Parrot diseases
66 diseases of budgies, cockatiels, lovebirds, ringnecks, greys and macaws.
Viral
- Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD)Deformed/pinched/dead feathers and symmetrical feather loss after every molt
- PolyomavirusSudden death of chicks before weaning within 24–48 hours
- Proventricular dilatation disease (PDD) / bornavirusChronic weight loss despite eating
- Pacheco's disease (psittacid herpesvirus)Sudden death of birds in good body condition
- Internal papillomatosisBlood in droppings
- Avian poxWart-like growths and scabs on unfeathered skin (face, eyelids, legs)
- Newcastle disease (bird paralysis)Lethargy, loss of appetite and weight
- Avian influenzaSudden death
- West Nile virusLethargy, weight loss
- French molt (loss of flight feathers in budgerigars)Chicks lose flight and tail feathers or they do not grow
Parasitic
- GiardiaPlucking feathers under the wing and thigh with screaming (relationship not proven)
- TrichomonasIncreased saliva and regurgitation
- Roundworms (ascarids)Loss of condition and weight
- Capillaria worms (hairworms)Diarrhea and sometimes blood
- TapewormsOften asymptomatic
- Scaly face and leg mite (Knemidocoptes)Spongy white scales around the beak, cere and eye
- Air sac mitesClicking/wheezing with breathing
- Red mite (bird mite)Anemia and pallor in chicks
- Coccidia and CryptosporidiumDiarrhea
Chicks
- Crop stasis/sour cropThe crop does not empty on time
- Crop burnRedness and inflammation of the crop skin
- Aspiration pneumoniaRapid and difficult breathing after feeding
- Stunting (failure to thrive)Thin body with a large head
- Splayed legsOne or both legs stretched out to the side
- Beak deformities (scissor/protruding)Deviation of the upper or lower beak to the side (scissor)
- Constricted toe syndromeFibrous ring around a toe joint
- Chick dehydrationDry, red, wrinkled skin
Bacterial
- Chlamydiosis (parrot fever)May show no signs (carrier)
- Avian tuberculosis (mycobacteria)Chronic weight loss
- Gram-negative bacterial infection (E. coli/Klebsiella/Pseudomonas)Watery or foul-smelling droppings
- SalmonellaDiarrhea
- Chronic sinusitis (mycoplasma)Sneezing, nasal discharge
- Clostridial infectionVery foul-smelling droppings
- BumblefootRedness and shininess of the sole of the foot
Toxic
- Heavy metal poisoning (lead/zinc)Loss of appetite and weight, regurgitation, diarrhea
- Teflon (PTFE) fume toxicityOften sudden death
- Avocado poisoningDifficulty breathing
- Household food toxins (chocolate/caffeine/salt/alcohol)Hyperactivity, tremors, seizures (chocolate/caffeine)
- Smoke and nicotine exposureCoughing, sneezing and discharge
- Food mold poisoning (aflatoxin)Lethargy
Nutritional
- Vitamin A deficiencyNasal discharge and sneezing
- Calcium deficiency in African greysWeakness and falling off the perch
- Goiter (iodine deficiency)Wheezing/clicking with breathing
- Fatty liverLong beak and nails with bleeding
- ObesityWeight ~20% above ideal
- AtherosclerosisOften sudden death
Reproductive
- Egg binding (stuck egg)The female is on the cage floor, fluffed up, with her eyes closed
- Chronic egg laying (excessive ovulation)Repeated egg laying even without a male
- Egg yolk peritonitisAbdominal distension and ascites
- Cloacal prolapseRed tissue protruding from the cloacal opening
- Ovarian cystsAbdominal distension and ascites
Fungal
- Aspergillosis (lung fungus)Change in or loss of voice
- Candida (crop yeast)Crop stasis and loss of appetite
- Macrorhabdus (gastric yeast)Weight loss (prominent keel bone – "going light")
Behavioural
- Feather pluckingCut, plucked or chewed feathers on the chest, legs and under the wing, with the head intac
- Self-mutilation (skin injury)Open wounds on the chest/under the wing/legs
- Night fright (cockatiel)Violent thrashing in the cage at night
Tumours
- Kidney/testicular tumors in budgerigarsLimping or paralysis of one leg (pressure from the enlarged kidney on nerves)
- Lipomas and xanthomasA soft yellow mass under the skin over the keel bone or lower abdomen
Metabolic
Injuries
- Bleeding from a blood feather and injuriesBleeding from a new feather
- Ring (band) injuriesSwelling below the ring