The parrot is a fairly popular pet. This bird is easily tamed, it is not so difficult to create the right conditions for its maintenance, moreover, parrots can please their owners with beautiful bright colors, and some can even be taught to speak. However, parrots, like any other living creatures, are not immune from illnesses. Consider what are the diseases of parrots. What to do if a parrot gets sick? How to create a pet ideal living conditions?
Healthy Parrot Behavior
Correct conditions of detention are the main guarantee of your pet’s health. The immunity of a bird that lives at home is much stronger than that of one that is forced to survive in nature, because domestic parrots live longer and get sick less. However, they can pick up the ailment. We highlight the main aspects that indicate good bird health:
- the parrot is active and curious;
- the pet has a good appetite;
- feathers are bright and beautiful, do not clatter and do not look wrinkled;
- clean beak and eyes;
- the skin on the legs is soft, without inflammation;
- the parrot sleeps on one paw.
Naturally, it is worth remembering the personal nature of each animal. For example, Corella parrots are known for their outgoing and peaceful character. Sudden changes in the behavior of the pet, aggression and apathy may indicate that the Corella parrot fell ill. What to do in this case, consider below.
First signs of the disease
If a parrot gets sick, what to do at home? It is necessary to carefully monitor the pet and note all the symptoms of the disease so that it is easier for the veterinarian to make a diagnosis.
We highlight the changes in the behavior and appearance of the parrot, which should alert the owner:
- refusal of food;
- sudden apathy, loss of interest in the outside world;
- feathers look dirty or wrinkled;
- the bird begins to drink a lot;
- visible discharge from the beak or eyes;
- tumors or wounds appear;
- the parrot ceases to care for its feathers;
- weight loss;
- blurred eyes;
- aggression and fear when in contact with a person;
- heavy or hoarse breathing.
When the first signs of a pet's disease appear, it is urgent to seek help from a doctor. Let us single out the main diseases that birds are most likely to suffer from, and also what to do if a parrot gets sick?
Injuries
Parrots are quite active and curious birds. They can be injured both in their own cage and in the process of walking around the room. Even the owner can inadvertently harm a pet.
A parrot can break something or hurt itself, cut itself or prick itself. Usually a bleeding wound forms in the damaged area. Bleeding can be stopped with hydrogen peroxide or alcohol-free iodine.
Often parrots damage their legs. It can be dislocations, sprains, fractures or bruises. To provide first aid, it is necessary to determine the nature of the injury and its severity. It is advisable to take the parrot to the doctor, where the bird will be X-rayed to rule out a fracture.
Cold
Parrots are rather fragile creatures, and they are quite sensitive to sudden changes in temperature. Even a small draft is enough for a bird to catch a cold.
The main symptoms of a cold:
- discharge from the beak and nose;
- depressed state ;
- wheezing on breathing and flapping;
- apathy and depression.
A cold can kill a parrot in three days. Therefore, at the first symptoms, it is important to provide medical assistance to the pet as soon as possible.
If a parrot gets sick, what to do at home? For colds, inhalations can be done using eucalyptus oil or menthol. Oil must be diluted with water and put on a pallet, and cover the cage itself with a towel on top. Inhalation should last 15-30 minutes. During the period of the disease, it is desirable to provide the bird with vitamins. Antibiotics should be used strictly as directed by your doctor.
Infectious diseases
Infectious diseases in parrots are considered rare. They are difficult to treat and can lead to rapid death of the bird.
The main symptoms of an infectious disease:
- visible discharge from the eyes, beak and waxen;
- loose stools, yellow-green in color with an unpleasant odor;
- the bird eats little;
- intense thirst;
- impaired coordination of movements;
- apathy and refusal to communicate.
If a parrot gets sick, what should I do? Symptoms of infectious diseases in birds should serve as a wake-up call for the owner. An effective treatment can only be in the case of an accurate diagnosis of the cause of the disease, which is why with the first symptoms it is important to immediately show the parrot to the veterinarian who will take the tests, diagnose and prescribe the most effective treatment.
Poisoning
Parrot poisoning is a fairly common occurrence. It can lead to feeding poor-quality or improperly stored feed, or household items that are in the bird's access area. Grain for feeding should be bought only in proven places and discarded at the first sign of spoilage or mold infection.
Also, quickly deteriorating wet foods can become a cause of poisoning. Especially in summer, half-eaten vegetables and seed sprouts should be removed on time. You should not feed vegetables not in the ripening season, as winter vegetables contain a lot of chemicals that can also cause poisoning.
In the room in which the bird flies, there should be no household chemicals. Do not smoke or use aerosol cans in this room. Caution should be given with poison for mice or cockroaches.
The main symptoms of poisoning:
- refusal of food;
- thirst;
- diarrhea.
What to do if a parrot gets sick? A parrot can be given first aid and adsorbents: activated carbon, Smecta, or Enterosgel. Poisoning can lead to very rapid death of the bird, because it should be shown to the doctor as soon as possible.
Parasites
The most common parasites in parrots are ticks and lice-eaters.
