what can i do to help my cockatiel that has a cold?

Question

my cockateil has a cold. i'm giving it some antibiotic in his water. (ornacycline) will this help or do i need to take it on to the vet. is there any thing else i can do because i don't have the money to take it to the vet. need help very worried about him. he has ruffled feathers and a sneeze one time and he acts cold. and wants the best place to find out about birds cockatiels i'm just learning about them first time owner

Answer 1

Put him in an area with higher humidity and warmth. Avoid putting medications in his water until you can get the advice of a vet to do so, especially if you don't know what's going on inside his body. Orthocycline is aimed towards the intestines and respiratory system, but you can't be totally sure that's where he's ill. Putting anything in water can speed bacteria growth and make the little guy even sicker. When birds are sick, it's really difficult for the typical owner to be able to nurse it back to health.

The best option is to take it to the vet, and if you tell them your financial situation, many vets are willing to work out a payment plan for you if you can't afford to pay for treatment up front. Good luck.

Answer 2

First of all, I feel for you. I have an Orange-Winged Amazon parrot I love dearly. I will give you my advice, but I am not
a veterinarian, so I would suggest to call one to discuss your bird's symptoms.

First, how did your Cockateil catch a cold? Did you have his cage near a window with a draft, or near a refrigerator in the kitchen that you open and close all the time? Or was there a fan or AC blowing directly on or towards the bird?
If so, you need to MOVE him and his cage to a warmer area without drafts of any kind. Birds are very susceptible to respiratory illnesses.
Make sure you cover his cage at night to avoid cold drafts, leaving him enough air of course to also breathe properly.

Secondly, ruffled feathers is NOT often a good sign. It can be an indication that he is sick.
Now, bear in mind, that when birds are relaxed or sleeping, they will sometimes somewhat ruffle their feathers and get into a position, sometimes with one claw up, to relax. Sneezing is natural, as long as it is not continuous and their nostrils are not clogged, or show signs of puss protruding from them.

Thirdly, is he eating and drinking the water with the antibiotics? What do his droppings look like? Are they runny? Do they look normal to you? Is he acting a lot differently than he normally does? Is he still active or somewhat subdued? Subdued behaviors can also be a sign of a sick bird. And if he ends up at the bottom of his cage, then he is definately sick.

Also bear in mind that birds are very accustomed to masking their symptoms, because they do this in the wild to protect themselves from predators. A bird can act and look okay, and then just drop dead. It can be that quick if you don't catch it in time.

Please call a vet, or better yet if you can, take him to a vet that specializes in exotic animals, in this case, birds. You wouldn't want to lose him.

Good luck to you. I really hope he feels better and is okay.

Answer 3

Stop the antibiotics in his water now!!!

That stuff does not work and it will mess up any tests that the vet needs to run!

Keep him warm 85 degrees Ferenheight, make sure that he has food and water nearby and take him to the vet in the morning. Explain your situation to them and see if you can work out a payment plan.

Birds hide illness until they are really sick and you need to get him seen by an avian vet asap. It can be a matter of life and death.

Answer 4

I would really recommend taking him to a vet. It is absolutely the best thing you can do. It is really not that expensive. Anyways, what was the whole point of you getting the birf if you can't afford for it. If you were sick, you would want to see your doctor for some PROFESSIONAL help and advice. Treat them like humans, not just some dumb animal.

Take the stuff that you are putting into his water out!!!! This can cause bacteria which will make him even more sick. Do no be responsible for the death of your bird!!!

Answer 5

Your bird needs to see a vet quickly. respiratory infections in birds can be fatal.Do you know how much anti-biotic to give your bird? Too much can harm him/her,you need to know the exact dosage!
Keeping your bird warm is very important. Use hot COVERED water bottles,place them around the cage, cover your birds cage up with a cloth/blanket,draping it over the back and down each side. Keep your bird away/out of draughts,and in a quiet place. To be sure your bird makes a full recovery, you MUST seek attention from a vet as soon as possible.

Answer 6

put the bird in the warmest room in your house and lower all the perches so he wont get hurt if he falls off call a local vet tell them the details of the cold in the mean time keep the cage clean the water and food changed regularly keep him in the warmest room and keep an eye on him if the vet says to go i tell him your troubles with money.

Answer 7

It is so very importamt to keep them warm if there is any sign of a cold. And they must be kept away from any type of breeze. The ruffled feathers are telling you that your bird is trying to keep warm. When they are cold they appear to get all puffed up,.

Answer 8

provide him an astounding heat bathe...it facilitates sparkling obtainable nostril, and lead them to large and heat, yet for sure no longer too warm, My cockatiel absolutly loves having showers, he took slightly convincing before everything, by using fact the loud noise of the bathe scared him, yet i've got been given interior the bathe with him and confirmed him its ok, and now he purely is going spectacular decrease than the water on his own accord. the only concern with this is he gets chilly after wards, yet once you have a heater or something like that, he will dry and heat up very rapidly, and function a stable preen interior the propose time. i think of the steam facilitates sparkling blocked noses, purely like it does with us people.

Answer 9

Buy an over the counter antibiotic like Ornacycline for him. It works when my parakeets get symptoms like that

Answer 10

Put a heating pad on low and put it on his cage--then put the cover on it--you can drape it so you can see him from the front. Keep him away from drafts--and you can give him his antibiotics into his beak (mouth) yourself without putting it in his water--it's more effective that way and he's getting the full dose.