Birds
Questions & Answers

Browse by Species

Cats

We have a cockatiel who is 32 years old and is dying. It is so sad to watch him die. Is there anything we can do to make his passing less painful?

I'm sorry to hear that your pet's quality of life is declining. One of the really special aspects of having a pet bird is how long their lifespan is and the incredible bond that is formed during that time between the pets and their owners...

My parakeet has been sleeping alot and is all fluffed up, what does that mean?

Birds tend to hide their disease symptoms longer than other pets, so any change in their usual routine should prompt a visit to an avian veterinarian. When birds appear fluffed, it is their way of showing that they have a...

My family has just aquired a Umbrella Cockatoo, how much would a basic health check up with clipping of nails and wings be?

Congrats! Cockatoos are really neat birds! We would definitely start with an examination and general husbandry education. Our avian exam is $56. From there, Dr. Helmer will give you recommendations for what other tests we need to do to be...

Our cockatiel doesn’t want to open his wings and may have suffered a wing injury. Is it still possible for a vet to treat him? Also, how much would it cost?

Q: Our cockatiel doesn’t want to open his wings, not even to preen or stretch. He previously had a high vertical cage, and sometimes lost his balance, falling to the bottom. We got him a new cage, with the perches...

When does a Quaker bird starts to stand and walk ?

Just like people develop at different rates, so do our pets. Quaker parakeets, also known as Monk parakeets, usually fledge at 6-8 weeks of age. This is the age when they have most of their adult plumage in, and start...

My three lovebirds seem to be scratching more than I’d previously observed. They are caged indoors and very occasionaly, in mild weather, their cages are put in a screened lanai. What’s the liklihood of them having mites?

Lovebirds suffer from a variety of skin problems that can result in itching. Mites are fairly uncommon in pet birds, with the exception of scalyface mites in budgies. Other causes of itching may include bacterial or yeast overgrowth on the...