The main symptom of infection of a parrot with a bird tick is gray growths around the beak, waxen, eyes, paws and cesspools. A parrot can pick them up from other birds, through food, or unwashed branches from the street. To get rid of the parasite, a special ointment should help, the pet's cage and all its fillings should be washed and disinfected well.
In case of defeat by down-eaters, feathers begin to break off in the bird, they look split and eaten. The parrot constantly itches, it looks worried and untidy, sleeps poorly. Pooh-eater eat down and the upper layers of the skin, from which the parrot can completely go bald. Infection is possible through other birds.
When using ointments and medicines, it is necessary to consult a doctor, because the wrong proportions of medicines for a parrot can be more dangerous than a curable disease.
Shedding Disorders
Shedding is a natural process for a parrot, but it can also cause certain problems. A completely healthy bird can suddenly begin to lose feathers. One of the reasons for this may be stress. Parrots who make several clutches within one year are often balding.
French molting is a disease of chicks that have flown out or are just about to fly out of the nest. Suddenly, all the large feathers begin to fall out. This is due to a lack of protein during feeding. This is not a dangerous disease, soon the chicks will shed and overgrown with feathers. However, it is worth revising the diet of parrots, perhaps it lacks important components.
Sometimes parrots can pluck and eat their feathers. This is more of a neurological disorder. It can be associated with stress, boredom, improper, uncomfortable, living conditions, lack of minerals and vitamins in the diet.
With feather cystosis, tumors of different sizes appear in their place. The treatment of this disease is complex and possible only with the participation of a doctor.
Treatment
For the effective treatment of parrots, it is very important to diagnose the disease correctly and on time. That is why it is important to consult a specialist at the first symptoms of the disease. Corell parrots, for example, tend to hide the symptoms of their illness. This is due to the fact that predators in nature prefer to hunt for weakened and sick animals. That is why the diagnosis of the disease in a bird of this species can be complicated. If the Corella parrot gets sick, what to do and how to treat it? Urgently consult a specialist. The veterinarian will examine the bird and take tests. As soon as the diagnosis is made, the course of treatment should begin.
If a parrot gets sick, what to do at home? Sick birds must be dropped from other birds. Wash and disinfect the cell well.
It is advisable to lay a paper towel on the bottom of the enclosure to monitor the status of the bowel movements. The diet of the bird during the illness should be full of vitamins and minerals that support the weakened body. It is advisable to exclude porridge from the menu, and feed the bird with purified oats and millet.
It is advisable to put a cage with a sick bird in a quiet place, protected from drafts. It’s better not to disturb the parrot once again.
It is very important to carefully adhere to all the recommendations and advice of a doctor. With timely medical care, the bird can recover within a few days.
Prevention
The following factors that must be avoided can lead to the disease:
- Sudden temperature drop, too high or too low humidity. Parrots, like many animals, are very afraid of drafts, so you should not put a cage at the window. But heating appliances nearby should also be avoided.
- The cage must be kept clean. It is necessary to remove poultry waste products on time and change spoiled food and water. Once a week, it is necessary to wash the cell well and everything in it using disinfectants.
- Parrot food should be well balanced and contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals. The immunity of a bird depends on its quality.
- It is necessary to carefully monitor the expiration date of the feed, do not give the parrot spoiled grain.
- If you have several birds, and one of them gets sick, at least before the diagnosis, it is necessary to isolate it in order to avoid infection of the others.
Parrots are very sensitive to cold, so you should not buy a bird in winter in cold markets, since there is a high risk of acquiring a sick pet.
Norms of the correct content
For different types of parrots, the content standards are slightly different, and yet we list the main aspects that must be adhered to when leaving. Parrots are rather fragile animals, and poor living conditions significantly shorten their life.
The parrot cage should be quite spacious. The parrot should be able to fully open its wings without touching the walls. The height should be greater than the width and length. The cage should be placed in a lighted, quiet place, away from drafts, heaters and noisy equipment. In the cage there should be poles, the minimum diameter of which should allow the bird to close its claws so that they do not touch each other.
The bird must be released from the cage for flying. Deprived of walks, she will begin to suffer from respiratory diseases.
Parrots should put ultraviolet lamps, which contribute to the absorption of calcium and the maintenance of normal hormonal levels.
The optimum air temperature for them is + 22-25 degrees. At temperatures below, the bird can catch a cold easily.
Feed your pet with high-quality expensive dry feed. You should not save on the nutrition of parrots, because the state of poultry health largely depends on the quality of the feed. In addition, seeds must be sprouted in the diet. A parrot needs to be given juicy food - fruits, vegetables and herbs. It is forbidden to give: potatoes, parsley, mango, papaya, avocado.
In a cage is to put branches of fertile trees. There must be a source of calcium in the cell (for example, sepia), also periodically the parrot should be given vitamins.
So what to do if a parrot gets sick? You must immediately show your pet to your doctor to diagnose the disease. Proper housing conditions have a beneficial effect on poultry immunity and minimize the risk of disease.