Perhaps you have noticed your parakeet’s change in behavior, and you are curious to know how to tell if your parakeet is dying. You are on the right page, as this article covers this question in depth and more. Stay tuned!
Here are 11 signs that your parakeet is dying:
1. Experiences Difficulties in Breathing
This is one of the significant signs that your parakeet is dying. A parakeet with difficulty breathing will likely stretch its neck and bob its head more often to inhale oxygen.
Sometimes, the parakeets can breathe heavily and persistently, with their tails bobbing up and down. This is a dying parakeet, as a healthy one usually breathes without experiencing any difficulties.
2. Fluffed Up Feathers
The feathers of your parakeets are a direct indication of whether your bird is healthy or unhealthy. A dying parakeet usually has rough and fluffed-up feathers. They are typically untidy and fragile. Unhealthy feathers can result from parasite infestations or other internal diseases that weaken the skin.
3. Dullness
Parakeets are the most active creatures in normal circ*mstances, engaging in various bird activities daily. Once you notice your parakeet is dull and cannot perform its usual task, contact an avian vet to have it checked. The parakeet is lying in the corner of its cage, and all the toys are still in the same position.
4. Loss of Appetite
A dying parakeet will not nibble on anything, not even its favorite treat. Usually, there is a decrease in appetite until it completely fails to eat. If you force your parakeet to eat, it will likely throw up since the digestive system is not healthy.
5. Sleeping More Often
Healthy parakeets have a regular sleeping pattern where they sleep for approximately 8–12 hours at night. During the day, they can nap for only an hour or two.
However, a dying parakeet tends to sleep more than usual during the day. You will find your bird asleep, but it sometimes stays awake at night due to high fever, breathing problems, etc.
6. Vomiting
Vomiting is one of the signs that a parakeet has gastrointestinal issues and, sometimes, a sour crop. Also, vomiting can be due to other severe infections in the body that prevent food from being absorbed into the body.
A dying parakeet vomits more often whenever it eats any food. You can save your parakeet from dying by having an avian veterinary check-up and beginning medication as soon as possible.
7. Diarrhea
Diarrhea causes a parakeet to become dehydrated since it loses a lot of water. Also, it results in strange feces, which can indicate an infection. Diarrhea can cause a parakeet to die when no medication is administered immediately.
8. Lethargy
A parakeet that seems exhausted yet has not engaged in any activity is one of the signs that your bird is dying. Lethargy is a result of body muscles lacking sufficient blood flow and coordination.
Also, lethargy can lead to your parakeet sticking to one position for a long time since it lacks the energy to move its body around.
9. Viral Infection
Viral infections in birds usually affect the breathing system, which can lead to failure in respiration. Also, the throat is affected by viruses, causing a loss of appetite. However, viral diseases are fatal, and treating them is pretty tricky. Therefore, to prevent your parakeets from dying of viral infections, consider preventing the disease by taking precautions.
10. Fever
A dying parakeet has a fever that causes rises and temperature fluctuations. You will notice your parakeet sweating profusely and sometimes shivering due to the cold and chills. Fever affects normal bird activities, including playing and failure to eat and drink.
11. Wobbling
A wobbling parakeet will die due to instability and a lack of proper body coordination. Also, a bird will be standing on one foot, sometimes leading to instability that causes random falls. Wobbling is a serious sign that your parakeet is not doing well; hence, immediate treatment can restore its health.
What Causes a Parakeet to Die?
Parakeets die due to the following five causes:
1. Toxins
Toxic substances such as paints, aerosols, sprays, and agrichemicals can block the parakeets’ breathing system, leading to suffocation that may cause death.
Ingesting toxic foods such as caffeine, chocolates, sugary and salty foods, alcoholic beverages, and oily foods can cause failure of absorption that results in sudden deaths, especially when consumed in large quantities.
2. Poor Nutrition
Parakeets need essential nutrients and mineral salts to maintain their bodies in good shape and health status. A parakeet deprived of critical nutrients like vitamins, proteins, and carbohydrates is likely weak and thus cannot fight diseases, improper coordination, etc. This will lead to death since the body does not have the capability of processing every activity.
3. Illness
Deaths in parakeets are caused mainly by an illness that is brought about by bacterial, fungal, or viral infections. Also, parasite infestation can lead to the transmission of diseases from one bird to another, causing internal defects that cause the death of your parakeets.
It is essential to treat your bird immediately to notice signs such as breathing difficulties, lethargy, loss of appetite, loss of weight, etc.
4. Old Age
Parakeets have a lifespan of 7 to 15 years. At this age, your bird is old and can develop symptoms of old age like slow breathing, fluffed-up feathers, incoordination, an irregular sleeping pattern, a loss of appetite, and a loss of weight. When a parakeet is old, it is likely to die at any given time.
5. Stress
A stressed parakeet is likely to be depressed. Stress in parakeets is caused by environmental changes, poor diet, loneliness, etc. A stressed parakeet is usually unhappy and can suddenly die due to brain contractions.
At What Temperature Do Parakeets Die?
Parakeets can die below 38 degrees Fahrenheit because it is too cold for their bodies. Parakeets are not adapted to surviving in harsh, cold weather due to their few feathers, which originate from the tropical.
Also, temperatures above 98 degrees Fahrenheit can cause hyperthermia, leading to immediate death.
When Should You Euthanize a Parakeet?
It is best to euthanize a bird undergoing a severe illness that causes pain. Also, a parakeet with an untreatable disease should be euthanized just to let it rest.
Euthanizing makes birds die painlessly; usually, it happens due to pity.
How Do You Revive a Dying Parakeet?
Below are five steps to revive a dying parakeet:
1. Put a parakeet in a relaxed position.
2. Contact a qualified avian vet immediately.
3. Try to hydrate the bird.
4. Conduct resuscitation using shocks.
5. Let your parakeet rest with close monitoring.
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