JustAnswer > Pet
Ask A Question|Register|Login|Help
JustAnswer

Pet

Ask a Pet Question, Get an Answer ASAP!

Have your own Pet question?

11 Vets and Pet Experts are Online Now
characters left:
Not a Pet Question?
Bookmark and Share

Question

my male canary is not doing well. He stopped sinigng about a week ago and seems to have developed some twitching. It started with his head and now seems to be worse, affecting the whole body. He is eating well and drinking. at least he was this a.m. I have a female as well, in another cage. she seems to be doing fine. can you help?

Submitted: 862 days and 3 hours ago.
Category: Pet
Value: $15
Status: AWAITING CUSTOMER ACTION
+
Read More
Posted by Patricia 862 days and 2 hours ago.

Info Request

Hello. I'll sure try. How old is the bird? How long have you had him and what is his usual dailey diet? Is the twitching a constant thing or off and on? Is he still using the perches? Keeping his feathers fluffed? Have you seen a change in the appearance of his droppings? Patricia

862 days and 2 hours ago.

Reply

The bird is about one year old. I purchased him in april. He has been doing great until now. he seems alot thinner than the female, however he eats well. I feed them fiesta brand food, fresh spinach, which he loves, he eats 2 leaves daily, egg protein diet, treat mullets and fresh apples. the twitching seem to be constant, but he only started 2 days ago. he sits on the perch ok but he seems to occationally lean to one side. His feather seem normal, but he does puff up occationally. droppings seem unchanged.

Accepted Answer

Okay, thanks for the extra information. It's very helpful. I have to point out what I'm sure you are already aware of, that I cannot diagnose for you in this format. Not even a Certified Avian vet could do that. But I can give you what I think is the most likely thing going on with him. It sounds like you are doing an above average job with their diet and good for you on that. Dizzyness, being unsteady, and being disoriented are indications of a possible exposure to a toxic substance or product. We all have tons of them in our homes and if we are not aware of the dangers, it so very easy to poison a bird. It is odd, however, that the other bird would not have probably had the same exposures and be exhibiting the same symptoms. However, if she is by chance healthier and has a better immune system, it just may take longer to show up with her. Or, he may have been exposed before you got him and it's taking this long to show up. Birds have a strong instinct to mask all symptoms of an illness or injury, from us so by the time we see a symptom, they have been ill for awhile. The problem with these products is, we don't usually give them a second thought because they are safe for us and most other types of pets, yet they can be deadly to birds. Some kill very quickly while some are cumulative and kill over the long term. Metal poisoning is another possibility that can show similar initial symptoms. But that would not be my first suspect due to his age, assuming you do know he is really that young. Lead and zinc poisoning comes from exposure to unsafe cages, toys, toys parts and toy hangars. But that one is definitely cumulative and can take a while to manifest. What I'm going to do is give you the links that I usually give to first time bird owners and you will have to do some detective work to determine if there has been a possible exposure to any of them. There are many but the ones we hear about most often are non stick cookware, any product of any kind that sprays into the air, any kind of air freshener no matter the type, (sprays, gels, plugins, etc.). Cigarette smoke, burning candles or incense and nearly all commercial cleaning products. I'm also going to give you links for locating the closest proper Avian vet in case you don't already have one. If you can spot anything on these lists, you can stop any further exposure immediately but he needs to be seen by a proper vet for a definite diagnosis and proper treatment. I hope this will help you out but if you have any further questions, just let me know. Best of luck and I'll sure keep the little guy in my thoughts. Patricia

Click here: Toxic and Safe Plants/Trees for Birds - Household Poisons

Click here: Birdsnways - Safe Plants & Trees for pet birds, pet parrots &exotic birds

Click here: Bird Proofing Your Home: Household Hazards for Birds

Click here: Bird Proofing Your Home - Avoid These Pet Bird Hazards

Click here: Diet: Safe & Toxic Foods (All fresh foods, if not thoroughly washed, can have insecticides and other toxins on them.)

Testing for Zinc in Parrot Toys, Play Gyms, and Cages

This article discusses the problem of zinc toxicity in parrots and ...

Parrot Safety_Bird-Wise Information Parrot Safety, Zinc Click here: Testing for Zinc in Parrot Toys

Click here: Testing for Zinc in Toys and Gyms

Click here: Heavy Metals are Poisonous to Birds

Click here: NCS - Heavy Metal Poisoning

Click here: Lead poisoned pets and your family

Click here: Find your local Avian Veterinarian

Click here: Avian Veterinarians Recommended by Bird Breeders and Owners http://www.birdsnways.com/articles/abvpvets.htm

Click here: World Wide Avian Vet Listing

Click here: BirdsnWays - Avian Veterinarians - Vets - Vet Services for Pet Parrots & Exotic Birds

This one looks like an advertisement for Harrison pellets but they are only sold by vets so it's another good list to check. Click here: Harrison's Bird Foods is a family of certified organic pet bird diets that were formulated to make your bird as he

Picture
Expert: Patricia
Pos. Feedback: 99.9 %
Accepts: 
Answered: 7/14/2007

Parrot C&onsultant

Published author, free lance bird behaviorist, adviser to the parrots at Sarasota Jungle Gardens.

862 days and 2 hours ago.

Reply

Thank you so much. I thought i was dilegent re: getting rid of everything including my cook ware. I did do research when I bought him. I guess i need to do more. thanks for the links

Posted by Patricia 861 days and 15 hours ago.

Answer

You are very welcome. Just remember, there is no guarantee a toxin is the problem. It's just the symptoms would indicate it is one good possibility. In any case, don't beat yourself up over it. Information about our birds is always changing and it can be hard to keep up with what is current. I hope you can find a vet who will get to a positive diagnosis for you quickly. I'll be here if you need anything else. Patricia

+
Read More

Related Pet Questions

  • My 1 yr old husky began limping yesterday on her back ...
  • What exactly is Stump Pyometra and can it be cured without ....
  • I have a 18 year old gelding and board him in pasture with ....
  • MY PUG HAS GEY HAIR ON HIS MOUTH AND HES JUST TURNED ...
  • What should you feed your bearded dragon? Please list ...
  • is there any thing to reduce a redness in the eye after ...
  • my best friend is a male and im a female, every one says ...
  • My 10 year old australian shepard mix has been shedding ...



Disclaimer: Information in questions, answers, and other posts on this site ("Posts") comes from individual users, not JustAnswer; JustAnswer is not responsible for Posts. Posts are for general information, are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (medical, legal, veterinary, financial, etc.), or to establish a professional-client relationship. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty or representations by JustAnswer regarding the qualifications of Experts. To see what credentials have been verified by a third-party service, please click on the "Verified" symbol in some Experts' profiles. JustAnswer is not intended or designed for EMERGENCY questions which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals.
Question List | Become an Expert | Terms of Service | Security & Privacy | About Us
© 2003-2009 JustAnswer Corp.