Sick budgie with green poop & sleeping

[marvc98]

Hi I'm new to this forum and have been browsing for any cases similar to what my kev has.

My budgie Kevin is around a year old/owned for 5months and has been a character since the day I've got him however, 3 weeks ago his poo turned green,watery and a tiny hint of yellow and with this we immediately took him to our local vets who checked his breathing and sent off poo samples. All was fine so they said but the vet we had seemed next to useless and in my eyes only put Kevin under stress so haven't taken him back since instead boosting him with vitamins/baths/anti mites and giving him treats but no change.

Theres times in the day he's active coming out the cage, cuddling us and being kinda normal but then he doesn't chrip/talk and instead sleeps for most of the day coming alive at bed time. He seems to be in no pain and i've read that this could be a liver problem or could be he's bored but with the lockdown he's got everyone around to play with.

Any suggestion or help will be extremely grateful I just want him to be happy and back to how he was. Thank you.

[criswell]

I'm sorry that Kevin isn't feeling well.

My budgie Randolph Carter was ill in January with green droppings and lethargy and he was sleeping more and more during the day. The vet was able to feel that he had a swollen liver and he suspected a clamydia infection and prescribed 6 weeks of doxycyclin which worked very well and he was feeling much better within a week. We didn't actually get his droppings but decided to treat anyway as the vet though it was the most likely cause and the antibiotics did make him better.

The tests do sometimes give false results so it could be that there is something going on that wasn't detected. Did the vet give him any treatment?

I know it's not easy with the lock down but is there a different vet that you could see?

[clt80]

My vet has been asking people to ring reception when they are outside and then they come out and take your pet inside whilst you wait in the car. Don't know what others are doing, but the vets near me all seem to be operating if even a limited service.

Sounds to me you're right in that the vet wasn't much help. Are there any other avian vets around you that you could maybe call for advice?

[marvc98]

Thank you both for amazing replies especially with everything happening in the world!

I'm happy to hear that Randolph recovered quickly! It does sound like what Kevin has and hopefully can be sorted the same and will tell the vet about that being a possible solution. Sadly not they refused to prescribe him with anything until they sent off another poo sample and then after a visit but don't think I could stand the vet complaining about him biting while she's grabbing him.

Thank for saying that as I've just trued a avian vet further afield who are only doing emergencys but they made a exemption. Cut long story short said they won't see him as I'm a bit anxious about last time instead send another poo sample off (hopefully find something this time) and a chat with a vet about further information and maybe a diagnosis. Hopefully the vet can see the problem and prescribe him with something as I think anything will help at the minute.

Thanks again and keep you updated

[Hezz]

I do hope you are able to find a solution to getting Kev to a (decent) vet and getting him some treatment. Good on Kev for biting the silly cow. I would have too, just out of spite I reckon, if she carried on like that! Some vets really should never have become vets.

Is Kev good at eating his greens? Does he have a good variety in his diet? If he is a seed-only feeder and you wanted to try something at this stage, and a fatty liver is a very real possibility, get him some milk thistle extract (alcohol free). You can buy it online, most of us use a brand called Nature's Answer. Three (3) drops into 100mls of water is a good dose, not too heavy not too light, most liver-compromised budgies are happy to drink the water. It's a daily dose, by the way.

[tweetiepiesmom]

I recently thought my Tweetie Pie was sick. My avian vet told me that we could initially handle it via email and phone. I sent her pictures of Tweetie Pie's droppings and pictures of him and his cage. Turns out I was just being a nervous Nellie and there wasn't anything wrong with him. She did make some suggestions to improve the cage set up. Maybe your vet could do something initially with email and pictures? Good luck.

[marvc98]

Thanks again for the amazing replies! He has tons of veg especially broccoli and spinach but have laid off recently thinking it may help and going to try that found some online and already order thank you!!

Thanks for that advice I told the new vet who said it would help with the diagnosis and what advice did they give you about Tweetie Pie's cage?

The new vet thankfully prescribed him with some antibiotics as she said it's the first thing a vet should do. He takes twice a day so hopefully we'll see a change I'm just praying it's not too late! I've never really held him I've always let him get get on me with the power of treats or if he wants to but have you got any tips on how to calm him while giving him his medication?(it's through a syringe)

[Hezz]

Medicating a budgie can be stressful for the bird and the owner. Do you have someone to help you? Easier with two people if you've not had to do so before - one to hold the (impatient) patient and the other to do the administering. The best thing you can do is get everything ready beforehand, have Kev on hand in his cage, and take as little time as possible.

