Lovebirds are friendly and fun pets who can live happy lives full of affection for their owners and their mates.Keeping lovebirds healthy isn't usually a chore, but it is still important to monitor them for signs of illness.Contact your vet if you notice any changes to your lovebird's appearance, behavior, or habits.Lovebirds will hide their symptoms until they are very sick.It is better to be cautious when your pet's health is in question.
Step 1: There are changes in their feathers.
Birds have feathers that are a sign of illness.There are many signs of illness in lovebirds, such as not preening, matted feathers, rapid changes in color, and picking out feathers.Any of these symptoms are concerning.If you notice any of these, contact your vet.The first sign of illness in a lovebird is puffed up feathers.Take your bird to the vet if you notice any of the symptoms.
Step 2: Look at their beak.
There are many problems with the beak, including the critical Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease.Check to see if the beak is overgrown, flaky, discolored, or if there is discharge around the nares.If you suspect your bird has the disease, make an appointment with your vet to have it checked out.Sick birds should be kept away from other birds.
Step 3: Their droppings should be monitored for texture and color.
Abnormal droppings could be a sign of a serious illness.An increase or decrease in the number of daily droppings, especially green or yellow colors, should be looked for.
Step 4: If their breathing is labored, watch them.
Respiratory illnesses are one of the more common problems in lovebirds, so you need to watch their breathing when looking for signs of illness.Difficulty breathing, breathing through an open beak, wheezing, trouble breathing while flying, and sneezing are all signs of respiratory problems.Most birds have difficulty breathing.Take your lovebird to your nearest animal hospital if you notice any respiratory symptoms.
Step 5: Immediate attention should be given to injuries or critical symptoms.
If you notice any burns, bite wounds, bleeding, vomiting, seizures, rapid weight loss, lump or swelling in the body or on the feet, or if your bird falls off its perch, seek immediate vet attention.These are critical signs that your bird needs medical attention.
Step 6: Change in your bird's attitude is something to watch for.
Lovebirds can get depressed or anxious if they don't feel well.If your bird shows little interest in fly time, sleeps a lot, or gets overly nervous when someone enters the room, it could be a sign that they are sick.
Step 7: They need to be aware of the amount of food and water they consume.
A decrease in appetite or a sudden increase in thirst could be signs that your bird is sick, which is a common problem in lovebirds.Keep an eye on how much your lovebird drinks and eats.Contact your vet if you notice a sudden change.
Step 8: They should check for changes in their posture.
It could be a sign that your bird doesn't feel well if they tuck their head or huddle instead of standing tall.Critical behavioral symptoms such as these need to be seen by a vet immediately.
Step 9: They are in their cage.
The two most obvious signs that something is wrong are sitting on the floor or holding onto the cage with their beak.If your bird is unable to perch normally, you should immediately contact an avian vet to see if an appointment is necessary.If you notice this behavior in your bird, you should contact a vet.Immediate care is needed for your bird.
Step 10: You can track their movements.
It can be an indicator of stress or a larger health problem if a bird doesn't move much in its cage.If you notice that your bird is sitting for long periods at their food or water dish, they may be showing symptoms of a serious illness.
Step 11: The bird needs to be isolated.
If you have more than one bird, it is best to move a bird that isn't feeling well into a different room.This helps reduce stress for sick birds and helps prevent diseases from spreading to healthy birds.
Step 12: Take your bird to a vet.
An avian vet is a vet that focuses on treating birds.Call your local vet if you think your lovebird is sick.If your vet can't see you immediately, ask for recommendations for an emergency animal hospital.For the time between your call and your appointment, ask the vet what precautions you should take with the bird.You can find an animal vet by visiting aav.org.
Step 13: Stress can be reduced around the bird.
Stress can cause diseases in birds.Keeping perches low, making sure food and water are easy to reach, minimizing handling, and allowing a quiet space for your bird to rest are all ways to reduce stress.
Step 14: Provide supplemental heat.
Birds lose body heat quickly when sick.Provide your bird with an environment around 80 to 85 F with a heat lamp.It's important to get enough sunlight to ward off vitamin D deficiencies.Place your bird in an area with access to natural light, or use full-spectrum lamps to provide the UVA and UVB rays they need.
Step 15: They should clean their cages daily.
If you can, wash food and water dishes with soap and hot water daily and remove old cage liners and paper to help eliminate the germs that can grow in dirty cages.All toys, dishes, and accessories should be used a bird-safe Disinfectant once a week.Before rinsing it away with hot water, make sure the Disinfectant is completely dry.After the cage and equipment are dry, they should be returned to their home.