1 parakeet died yesterday

[zebsoc]

Bluie passed away yesterday.

He got sick during weekend and nothing helped much tho I thought a couple days ago he was doing better and he was still eating really well and even yesterday he was still eating.

I've been sick myself last couple days and we had a bad storm yesterday.

The thing is he smelled weird before he died but I thought it had to be my imagination.
But today he already smelled bad when I found him in the morning. First time I've ever had a bird smell bad after dying. I realize that with a heat lamp to keep him warm for the night it would make it smell faster but it was not directly aimed at him. And the livingroom was about 70 so it wasn't hot. Even bird that passed away in summer heat wave didn't smell tho.

Plus using the air purifier only spread the smell throughout the apartment.

Due to being sick and with stormy weather I can't air place out right now.

And I'm concerned that while the other 3 parakeets seem fine and so do my finches that they could get whatever he had.

How do I disinfect smell and bacteria for safety for birds and take odor out of apartment?
Something that is handy since I can't go out right now due to poor health and being sick past days.

[lovezebs]

zebsoc

So sorry to hear about Bluie .
Poor little guy....

In regards to smells...
I'm not really sure, but I would hazard a guess, that if it was some sort of an infection, there could be a smell associated with it.

Regarding getting rid of a bad smell:
Personally storm or no storm, I would throw a comforter over the bird cage, open all the windows, and blast the heat for a few minutes. Usually that works.

I would also clean everything Bluie was in contact with, with a solution of vinegar and water, or Hydrogen Peroxide if you have it.

Again, so very sorry for your little fella, and I hope you get well soon.

[zebsoc]

lovezebs - thank you very much for ur reply and help.

An infection makes sense.

I don't have vinegar but do have peroxide which I hadn't thought of using.

Is there anything I can do to help ensure my other parakeets r ok and don't come down with whatever he had since birds can hide illness so well?

[lovezebs]

zebsoc

Seeing as we don't know what he was sick with, it would be very difficult to know what to recommend, plus I am not Vet.

Do the other birds look healthy?

I would clean everything top to bottom, all the perches, the dishes, the water tubes, the cage, and hope for the best.

Fresh food, fresh water, a nice warm light....
I honestly don't know what else to recommend.

Did Bluie, show any symptoms at all? Was he old? Was there anything out of the ordinary with him?

[Sally]

So sorry you lost Blue. You've already gotten good advice from lovezebs. I also would just clean everything and then keep an eye on them.

[zebsoc]

lovezebs and sally - thank you for ur help

Lovezeb - so far the others seem ok
They r eating but that doesn't seem to be a good way to tell if they r well.

They r a bit subdued but then bluie just died so that would seem normal enough.

We have had alternating storms with flooding and veey cold weather (for CA)

Looking back I think bluie wasn't feeling well since the storms began but then the days were dark and the weather bad so I just thought he was being a little more quiet with the bad weather. He was quite the chirper and chatter bug.
So the rest being quieter is definitely due to his loss of chatter too.

By the time he showed definite signs on the weekend of sleeping more than the others he must already have been pretty bad rather than just starting.

I have to say I find birds confusing when it coms to health because I thought he was improving since he had a good appetite and even tho I moved him to a sick cage for added warm for him and to protect him from getting picked on, he still ate when the others went to eat so he was still interested and alert to his surroundings. He actually was sleeping Less the last couple days.

I guess I'm feeling edging because I don't trust my ability to tell when their getting sicknor when I think they're getting better he wasn't.

He was a beautiful deep blue. And he had the blue nostrils. Since I got him from a pet store Im not sure his age. But the blue had started to show about a month ago so I think he was fairly young.
He had been a robust lively fellow.
He used to hang out with 2 of the other parakeets. It was the 4th that I was concerned about because the other 3 didn't include him much.
Then about the time of the storms bluie started to not hang out with the other 2 but they seemed to finally be seriously bonding so I didn't think much of it. Whitie seemed to want to be friends with bluie tho they had hated each other so I thought things were going really well.

[lovezebs]

zebsoc

It's so hard to know with birds.

In many cases, by the time they actually show any real signs, they are dying

I have seen puffed up birds, looking sad and miserable, and the minute you walk into the room, they are bouncing around all bright eyed and smooth feathered like there is nothing wrong with them.

[w.l.]

Btw, when Americans talk about "parakeets" without specifying a species, do they mean budgies?
It's kind of confusing to me, as to me parakeets would be more like ring-necks etc!

[lovezebs]

w.l.

Yes, Budgies.

[zebsoc]

It's so hard to know with birds.In many cases, by the time they actually show any real signs, they are dying 

Thanks lovezebs - it makes me feel a little better that I didn't miss some sign sooner.

[lovezebs]

zebsoc

How are the other kids doing?

[zebsoc]

Today they look well

Yesterday the 2 bonded ones were harassing whitey a bit.
But they r sitting all 3 together today.

Will just need to keep an eye out to be sure whitey ok.

[lovezebs]

zebsoc

Good luck.

[zebsoc]

lovezebs

Thank you

[lovezebs]

zebsoc

How are you and the feathered kids doing?

I hope all are well.