Parakeet illnesses for amateurs

Let me make parakeet illnesses easy for you to handle. What we must know is a few simple facts. What these illnesses are, how to recognize parakeet illness symptoms, how to help a sick parakeet.

Causes of illnesses

These illnesses are mostly caused by:

• bad diet – not enough food or unbalanced diet
• wrong room temperature and humidity – the room is too hot or too cold and the air is too dry
• poisonings
• accidents
• bacterias
• viruses
• different parasites
• fungus

When it comes to food, causes for illnesses can be various. It does not have to be only unbalanced diet. What else then? You could buy food that is already contaminated, has bacterias or parasite eggs in it, contains mold or moths, contains sand or small rocks with sharp edges.

What also happens is that due to deformities of parakeet beak the bird eats a seed without peeling it. That causes extra problems with parakeet's health.

To avoid risking water related parakeet illnesses do not give your pet cold water. Wait for it to reach room temperature before you give it to your pet.

The room in which you keep your pet should be clean, have enough fresh air, no draft nor nicotine smoke and no sudden temperature changes. The optimal temperature is between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius (65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit). The air humidity should be around 60%.

I am focusing on pets in small apartments but there are people reading this that have larger spaces and are keeping several of these cute birds. You must know that in case these illnesses are caused by microorganisms they will easily transfer from a sick to a healthy budgie parakeet.

Single parakeet in your apartment

If you have a single parakeet that does not get in contact with other pets and has optimal living conditions (room temperature, humidity, food) you can say your pet lives in isolation. Isolated pets are less likely to get sick.

But even a single bird can get sick. Some of the things that can happen to them are:

• deformities of beak and toenails
• pneumonia caused by fungus
• obesity
• lack of vitamin A and minerals
• diarrhea and vomiting caused by food contaminated with fungus
• bad water, food or dirty sand on the bottom of the cage
• poisonings from led, copper, salt, nicotine, carbon-monoxide, cleaning products used in households, insect repellants (sprays) and plants
• concussions from hitting the head in doors and windows
• burns
• breaking the wings or legs
• illnesses like problems with respiratory and digesting systems
• problems with laying eggs
• mites

More than one parakeet

In case there are more budgie parakeets living together, there is bigger risk of them getting sick. It would be enough for one of them to get sick and the others will follow.

For several parakeets living together this is what you should pay attention to:

• parasites like worms
• bacterias like salmonella
• chlamydia
• viruses
• lack of calcium that causes bone deformities
• bad body development caused by lack of sun light and vitamin D3
• injuries caused by other birds biting
• injuries caused by males fighting

And more...

Unfortunately, here are more parakeet illnesses I can add to these two lists:

• eye infections
• feather plucking
• parrot fever
• tumors

Now that you have read the list of parakeet illnesses, I am sure you are a bit worried. No need to be. It is normal for any living creature to be at risk of getting sick. But it does not mean it will.

I have had pets that lived with me for years and years and never got sick. As long as you take care of the pet you are lowering the percentage of possible risks.

Some of it is all luck. You can take great care of your little pet bird but he will have some genetic anomaly. And it is not your fault. Just do what you can to make his life nice and happy while he is sharing his life with you.