How to help a sick budgie [Simple Guide]

Disclaimer! all information provided in this article is based on avian specialist suggestions. I get a lot of messages from you guys that your budgie is sick but you don’t have any vets available. So instead of just letting your budgie die, you can do several things at home to help your sick budgie and hopefully make it recover. You must remember that budgies are very fragile and usually when they get sick they will most likely not survive. Especially if you won’t take them to a vet. But this doesn’t mean you can’t try. I do not take any responsibility if some of the methods will not work for your budgie. Please follow my guidelines precisely and do not attempt improvising. To those under-age, please use your parent’s health.

What are the symptoms of a sick budgie?

Sick budgies can quickly deteriorate, therefore if you see any of the following signs, contact your veterinarian right away:

• Droppings that are wet.
• Feathers that have been fluffed up.
• Sleeping more than normal due to a lack of energy.
• Appetite loss.
• Drinking significantly more or less than usual.
• Swellings that are unusual.
• Feathers have been lost.
• Limping or standing on one leg.

Can a sick budgie recover?

If your budgie appears to be ill, you should take him or her to the veterinarian. They can begin administering medication and other therapies to your budgie to aid in their recovery. Some birds are able to recover from their illnesses and live long and happy lives.

I do know many of you guys don’t have avian vets nearby. So you should know that there are some things you can do at home to help your sick budgie or at least help ease its pain.

Guide to help a sick budgie

When a budgie begins to show a lack of activity it will usually not eat or drink and it will remain on the same perch for the entire day. As a result of this, it will become very weak and dehydrated. This sign needs immediate care as a budgie that stays dehydrated for more than two days will most likely die.

To begin with I would suggest using Pedialyte to help your sick budgie which is available at any pharmacy. Pedialyte is going to balance what the body has lost including electrolytes, minerals, and the sugar level.

Pedialyte is a liquid that is mostly labeled for babies with dehydration. Fill your syringe or pipette with a milliliter of Pedialyte and make sure that your budgie swallows only two drops of it, not the entire amount.

Repeat this process twice a day morning and evening for two days or until it starts to drink on its own. This method has been shown to improve the activity and appetite in most sick budgies.

If you can get your hands on Pedialyte you can make one yourself.

Please follow the following recipe for homemade Pedialyte:

• 1 cup of warm water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 baking soda
• 1 tbsp honey
• Optional: Coconut water that is 100% organic and free from any additives. *NOT COCONUT MILK, NOT COCONUT OIL.

Another symptom your sick budgie might express is diarrhea. Watery droppings are normal if your budgie ate some sort of high water content food or just took a bath.

When your budgie has diarrhea it’s not that it’s only getting dehydrated because of fluid loss, but it also means that it might have a bowel infection which can be caused by either bacteria or viruses.

In that case, you can use regular human probiotics to help the sick budgie that you can get in your local pharmacy. If your budgie is drinking from its water dish simply dissolve a quarter capsule inside.

If your budgie stopped drinking dissolve a quarter of the capsule in one mil of water and make sure your budgie swallows three drops of it once a day for three days or until you notice improvements in their droppings.

When budgies are very sick they tend to stay at the bottom of the cage. Since they are too weak to perch and can lose their balance easily. In that case, don’t let your bird sit on the cold bars. Place a blanket below your budgie and make sure that the temperature is warm.

When birds are sick they get very cold and require a warm environment for the recovery process.

What causes budgies to get sick?

Bird sickness is caused by a variety of circumstances. A poor diet is the most common cause of sickness in pet birds. Trauma, poor maintenance, poor cleanliness, stress, and genetics are all factors that might lead to ill health. The fact that the bird appears healthy on the surface does not mean it is healthy on the inside.

Why is my budgie sitting on the bottom of the cage?

Budgies that spend the majority of their time at the bottom of the cage could be unwell, stuck to the cage, injured, or afraid of an object or another budgie at the top. Physical fatigue, as well as temperature extremes and overpopulation, can push a budgie to the bottom of a cage.

Why is my budgie lethargic?

Cancer, viral or bacterial infections, fungal or yeast infections, parasites, endocrine or hormonal illnesses, and organ-specific problems such as liver, heart, or kidney failure are all possible causes of anorexia and lethargy in pet birds.

Do budgies get cold at night?

Budgies become colder as the night progresses. They can usually manage a temperature drop as long as it isn’t too drastic. After all, a budgie’s nighttime habit sometimes includes perching on one foot so that the other may stay warm by being tucked within its feathers.

I hope with all these tips you will be able to help a sick budgie. You can also check out other insightful blogs on animal care on our website.