I hope these guidelines will help you save your bird as most of the times birds are masters at masking their ill health as predators in the wild would take advantage of it, so by the time you realize that something is wrong, your bird could be seriously sick and can die very quickly...so keep your eyes wide open and observe and spend time with your bird every single day as this is the only precaution. First of all you should know what a healthy bird looks like- chirpy, active, good feather condition, then only can you recognize a sick bird.The first sign in my experience is that the bird becomes quiet, dull and lethargic, usually sitting in one place with a drooping tail, the eyes become oval or lemon shaped, it is critical to isolate your bird at this stage and MONITOR THE DROPPINGS (usually watery, change in colour).First course of action should be to isolate and keep the bird warm and also to cover the cage.
The following is a categorized list of signs that should alert you that your bird is sick:
poor general appearance
fluffed feathers
sitting at the bottom of the cage
not eating
changes in amount of drinking water
weakness
drooping wings/tail
listlessness, inactivity, depression
reluctance to move
sleeping more
lumps, bumps, swellings or bulges on the body
trauma
bleeding
changes in weight (increased or decreased
Behavior
any change in regular attitude, behaviour or personality
unusually tame behavior
irritability, agitation, biting
Eyes
closed eye
eye discharge
red eye
cloudy eyes
swelling around eyes
swelling of the eyes
Respiratory
labored breathing or open mouth breathing
tail "bobbing" with each breath
nasal discharge
blocked nostrils
increase or decrease in the size of the nostrils
sneezing (excessive)
wheezing
coughing
cere (the skin around the nostrils) irregularity
staining of the feathers around the nostrils
change in voice or no voice
Skin and Feathers
abnormal feathers, dull color, texture, shape, structure, growth
bleeding blood/pin feathers
prolonged molt
baldness or feather loss
feather changes, colour, chewed, plucked, damaged
flaky or crusty skin
excessive scratching
overgrown beak
abnormality of beak growth
abnormal beak texture, color,
overgrown nails
abnormal nails (i.e. color, texture)
sores on skin
trauma, cuts, bruises
lumps, bumps, swellings or bulges on the body
Musculoskeletal
sore feet
sore wing
lameness or shifting of body weight
swollen joints
paralysis
weakness
drooping wings
not perching, sitting on bottom of cage
Digestive and urinary
wet droppings
Diarrhea (watery feces)
change in the color of the droppings (i.e. red, yellow, green, tarry, pale)
staining of the feathers around the vent
decreased droppings
straining to defecate
wet feathers around face and head
vomiting or excessive regurgitation
protrusions from the vent (prolapse)
Neurological
balance problems
head tilt
falling
seizures
unconsciousness
paralysis
not perching, sitting on bottom of cage
weakness
healthy birds, note the alert appearance and how the tail is inline with the rest of the body
Heat; A bird’s body temperature needs a large amount of energy to keep it at normal. We must help our sick bird to maintain its normal body temperature without reducing its energy levels. In only a few days a budgie can lose half of its normal body weight.
Quiet; you must keep a sick bird quiet and away from any noisy part of the house. Remove the birds toys and lower the perches to almost the bottom of the cage, darken the cage with a cover and this will encourage your sick bird to sleep.
Fluids; A sick bird is very easily dehydrated so fluids are very important. A bird with diarrhea will lose large quantities of water in its droppings and needs immediate help. Your sick bird may not drink much on its own and its temperature will rise, therefore you must help your bird by giving fluids like ORS.
