# Cockatiel feeling unwell, loss of energy and appetite. Help?



## Cackledemon (Apr 20, 2018)

My :yellow pied: cockatiel, Lily, was okay in the morning. Flying, whistling loudly, feeding her young ones, everything you can imagine.

Now all of a sudden she's at a loss of energy, doesn't run away from me like she usually does, doesn't bite as hard as she used to, she only sleeps.

No drinking, no eating, no nothing. She can barely fly as well.

I'm desperate, I've no idea what to do.

99% of vets where I live specialize in dogs or cats, not birds.

I literally have no vet in my county specializing in birds, sans one and she doesn't work out of hours, and she only comes near me once a week.

And if I want to take her to a vet, out of hours (right now it's 7 PM, they're all closed), they will charge me £150 ($206 US equivalent) to go for a 15-20 minute consultation and they won't even know what to do!!! Arrrgghh!

Please help, someone. 

Edit: Lily is now vomiting after drinking some water...


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Honestly, we aren't vets and there really is nothing we can recommend besides seeing if she can survive the night and take her to a vet in the morning. I've never actually been to avian vet, every time I've taken my birds in its been to a normal dog/cat vet. 

I would keep her in a small hospital cage with a warm lamp over her to keep her warm. You can try syringe feeding her but she may just throw it up. I had a tiel get very sick several years ago (thread here: http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=19156&highlight=cupcake) maybe there is something in there that can help you.


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## Cackledemon (Apr 20, 2018)

Hi

Thanks for your reply.

Problem is the vets here themselves will tell you they don't know what to do but are 'happy' to look at the bird.

The only vet near me is an hour and a bit away and its now closed, no out of hours.

Ooof.. I'll look through the thread, thanks.


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## QuarrionFriend (Apr 20, 2018)

Best thing you can do right now is to use a hospital cage to minimize its movement. I would find a heating source ( lamp, pad etc.) to help it maintain its energy. Dehydration becomes a serious problem if they are not drinking on their own. Hand feed pedialyte might be something to consider until you can get to a vet. Your bird is probably fighting an ingoing infection of some sort and you will need a doctor's insight to prescribe the right antibiotics. Right now, its all about conserving energy and providing supportive care....I feel for you...just went through this a couple months ago...


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## Cackledemon (Apr 20, 2018)

QuarrionFriend said:


> Best thing you can do right now is to use a hospital cage to minimize its movement. I would find a heating source ( lamp, pad etc.) to help it maintain its energy. Dehydration becomes a serious problem if they are not drinking on their own. Hand feed pedialyte might be something to consider until you can get to a vet. Your bird is probably fighting an ingoing infection of some sort and you will need a doctor's insight to prescribe the right antibiotics. Right now, its all about conserving energy and providing supportive care....I feel for you...just went through this a couple months ago...


Thank you.

I don't have a hospital cage (I never heard of those until now to be fair), and she was sitting perched on her own in the cage barely moving.

It's quite warm in my room, warmer than anywhere else in the house, so that wasn't an issue.

And I'd gladly take her to a vet, but what good will a vet who has no idea about birds do? This is what frustrates me.


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## QuarrionFriend (Apr 20, 2018)

Look and keep an eye for:
Respiratory or digestive issues 
✔Beyond normal watery poop/color 
✔Seeds or unprocessed pieces of food in poop
✔ vomiting
✔ discharge from nose or eyes
✔ tail bobbing
Determining whether it is a digestive or respiratory issue could help guide a vet.
Unfortunatly, loss of weight and dehydration is what follows if conditions dont improve. I've had to provide supportive care previouly by using pedialite and crop/tube feeding formula in order to minimize weight loss and boost the healing process. That being said, crop feeding birds IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF NOT FATAL for the inexperienced. I had to beg a local breeder to give me a crash course which did and still does make me nervous. Of course the right equipment will be required. I trully hope you cockatiel gets better with a little TLC and supportive care. At this time the best you can do is try to feed it what it likes best (millet maybe), just to keep some weight. Keep an eye on dehydration. Eyelids will give you a clue.


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## QuarrionFriend (Apr 20, 2018)

Forgot, also remember that a cockatiels body temperature is about 102 to 110 degrees, so even if it is warm in your room, it may not be enough! Just an opinon...hang in there!


