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Young hen budgie; Went completely blind
Topic Started: Apr 9 2013, 05:40 AM (681 Views)
Crazy Bird Lady


Im so glad I figured it out before she starved to death.....

Tonight just now I discovered one of my young hen budgies on the floor of the cage.  She was not well, so I had put her on meds for a week she seemed extremely well and then I put her back into the big flight with the rest of the birds and within a day she was at the bottom of the cage very weak???  So just now I discovered from her constant movements and restlesness that she is totally BLIND!!???

So I crop fed her sugar water and then some food and she is up on a perch bewildered a bit and took a few bites of seeds when I put her in the feed dish.  I will build her strength back up again and have her in her own cage with food and water and will have to supplement her the rest of her life until she gets used to where the food and water is.   I feel so bad for her as she is so young.

I dont know what causes sudden blindness and in the event she has a head injury, I gave her medicam to see if any inflammation is causing this.

I could tell by three things.  Not too long ago, about two weeks ago, she had a "night fright".  When I tried to put her on a perch, she still thrashed around.  I just figured she was not one of the tamer ones and that she didnt want to be handled.  Now in hindsight I see that she is blind.  How I know this is that when I put her in the small cage, she was very restless, and trying to find a way up to a perch but was unable to, and she really just ignored my hand in the cage.  Usually they will run from it.   But still I didnt realize it, I just thought she is feeling sick and didnt care.  Not until just now when I went to handle her again and her eyes are dilated and she is searching for something.  So then I did the test where I wave my hand by the eye towards the head and ZERO reaction, she does not see it at all.  Now that I know what is happening, I can feed her and get her strong again and she will have to learn where the feed and water is and go from there.  

I had a blind finch before, remember the gouldian finch was very sweet, her name was Faith.  I had her for a few years and then she died.  I rescued her from a guy who was selling all of them, I insisted to take her as I figured someone would kill her or starve her.  She was a sweet bird.  I may put this hen back into the big flight for a minute and watch to see if any of the others are pair bonded with her then remove them both to a smaller private cage so that the one can look after the other and she can hear and listen and find the feed and water otherwise if no pair bond, I will hand feed her as needed. Im so glad I figured this out before she died for no reason. She is resting comfortabley but I hate that she is bewildered and scared, she doesnt know whats going on or why she cant see.
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Crazy Bird Lady


Sorry, so in short... signs of blindess in a bird.

1. Seemingly frantic, contstantly in motion not understanding the blindness
2. Thrashing about
3. On the floor unable to find food or drink
4. Disregard of the hand, no reaction to movement
5. Dilated pupils big and black
6. Restlessness
7. Struggling to climb to a perch
8. Weakness from lack of feed and water
9. Some may call in distress, she did not, just alot of pacing
10. Hanging onto bars with beak probably for a sense of security
11. Meekness, uncharactaristally tame when normally not.
Edited by Crazy Bird Lady, Apr 9 2013, 10:40 PM.
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VIOLET12
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Good to know. Sweetie was weak and never could get stronger I sure wish I knew what was wrong with him. He did that hanging on the bars but I know he wasn't blind.
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Crazy Bird Lady


Well I medicated her again now with baytril injection and now meds in the water, she now knows how to get to the seed dish and also on the floor for seed and water, but her poops are dark green and flat so I have NEVER been able to cure any bird that has had this type of poop, not with meds nor probiotics or even benebac. So I assume she will die at some point. It will be a matter of keeping her comfortable and pain free. The problem with the blindness is I cant even give her greens or anything as she wont be able to see to know what it is other than seed. At lease tho I give them a special mixture that I put together containing mixed sunflower seed hearts, pellets, eggfood dry, kelp, breadcrumbs, salted crackers crushed, and a red eggfood crumble, hempp seeds and niger seeds.
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Tishrei
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I read this post last night and found it to be so very sad that I didn't say anything. I pray that she can adjust and be happy or at least content in her life. I feel so bad for her. Gosh, what a very sad situation.
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Crazy Bird Lady


Ya well get this Tish, SHE CAN SEE something now anyway, this am she still could not see anything, her poops were more formed this morning and I took a pic of it and I went out shopping in town with my sister for the day and when I came back to change her heat lamp, she REACTED to my hand NEAR the outside of the cage, so I put my hand IN to test and she is definately seeing something now. How unbelievable, so not sure if the medicam helped or if the meds are taking care of an infection that is causing the blindness, either way I dont care, as long as she is able to see enough to not be afraid for herself anymore. I would be so happy. I also bought something called Clay-Cal from pet store today as I was doing research last night on the net. Its a calcium enriched clay supplement. Cant hurt them, it says for all birds, so fingers crossed that they get some nutrient out of it that they are not getting now.
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Tishrei
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Oh my gosh, that is so AWESOME, I really did feel a happy leap in my heart over your last post.

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Crazy Bird Lady


Tish I was thrilled and surprised but hopeful. I dont know why she went totally blind but thats not the first time this has happened to one of my birds. I think it has something to do with disease. Not sure but I have had at least two others do that, then they just died. So I think that I may have lucked out with the right drug combo. Fingers crossed and I will put her on meds for at least 2 weeks to make sure. I will let u know how it goes. I took a pic this time of the type of poop that it was and have put her on Tetrycycline after she got a shot of bayril via syringe.
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VIOLET12
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Maryann when you give a bird a shot what part of the body do you put it in? I don't have a clue :'(
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Crazy Bird Lady


Vi, I inject directly in the thickest part of the breast on an angle so as not to puncture any organs.
When I give the pigeons their PMV vaccine it will be in the web of the leg for safely as the injection into the back of the neck can kill them instantly and Im not willing to take the risk.
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