When caring for a sick parrot, your top priority should be taking it to a veterinarian. A professional animal doctor who has bird care experience can provide a diagnosis and the treatments that the bird needs to recover. While you wait for an appointment, and for the length of the illness, it likely will be beneficial to house your pet separate from other birds. You also can help your bird by keeping its environment calm and quiet. Additionally, providing plenty of fluids and taking steps to ensure that your bird eats might help restore its health.
If your sick parrot shares a cage with other birds, you might do well to separate it from the others while you prepare to take it to a veterinarian or for the duration of its illness. For example, if you have an extra cage, you can place the bird in that for the time being. A hospital cage is a helpful solution as well. If the bird can remain in its own cage because there are no other birds present, experts usually recommend moving the perches out of the cage temporarily. Your parrot might also benefit if you use a clean towel to provide some cushioning on the floor of its cage.
It is critical that you take your sick parrot to see a veterinarian who has knowledge of and experience with parrot care. Although you can read books and websites that seem to describe the type of problem your parrot is having, it can be difficult for you to pinpoint the problem exactly. A veterinarian can examine your bird and provide a diagnosis in which you may have more confidence. The vet might also provide medicines or supplements to help your pet though its illness. Additionally, a veterinarian can be a good source of advice about preventing further illnesses or protecting your other birds from the same sickness.
When you are caring for a sick parrot, it also is important to keep the area around the bird as calm and as quiet as possible. Not only will you need to separate the parrot from other birds, you also likely will need to keep people from exciting the parrot as well. This might mean moving its cage away from highly trafficked rooms in your home and as far away from blaring televisions and stereo systems as possible. Even if your parrot begins to seem a little better, you might do well to make sure that it has recovered before you allow it out of the cage or place it back in a cage with other birds.
Besides administering any medication or supplements that your veterinarian provides, your primary objective might be keeping your sick parrot comfortable and providing nourishment. This might involve making that sure its environment is warm enough and providing plenty to drink. If necessary, you can give your bird fluids through a syringe. You might also choose to hand-feed your bird if necessary. In fact, you can purchase food in powdered form and mix it with liquid, feeding it to your bird through a syringe if it won’t eat otherwise.
