comes under the categories of hydration and moderately hydrated provide fresh water and if your bird comes under dehydration you need to provide your bird with electrolytes. You can provide electrolytes to the other two categories too.
PREPARATION OF ELECTROLYTES:
1. For one cup of mildly warm water add one pinch of salt and sugar. Provide water with a dropper if your bird is too weak. Check out for dropper. Provide 10-15 drops at regular intervals. Make sure you don't overdo it.
2. The commercial avian electrolyte can also be provided to birds like Pedialyte or growl electrolytes. In emergency cases, the human electrolyte can also be used. By providing a pinch of powder in a small amount of mildly warm water and provide it with the syringe. Make sure you provide water from the left side of the cockatiel beak. If your bird does not drink water you have to forcefully provide liquid to save your bird.
Step-4: Providing liquid food
A healthy bird can survive 72hr without food whereas a sick bird's survival time will be less. So you must feed your sick bird for recovery. There can be a chance that your bird will not eat, that time you have to feed your bird with the syringe.
And if your bird is eating its own keep a small bowl of millets and mineral water. A sick bird's food should be easy to digest and easy to sallow. Providing medicinal herbs like basil leaf, and ginger will also help your sick bird to recover. Boiled rice is one of the sick food which you can provide.
PREPARATION OF LIQUID FOOD RECIPE:
I] Rice liquid food
Take 1/2 cup of rice wash and wash it. After that boil it in water until it is cooked. 15-20min will be enough for rice to cook. Drain off the water from the cooked rice. Let the rice cool a bit and grind it in the mixer. Make it semi-liquid-like constancy. And feed it to your bird about 25g every 4 hr. Feed your bird drop by drop gently. Don't push it forcefully.
II] Gram flour liquid food
The first thing we need is gram flour(besan). Take a small amount of flour and cook it in a dry pan for 4-5min. Let it cool after that add warm water until it gets paste-like consistency. And you are ready to serve it to your bird. Use a feeder for feeding liquid food
Step-5: Medication
Below given medicine are suggested by the avian doctor. But I would still recommend visiting an avian doctor. Both medicines should be continued for 5 days.
- Meriquin syrup or Enroflaxin syrup: 2 drops diluted in 2ml water orally 3 times daily
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Broton syrup or Liv52: 2 drops diluted in 2ml water orally twice daily. Check out
Step-6: Rest
Allow your bird to rest, your bird needs to recover. Make sure you keep your sick bird in a silent place away from all distractions. Apart from keeping your bird in a dark room while resting. Resting is the most important thing for your bird to heal.
Symptoms of a Sick bird
- Sitting in one place
- Less food intake
- Become weak
- Sleeping too much
- Puffed
- Breathing with mouth
- Running nose
- Change in dropping
- Dull eyes
- Ignoring sounds
- Weight loss
Preventing Your Bird From Getting Sick
- Cleaning cage regularly.
- Providing fresh water daily.
- Providing a balanced diet.
- Don't provide old seeds.
- Toys for balance and for good feet.
- Removing rusted metal from the cage.
- Providing supplements for immunity and calcium.
- Covering cage during winters and monsoons.
- Locating cage in a silent area.
Signs of Disease
• Black dropping: Haemorrhage in the area of the stomach and small intestine
• Difficulty in breathing, eye infection: Parrot fever
• Abnormal feather, Abnormal beak: PBFD
• Vomiting, appetite loss: Candida
• Crooked beak/Crooked leg: Long-term illness
Conclusion
In conclusion, for any bird owner, caring for a sick cockatiel may be a difficult and exhausting experience. However, with the proper knowledge and treatment, you can nurse your bird back to health.
As quickly as possible, get medical attention from a veterinarian or an online veterinary practitioner, and take emergency measures such as removing your sick bird from healthy birds, giving warmth, preventing dehydration, and offering liquid food and medication.
🔹 FAQ
1. Can a Sick bird get better?
Yes. Warmth, Hydration, and proper medication can help your sick bird to revive.
2. Should I bury my dead bird?
Yes. I believe whatever is taken should be back to earth. The body of the bird will turn into the soil which will be fertilizer for plants to grow.
3. What is a natural antibiotic for birds?
Sage, basil leaf, thyme, and ginger, are some of the antibiotics for birds.
