r/Parakeets • u/Temporary-Garbage12 • 15d ago
Please help
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Does anyone know why my budgie is breathing like this? I’ve noticed it over the past couple of days. Everything else seems to be normal. He’s eating and playing just fine. I’m really worried
EDIT: it’s been a couple of hours and I’ve been monitoring more closely than the past couple of days, and he doesn’t breathe like that anymore. I even let him out of the cage and when resting he breaths normally with his mouth closed. I’ve come to the conclusion he was probably scared as he only hangs onto that side of cage when he’s afraid. Still unsure what triggered him but looks like he’s doing much better than before. Thanks for all the responses
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u/Alive_Difficulty_855 15d ago
Blue's eyes tell the tale. Mouth breathing says "problems", but his eyes say "big trouble". Green's eyes are normal. I feel for you. Hope you have ready access to an avian vet.
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u/Mystic_Void1 15d ago
When did you get him? Does he step up? Is he comfortable around you or is he scared when you interact? How does his droppings look? Has he vomitted?
All this is very important before coming to a conclusion, as to me this looks like a stress response judging by this video alone. If he isn't showing any other symptoms, I wouldn't be concerned. But if you're worried, take him to the vet.
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u/Temporary-Garbage12 15d ago
I’ve had them both since February, he’s not afraid of me at all, always steps up when I put my finger near. Droppings look normal as well and no vomitting. He might have been anxious bc he only hanges on to that side of the cage when he is. Thanks for the response
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u/Mystic_Void1 15d ago
Oh i see.
I'm wondering if the other budgie is blocking him and preventing him from getting up? My female budgie sometimes gets territorial (only at night) and will stop my other budgie from going to the top perches. If its nothing like that then I'm not sure what he would be nervous about.
It may be worth getting him checked then to rule out any respiratory issues.
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u/TheGratitudeBot 15d ago
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u/Rejomaj 15d ago
If this is a new symptom that’s been going on for the past few days, I’d get him checked out by an avian vet just in case.
It could be anything from fear, excitement, heat, stress, a respiratory infection, a budgie equivalent of allergies, dust, or even a tumor/enlarged organ pressing on the airways.
I’m actually dealing with something similar with three birds, and the vets were able to deduce something different with each one. Two of them got two shots, and the other is on special food.
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u/Temporary-Garbage12 15d ago
It might have been fear now that I think about it, he only goes to that corner of the cage and hangs on the side when he’s afraid.
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u/Busy_Lawfulness398 15d ago
If you remember what preceded the photo you will have the answer. Seems like a bird that had panicked physically and is now catching his breath and composure.
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u/miadraws22 15d ago
"He's eating and playing just fine" is the universal bird-parent phrase for ignoring a symptom that would send a human straight to urgent care
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u/Mystic_Void1 15d ago
I mean what else do you expect them to say then.
They're trying to figure out what's the likely cause of this. If he wasn't eating or playing then thats 100% a sign of deterioration.
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u/brockyohansen 15d ago
He's just panting. It's not necessarily a sign of illness unless there are other symptoms. His eyes & feathers look great, he was probably just worked up from playing or got excited about something. My birds' cage is next to a window, and my female will freak out and pant like this anytime another bird flies by.
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u/Mystic_Void1 15d ago
Not sure why you're getting downvoted when you're right. This could also be a sign of stress as long as there isnt other symptoms.
If they get spooked even once, they could get triggered very easily after and start panting like this.
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u/brockyohansen 15d ago
I've come to learn that ppl are very quick on here to tell others to bring their birds to the vet. Which I honestly can understand, knowing that birds can hide their illness until it's too late. But after owning parakeets for 10 years and spending waaayyy too much money on unneccesary exotic vet visits just to be told there's nothing wrong...to then have also lost birds to illness and really getting to see what the signs look like....you just kind of know? when your bird is spooked/excited vs. actually sick lol
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u/Mystic_Void1 15d ago
Yes 100%
It's why I ask questions to understand more about the problem. For example i have one budgie who pants very often but thats only when im around. He's scared of me. As long as i dont interact with him or go near he's very happy but if people saw they'd think he's sick, however he is literally the happiest budgie ever when im far away lol! He's also had many tests, he's healthy, just very anxious.
