he's sitting on perch - a little puffed up - his back looks humped- not singing or making any noise much at all..he was making creaking noises day before yesterday. eating a little.
weather quite chilly here.
they never really drink a lot. the droppings i noticed dont have as much white in them or none at all more green.
no avian vets near me at all
i could send picture to you if it would help
Birds don’t just have a set of lungs, they have a complex respiratory system that includes air sacs throughout the body. Since in nature they are not frequently exposed to air borne toxins, there’s not much in place to remove them. Fluids rush to the areas in an attempt to wash them out – and quite often it’s shocking to owners to find that the necropsy shows their bird passed from what amounted to drowning.
Find an avian vet near you http://aav.org/vet-lookup and
http://veccs.org/hospital_directory.php
Another very productive search site is http://www.vetwebdirectory.net/index.php?option=com_mtzcssearch&template=2
These days, with birds growing fast in popularity as in home companions, many DVM’s are quite experienced and able to see and treat many birds. If you have a pet store that sells birds or know of any bird breeders – ask them who they use for their bird care.
To be sure the vet is a good one, make sure you’re there for the exam. This should include hands on, feeling the chest area, peering into the mouth with a well placed flashlight and lifting the tail feathers to examine the vent.
This exam should also include any one or more of the following: Blood tests, gram stains/cultures, x-rays, even oral/crop/tracheal swabs and so on.
If the examining vet doesn’t perform a hands on exam, or worse, leaves your bird in their cage or carrier, leave immediately. This is not the vet for you or your bird.
Until then, he needs oxygen rich air. If it's possible, open a window without putting him in line of a draft or chill.
What you can do while securing a vet to see your companion is supportive care.
Most birds will need a heat source to maintain body heat while you’re getting their medical treatment lined up or while you’re on your way to see the vet with them.
If perching is a problem, lower the perch to just a couple inches above the floor of the cage so falling doesn’t injure them. You might also want to remove the perch completely and layer newspapers on the bottom or put a tee shirt there. We use T-shirts because bath towels tend to have looped surfaces that can entangle little toenails.
Putting a heat source into the cage may be necessary since a sick or distressed bird tends to lose body heat. I prefer a non electric source and use rice socks.
Use a thick, clean sock and fill it ¾ with plain, raw white rice. Knot the end and microwave it for about 1 ½ minutes. Shake it afterwards to distribute the heat and be sure it’s not too hot.
Heating pad options include layering a thick towel on one side of the cage, secure with clothespins out of the reach of the bird’s beak – then clip a heating pad over the towel and set on low. Check often to be sure it’s not overheating and that the bird isn’t gnawing through. A side attachment like this will allow the bird to move closer or away as needed.
If the bird is bottom-bound, install a heating pad under about ½ of the base, again, set on low. Always check it. They have a tendency to turn off or overheat and to be honest, I rarely use them.
The rice sock option is far safer.
Cover the cage with a dark blanket or doubled over dark sheet, leaving just enough open space to be able to peek in and monitor. The bird needs to be kept calm and resting.
For a makeshift incubator (for smaller or younger birds), use a small box lined with soft clothes like tee shirts.
Use a thick, clean sock and fill it ¾ with plain, raw white rice. Knot the end and microwave it for about 1 ½ minutes. Shake it afterwards to distribute the heat and be sure it's not too hot. Tuck this in just under the cloths.
A heating pad under the box is also helpful, set on low. This is one of the few times I’d ever use both heat sources if necessary to maintain incubation temp (80-90 degrees in this case).
If ever using an electric source for heating anything in anyway, please be vigilant and constantly double checking carefully.
Gently drape a light cover over this box to further help hold heat in and keep light low.
You're doing all the right things - now it's time to get him seen though. There's just so much we can do at home, you know? Labwork needs to be conducted at this point.
I am pulling for both of you, so please let me know how you make out.
God bless
Certified Avian Specialist
Cert. Avian Specialist; Int. Assoc.Animal Behavior Consult; Pet Ind. Joint Advisory Council; author