# Help!!! Cockatiel chicks are panting 24/7!!! Fever???



## huson (Feb 23, 2009)

Hi everyone, I have some cockatiel chicks growing up right now. 

For some reasons, the 3 eldest chicks are panting non-stop for days and they bodies are extremely hot. The chicks are about 2 weeks old. I removed them from the nest and placed them into a brooder, so that I can handfeed them regularly. The brooder is made of a heat pad on one side of the aquarium and the aquarium is covered with a towel. I only cover 2/3 of the opening of the aquarium to allow air exchange. 

I never seen any cockatiel chicks act like this before. 

I'm concerned about their bodies being too hot~~~

Also, the room temperature of the house ranges from 86F to 90F.

Should I turn off the brooder?


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

Where do you have the chicks? Are you using a heating pad or anything to keep them warm? Is it to hot in the nest for them?


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Mine was like this because of my room temp was too warm so i had to put the fan on


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

if you are using a heating pad under your container you keep chicks in ....
remember to only put under one side of the box ,cause if they get hot they will move to other side of container that doesn't have the pad under it..
also whats the room temp where chicks are kept?
you might want to use a fan?

what is you setup for these chicks?
then we might know what else could help these chicks by your setup


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## huson (Feb 23, 2009)

Hi everyone, I have updated the situation at the beginning of this thread and thnx for the advices.


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

is your chicks feathering yet?
if yes...
heres what i did with my 2-3wks old chicks i placed them in a small/short bird cage with 
aspen shavings on 1 side of the cage floor bottom and the other side and clean old pillowcases no longer being used by us... i then cover 3 sides all day with and thin baby blanket leaving front open during daytime and cover all four sides at nightime
i don't use a heating pad at all as the shavings/blanket provide shelter/heat source
and i monitor the room temps im in with the birds.
if you also have more then 1 chick they will keep each other warm by huddling together inside the cage.
if you only have one chick as i do this time 
i placed a bean bag in cage corner for him to snuggle up with and he does love it.
if your temperature is above /around 18c-20c this is ideal temp
anything above 24c-25c i use a fan in the room.
a cockatiel chick can survive in weather 0c-30c with proper sheltering/food/water
as you live in ontario as i do ...my method of housing could work for you also if you try it
currently Ottawa,Ont is having high heat/humidity levels this week so i am also using a fan in the room.
hope this helps you


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## huson (Feb 23, 2009)

I don't get the fact that why would the adults are not panting, but the chicks are panting like crazy!!! I'm really worried that they will die of heat stroke!!!


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

do you have a thermometer you could put in nestbox to get a reading of temps inside the nestbox and also the humidity levels in there? you might have to adjust your room temps
a chick has problems regulating body temps ,thats why you monitor them more and adjust temps accordingly. this is why i use the small cage rather then a brooder.....
whereas parents are larger ,more feathered and are used to your normal room temps 
whereas the chicks have to become used to these temps over time just as parents did


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## huson (Feb 23, 2009)

Hi there, the cause of the incident was due to high room temperature. It did affect some babies digestive system. But all of them are fine now. Thnx for the concerns everyone!


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