Home setup for sick birds

CAGE SET UP

• It is important for your bird to get plenty of sleep, so they need to be in a warm, dark and quiet cage. They should be kept away from the air conditioning and should have 3 sides and the top of the cage covered by a sheet or towel. The cage should be placed in an area away from the TV, stereo and windows.
• It is important that your bird not play or climb around the cage. All perches should be removed from the cage so they can sit on the bottom and save their energy. If you notice that your bird is climbing on the sides of the cage, you will need to move them to a different cage without wire (such as a glass aquarium). The floor of the cage should be a flat/solid surface – no wire or grate. You can cover the floor of the cage with newspapers and soft paper towels for your bird to sit on. Do not take your bird out of the cage unless you’re are giving medications or cleaning the cage. Do not allow them to fly.
• It is important that your bird eat frequently. Offer your bird all of their favorite foods. You can try hand-feeding to encourage them to eat. Make sure that the food is placed in many areas on the floor of the cage so that they don’t have to move far to eat.
• It is important that your bird drink frequently to prevent dehydration. You can place several water bowls on the floor of the cage so that they don’t have to move far to drink. Make sure the water is changed as soon as it becomes dirty.

MEDICATIONS

• It is important to give all the medications as instructed by your veterinarian.
• Do not stop the medications without asking the veterinarian, EVEN IF the bird starts to feel better.

MONITORING

• Watch your bird’s respiratory (breathing) rate and effort. When a bird is healthy it should be very difficult to see them breathe. Birds that are having trouble breathing may sound noisy when they breathe, open their mouths to breathe, and bob their tails up and down while they are breathing. Tell your veterinarian if you notice any of these signs.
•  Monitor your bird’s droppings. A bird should be defecating (pooping) all day. If your bird is not defecating, it could mean that they are not eating enough. The feces (brown/green part) should be well formed and the urates (white part) should be white. The urine should be clear water. Contact your veterinarian if the droppings seem watery, discoloured, contain blood or if the urates look yellow or green.