How to Know If Your Cockatiel Is Sick
- 1). Check your bird's feathers around their eyes, nostrils and mouth. Look for any matted feathers or a light yellow mucus or discharge on the bird's feathers. A runny nose or watery eyes can mean that your bird may have a cold.
- 2). Check your bird's nostrils for swelling and to make sure the nostrils are not red. If the nostrils show swelling or have a red color to them, your bird may have a respiratory infection.
- 3). Watch your bird to see if you notice it doing any unusual neck stretches or fluffing up its feathers. An occasional neck stretch and feather fluffing is normal, but if it is frequent that may mean that they do not feel well.
- 4). Listen to your bird. If your bird's squawks sound hoarse or lower (quieter), compared to how they normally are, they may have a cold.
- 5). Watch your bird's behavior. Be sure to notice if your bird is not sitting on its perch but instead is sitting at the bottom of its cage and not walking around much; if so, the bird may be very ill. Also keep an eye out on your bird's breathing. If you notice any wheezing, coughing, gurgling or clicking noises along with its tail bobbing whenever the bird breaths, that usually means the bird is having trouble breathing. If you notice that your bird is not perching, or seems to be having trouble breathing, this may be a medical emergency, take your bird to an avian veterinarian immediately.
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