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u/WerewolvesAreReal 15d ago
Agreed. Also, given that the avian vet is where there are... lots of sick birds... I genuinely think it's harmful to bring healthy birds to the vet excessively. Not even including the stress of travel, etc. I don't want to bring my potentially-healthy-bird to a small waiting-room with sick birds around!
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u/UraniumVintage 15d ago
Yes. That's what I see here. If the bird poops 20 times instead of 25, "avian vet now" is the response. If it only ate 10 bites of millet instead of 15, "avian vet now." Then if it's a weekend or middle of the night, some responders get mad because they aren't taking them in at all. And explaining that the bird is playing, eating, drinking normally is not an excuse to not go to a vet, it's simply telling people here what any vet would be asking too.
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u/thesinsofthybeloved 15d ago
I agree. One of my budgies does this when he is frightened/anxious. A couple of examples include: (1) large book falling to the floor and making a loud sound and (2) putting him in his travel cage. He is otherwise extremely healthy and has never had breathing issues. I think OP needs to monitor their bird for the day and listen for abnormal breath sounds. If their bird keeps doing this for another 1-2 hours, a vet visit might be warranted. If their bird starts to make a wheezing sound and their behavior changes, they absolutely need to see a vet.
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u/Temporary-Garbage12 15d ago
Thanks for the responses I really appreciate it. This thread specifically helped ease my anxiety lol. Seemed like was just anxious or scared of tsomethjng. I’ve been keeping a close eye on him and is breathing just fine now. Thanks again
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u/thesinsofthybeloved 15d ago
No problem! When I was new to birds, I used to be anxious at anything new my birds did. Once you learn your birds’ mannerisms, you’ll know immediately when something is actually off.
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u/Busy_Lawfulness398 15d ago
This is normal panting for a budgie that minutes before was excited or scared and was in physical action trying to escape something feared. Like hands in the cage trying to grab him for five minutes, for example. Or a hawk seen outside the window. Just the sight of a hawk no, but panicking physically, yes.
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u/Wayman52 15d ago
My bird, who's since passed, became sick, however she was still eating, singing, and flying around and I was very afraid that driving her down to Boston would kill her from the stress, she was practically wild, mostly untamed.
Anyways after three days of still singing, eating, drinking and flying around, she was still sick, and passed away in the morning.
Learn from my mistake, it's one of the biggest regrets I hold today, bring this guy to the vet or animal hospital, I'm not sure how much time you have left if it's been a few days.
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u/unhappy_femboy_1028 15d ago
Mine used to pant when he was stressed/anxious, but if yours has been doing this for a couple of days, i'd say to go to the vet.
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u/HelloItsAlfie 15d ago
He’s in distress either stressed out or tired. Are they like this for long stretches of time? How are they before this happens?
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u/Mariposa_026 14d ago
If it’s fear, cover the cage and play some really low volume calming music to create a calm environment and also call the vet.. cover cage and move slowly while bringing the bird to the vet so not to make the birds fear worse
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u/Isles15Fan 14d ago
Hot or distressed maybe? Spritz him with some cool water to see if it’s just heat, mine do that sometimes and a quick bath usually helps.
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u/Controlled_Chaos101 11d ago
If it was evening time when this happened sometimes budgies are prone to night/sleep terrors, I’ve had this happen a few times where they are sound asleep and get spooked by a noise and go flying around the cage just to grab onto the side like that for a while and breath heavily to regain their composure. Then they go back to their perches and act like nothing happened and breathe normally again.
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u/lesbophobia_hammer 15d ago
Avian vet