Are budgies susceptible to diseases?

If you are thinking about taking a budgie as a roommate, then you are of course wondering about the health of the animals in general.

One thing in advance: Unfortunately, there are no statistics on the disease susceptibility of budgies.

However, there are some diseases, about which you as the owner of the small parakeets should know urgently. Because only then you can act early against and take the right steps.

We tell you what you absolutely have to know!

Susceptible to disease, or not?

Whether a budgie is very susceptible to disease depends on several factors and cannot be answered “yes” or “no” per se. These factors include:

Attitude
Food
stocking density and cage size
genetic predisposition
breeding conditions

The husbandry plays a decisive role. Clean water, clean litter and sufficient space as well as company are important. Variety and free flights are also important to keep the animals’ psyche healthy. For example, if they are constantly stressed by too little space, can hardly fly or are exposed to drafts and dirt, the immune system is immensely reduced.

The food can also make a budgie sick!

Inferior quality or impurities, one-sided nutrition and the wrong foods not only stress the digestive tract. They can also cause deficiency symptoms and thus weaken the immune system.

Stocking density and cage size are also important for physical and mental health. Keeping six budgies in a small cage is a significant difference from keeping six budgies in a spacious indoor aviary with retreats and daily free flight. The stress level is significantly lower in the second option and the risk of infection among them is also reduced.

Despite the best care and husbandry, some budgies prove more susceptible to disease than others. This can be due to the fact that the genetic predisposition or the breeding conditions have turned out suboptimal.

Inbreeding has an influence here, as does the selection of unsuitable birds for breeding.
Warning signs of diseases and injuries

In order to treat health problems as quickly and appropriately as possible, common symptoms must first be known. These include:

Separation from the flock
Apathy
Breathing sounds
Fluffed plumage
Staying on the ground
discharge from nose or eyes
sitting with legs apart
refusal of food and water
Fecal changes
scraping of the beak
posture of legs or wings
shaking of the head
constant scratching or preening
restlessness
sticky plumage
obsessive-compulsive disorder

If these signs are noticed, a veterinarian should be consulted urgently. Because they can indicate both diseases and injuries. If these are recognized in time and treated correctly, a cure is quite possible.

Budgies can die quickly if not treated properly. Therefore, you should never hesitate too long to contact a veterinarian.
Finding the right vet

Before moving on to the possible health problems, it must first be mentioned that the right veterinarian plays a crucial role.

Not every veterinarian knows birds well. Therefore, the therapy spectrum can be limited as well as the diagnostic performance.

You should therefore urgently find a practice or clinic that is familiar with birds in general and with parakeets in particular and knows how to treat the small animals.

For example, you can use forums where other owners can give tips. Alternatively, you can of course ask the vet if they have experience in treating birds.

Typical diseases of budgies

In this chapter we would like to give you a rough overview of “typical” diseases of budgies.

However, please do not try to diagnose yourself, but take your pet to the doctor if you notice any changes in its behavior or symptoms of disease.
Aspergillosis

The technical term stands for an infestation of the lungs with a fungus. This is very often Aspergillius fumigatus.

Typical symptoms are:

Apathy
Cracking during breathing
Pumping during breathing
Hyperextension of the neck

Possible triggers are:

spoiled food
lack of hygiene
stress
bad or dry air
too high stocking density

So an infestation can be prevented very easily by keeping the budgies in a species-appropriate and appropriate manner.
Mites

The parasites can cause considerable damage to the plumage, the beak and the claws. In many cases, only euthanasia remains as an option, because the complete beak was destroyed and thus no more food intake is possible.

Unfortunately, mites are often recognized too late or treated incorrectly. Instead of using remedies from the pet store, you should immediately go to the vet to get the right medication.

The symptoms are:

frequent scratching
bald and reddened areas
apparent scratches on the beak
scaly areas

The mites themselves are not visible to the naked eye. However, prevention is possible by cleaning the cage or aviary thoroughly and using only fresh and clean litter for the floor.

Straw and hay should be avoided, as mites and other parasites like to live in them.
Poisoning

When flying freely in the room, budgies show great curiosity. Once from the indoor plant try, nibble on the furniture or destroy cables are not uncommon. This can very quickly lead to poisoning.

Possible signs are:

Apathy
Disturbances of the equilibrium
Gagging
trembling

To prevent this from happening in the first place, you should make the free-flight space safe for the budgies. Protect them from potential dangers and act preventively to minimize the risks. Also, don’t waste time if the above signs appear. Instead, seek veterinary care immediately.
Polyoma and PBFD

This is a viral disease that has no cure.

Affected budgies must be separated from other animals immediately, because the infection can spread through feces, food and water. Damage to the feathers and bald patches are characteristic. In addition, the birds can no longer fly or only to a limited extent.
Tumors

Growths on or under the skin or on organs are also not uncommon in budgies. These are often only noticed when they are already very large. Operative interventions are with the small Sittichen are usually hardly possible. However, if such a tumor is noticed and is located comparatively close under the skin, a removal is potentially given.

Prevent diseases and injuries

To prevent budgies from becoming susceptible to disease in the first place, there are numerous preventative options. Among them are

species-appropriate keeping in a flock
regular and thorough cleaning of the cage or aviary
proper nutrition
secured free flight
seating of different sizes
fresh water
offer variety
pay attention to the behavior
budgies only from trustworthy breeding acquire

This may not prevent everything, but it will significantly reduce the risk of problems.