# Cockatiel has red eye lid



## Thelion151589

might my cockatiel have an eye infection? or might it have been pecked on the eye, it has a red eyelid that looks kinda swollen/irritated, i really cant afford to take my bird to the vet what can i do?


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## bjknight93

It's always sad to me when people keep animals that they can't afford vet treatment for. But that's beside the point.

Try to put some normal saline like contact cleanser into the eye 2 times a day and see if that lessens the irritation and redness.  If this doesn't work, the a vet visit is more than neccessary.


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## tielfan

If it's an injury from being pecked it's likely that the eye will heal by itself. Otherwise it's very possible that it's conjunctivitis, which usually requires prescription medication.


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## rashid100

if he got pecked, the injury should slowly heal, if it doesnt, try some normal eye ointment that you can buy over the counter. also do some research on the net.
hope he gets well soon...


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## Thelion151589

thank you everyone for all the suggestions, without a stable job its hard for me to take my pet to the vet. specially with times being so hard no a days, if its conjunctivitis, will it show on both eyes? and is it courageous? thanks


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## nassrah

If it doesnt get any better with the saline solutionand you notice its swollen its time to take your bird to the vet-period.Dont forget that the bird cannot do it himself\herself,its totally dependent on you.We have to plan in advance before getting a bird,because vet bills are sure to come,we must be prepared for that,otherwise its better not to have the bird at home.Im sorry if I am being a bit harsh on you,but it breaks my heart to hear of an animal in trouble without proper care.They should be considered a real member of our family,with all the responsibility that comes with it.Can you not lend some money from a member of your family or friend and take the bird to the vet for a proper general check and than organise yourself and check if you can afford this pet or not Good luck Teresa


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## MeanneyFids

i believe it can be transferred from bird to bird, but dont quote me on that one, if it is conjunctivitis. 

saline eye drops may really help if it is an irritation or injury. 


we used saline for our lovebird mango when he scratched his eyelid

day 1









day 2









day 3










this is what was used, 2 drops, twice a day




















and now only minimal scaring, enlarge photo, you can see two little nicks in the grey eyelid in the front corner of the eye


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## nassrah

Mango is such a cutie!So is Munchlax X x


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## enigma731

Conjunctivitis is a symptom, not an illness -- specifically it means swelling of the soft tissue around the eye (the conjunctiva). It can have infectious or non-infectious causes. For example, it could be caused by an allergy or irritation. But, it can also be caused by viruses or bacteria, and can be a symptom of respiratory infection, which is both contagious and very serious. You would potentially save yourself a lot of time, heartbreak, and money if you get it checked out sooner rather than later by a vet.


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## srtiels

Thanks Dally for posting some helpful info to the original poster. EVEN THOUGH common sense says Go to a Vet!...in the interim it is always a good practice to help and advise on what someone can do til then.

This illustration has some info. if you have a Whole foods or health food store you can find the Opitque there.http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc331/Mousebirds-and-more/Other%20birds/Health%20Issues/Eye-Inflamation-ILLUS.jpg

Use the saline solution to keep the shoulder or wherever the bird is rubbing it's eye clean. A slightly dampened teabag held to the eye for 30-60 seconds several times a day will also help reduce the swelling.


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## Thelion151589

sorry i took so long, i have an update!  my friend came over a day after i had posted this, and well i didn't know her fiance was a vet, so me and her to my tiel to his office where they took a look at it, and it was given some drops onto the eye, and given to me to put on the bird for 5 days and now my tiel is 1000% percent better, i didn't have to pay nothing :blush:, he told me my tiel was most likely pecked on the eye by one of my other tiels and that's what had caused the irritation, he still took a blood sample to make sure she was clean of any other issues and the results came back great with a clean medical record :thumbu::tiel4: , he just told me to keep her on a separate cage, and to keep an eye out for the pecker so i can separate him before he harms another cage mate


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## bjknight93

That's great news. It could also be self-inflicted like from trying to scratch in the nose and missing.


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## Thelion151589

bjknight93 said:


> That's great news. It could also be self-inflicted like from trying to scratch in the nose and missing.


true that can be another possibility


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