It would have been best if the vet could have shown you what to do, but whatever you do don't panic, stay calm or Kev will become very stressed. If you are doing it yourself, you may want to burrito him - wrap in a small cloth, even a large handkerchief will work, with his head popped out the end, hold his head firmly with one hand, syringe with the other. Sounds easy, doesn't it?? If he is good, he'll try to bite the syringe, makes giving him his dose easy. Don't tip him back too far as you could cause the meds to go into his lungs rather than his crop. Personally I don't like to wrap them up but to hold them myself so I'm sure about where all their body parts are. Held properly they can't bite, and being such a little bird, they are easy to hold. I also recommend that people get their birds used to being held for short periods so that giving meds doesn't become that whole traumatic experience.
Ross Perry makes it look easy but this might help you ...
www.google.com/search?rlz=1C2OPRA_enAU582AU582&source=hp&ei=6FCGXsf9EZ3vz7sP_YeLoAU&q=medicating+a+budgie&oq=medicating+a+budgie&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQAzoFCAAQgwE6AggAOgQIABAKOggIABAWEAoQHjoGCAAQFhAeOgUIIRCgAToICCEQFhAdEB5QiwlYr11gzWloAHAAeACAAdMCiAGwIZIBCDAuMTIuOC4xmAEAoAEBqgEHZ3dzLXdpeg&sclient=psy-ab&ved=0ahUKEwjHkbKA0MroAhWd93MBHf3DAlQQ4dUDCAg&uact=5#kpvalbx=_91CGXsjTFqTYz7sPu46FWA26

[tweetiepiesmom]

Since we've been having cooler nights here, Tweetie Pie's vet said to move his cage at night so that it is not in front of the window so he won't be getting a draft from the window. She also said to put a cotton towel over the cage covering I already us at night to help keep the warmth in. If those two things don't help improve things, a heat lamp might be needed. I didn't get the heat lamp because he hasn't has had watery green droppings since I've moved him away from the window at night and added a towel to cover him.

[marvc98]

Thanks for the link been trying to copy what they do but Kevin being Kevin decides he doesn't like the medicine so he refuses to open his mouth 🙄😂 he eventually does but just makes it 10 times worse. Yeah I've got a few hands around the house to help but just feel awful doing it due to the noises he makes.

Yeah at night we bring him away but hoping every little bit helps him.

His poo is still the same and he's still eating and sleeping through the day but it's only day 3 of the medicine so hopefully soon it kicks in as he's only meant to be on it for another 5 days

[Hezz]

Don't let his noise put you off - that's what he is trying to achieve. They can sound as though you are murdering them. Ignore his screeches, stay calm, don't put any pressure across his chest. If he won't open his beak, I've found getting the tip of his top beak in the opening of the syringe and gently pulling his top beak up can be helpful. Once you got the med into him, don't immediately let him go. Instead hold him for a little longer, talk to him softly and when you are ready put him down somewhere - in his cage, on a perch, playgym etc. This does two things, it lets him know that the "attempted murder" part is over, and it also gives you a chance to make sure that he doesn't spit the meds out!

[criswell]

I'm really pleased Kevin has antibiotics now. I know how you feel about giving them too him. We had a real struggle catching Randolph Carter and he tried all sorts of things to avoid his medicine including screeching at us and refusing to open his mouth, and spitting it out too. He started to feel better after a few days but it was a week or so before he stopped sleeping so much.

[marvc98]

Yeah he definitely made it seem that way!

Sadly he passed away yesterday morning which has honestly broke all our hearts in the house as he was such a character. He was fine in the morning and taking his medicine but 30mins after having it he just sat on the floor and drifted off to heaven. He didn't seem to be in any pain which is how I wanted him to go just I'm so distraught from it all as we gave him everything and did our best. Think I can honestly say he was the most spoilt boy out there and never went without so I just hope he had a fun little life.

Thanks again for all your help it really has got me through this traumatic time and I wish the best for your budgies

Thank you.

[clt80]

Oh I am so sorry. You did your best, that's all any of us can do. Sounds like he had a great life with lots of love. Fly high little one x

[tweetiepiesmom]

So sorry Kevin didn't make it. He sounds like a delightful pet for you and your family.