Common Ailments of Pet Parakeets

Many people ask me about health problems they find in their pet parakeets or budgerigars. Although I do have experience with many problems, I also recommend that they see their vet. That way, the vet will have the right cures on hand for your bird.

Having said that, it’s helpful to know if your bird is exhibiting any health problems. Here are some things to look for, and improvements you can make to their care, courtesy of The Bird Channel.

Pet budgies or parakeets may suffer from chronic, low-grade bacterial infections, especially if they are offered water from a water bowl. Fresh, clean water easily can become contaminated with droppings or food particles. If your budgie has excess bacteria in its oral cavity, every time it drinks from the bowl your pet budgie will put bacteria back into the water. Avoid this by offering your budgie water from a water bottle. Budgies are so smart, they easily figure out how to use a water bottle.

Budgies and parakeets consuming a primarily seed-based diet may suffer from nutritional imbalances. If they do not eat enough plants or pellets containing beta-carotene or Vitamin A, they may develop a yeast infection, commonly from Candida sp. This may look like white plaques in the oral cavity (usually visualized by the use of a focused light source and magnification) or excessive mucus. Another common nutritional problem is obesity. Over time, an obese budgie may end up with liver problems due to excessive fat deposits in the liver.

Overgrown beak and toenails can signify liver disease, although in many cases this can also result from the nails and beak not wearing down normally.

Regurgitation may be a sign of a crop infection, but many happy pet budgies regurgitate to their favorite toy or person and this is not a sign of any infection.

Parasites, such as Giardia, and roundworms may occur in budgies. Mites (other thanKnemidokoptes) are not usually found in pet budgies, so mite protectors are unnecessary. They are also bad for pet birds, as they contain a compound that is toxic if inhaled.

Budgies, like almost all birds, can become infected by the primitive bacterium,Chlamydophila.