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## Cackledemon (Apr 20, 2018)

Hi, thanks, unsure if your 2nd previous post had images or not, it shows up as this: 



> ✔Beyond normal watery poop/color
> ✔Seeds or unprocessed pieces of food in poop
> ✔ vomiting
> ✔ discharge from nose or eyes
> ✔ tail bobbing


She doesn't eat much, we tried to force feed her and maybe we managed about 5-10 grams of baby tiel food, she drinks water though, sometimes she vomits it instantly sometimes she doesn't.

I try to keep the area as warm as possible, I just don't have all the tools necessary and to be fair I'm quite ill myself at the moment :/

I'm doing the best I can to help her... All I can do apart from helping is hope that she pulls through.

I wouldn't dare to crop feed her or any bird, ever, I would undoubtedly screw it up.

So far she made the night (I'm outside the US, so this is day (1?)2 of her being ill, it started about 24 hours ago) and I hope she continues to fight, she can whistle when her partner whistles, she still manages to fly when she has to (like I said we tried to feed her and she escaped from our grip and back to her cage) and she sits perched.

As far as I was told sitting perched is a good sign?


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Depends. If she sleeps with one foot up, then that's a good sign. Both feet down and puffed up is not.



> And I'd gladly take her to a vet, but what good will a vet who has no idea about birds do? This is what frustrates me.


Any vet will have the most basic knowledge and they will have books that they can look things up. They can also call and consult with someone more knowledgeable. That's what I had to do when I didn't leave anywhere near an avian vet. They can also prescribe meds to help make your tiel better. Some meds are better than no meds at all. And they can run tests if they need to. They won't specialize in birds but they'll have a basic knowledge to help. Call around and ask the local vets if there is one who is willing to see a sick bird. I have always managed to find at least one vet willing to.


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## Cackledemon (Apr 20, 2018)

Thank you all for trying to help.

She passed away this morning at 1:45 AM.

I'm a wreck, she was the most energetic and beautiful animal I've ever seen.

I'll never forget her, she left behind 3 kiddos and her hubby.

Pictures of Lily

My beautiful baby. Rest in Peace Lily, dad loves you.

I don't know what the policy is, I tried to see if I can lock the thread but I can't.. If someone wants to do it, thank you.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

She was very beautiful, I'm so sorry for your loss. :angel: I am gonna leave the thread open so others can offer their condolences unless you don't want that?


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## QuarrionFriend (Apr 20, 2018)

I'm so very sorry for your loss! It is heartbreaking to see such vibrant little souls wither away. My heart goes out to you....rest in peace Lily...you will be missed and never forgotten.


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## Cackledemon (Apr 20, 2018)

roxy culver said:


> She was very beautiful, I'm so sorry for your loss. :angel: I am gonna leave the thread open so others can offer their condolences unless you don't want that?


That would be nice. Thank you.

I'm still so shocked, a series of mistakes and other circumstances out of my hand led to the death of my birb. Been sobbing on and off all day. I miss her whistle so much, I want her back.

Thank you Roxy and Quarrion, scritch your birbs for me tonight. 

I'm shattered.


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## Unclejk (Apr 22, 2018)

I am so sorry for your loss! Such an innocent soul to pass away. Will keep you in my thoughts.


Rest In Peace Lily


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## Nat_22 (Mar 6, 2018)

Cackledemon I’m so sorry for you loss she was a beautiful bird. RIP Lily


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## Cackledemon (Apr 20, 2018)

Thank you Unclejk and Nat_22 

Gosh I wish I could turn back time to 2 weeks ago or 3 or any time to prevent this.

I have her 3 babies to help grow along with papa birb.

thank you all


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## DivaMamaBird (Mar 2, 2018)

My heart was breaking when I read your story about Lily, so sorry for your loss I know she will be missed.


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## QuarrionFriend (Apr 20, 2018)

Don't blame yourself...grieving will have you go through many "what if" questions. Time will help you... time to take care of Lily's precious gifts and papa...hang in there!


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## angiessa (Apr 16, 2018)

So sorry for your loss. She was lovely. I lost my 15 year old dog on Friday, so I definitely feel your pain. <3


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## Cackledemon (Apr 20, 2018)

Thank you for the kind words everyone.

I'm still not close to accepting it, but time will make the pain easier.

I will stop visiting this thread because every time I do I burst into tears. I hope you understand. Thank you all.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Cackledemon I'll close the thread down. Don't be a stranger!


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