The hardest part about being a parrot owner is knowing they’re going to be gone someday.
As great as it is to spend our days with our flying friends, it becomes a harsh reality when it turns from a typical day to them being ill.
As parrot owners, it’s our responsibility to know when it’s time to treat and care for them as well as when they’re on their way out.
Thus, it becomes an essential matter to not only know if something is wrong with your parrot but if they’re on their way out.
Parrot owners tend to not look at more serious matters like this since it’s such a dulling task to do in the first place.
Still, make sure you do what you can to power through and understand when something is off.
Also, know the difference when your parrot is dying, and something else entirely is happening.
Understand that baby parrots, bald parrots, deformed parrots, and molting parrots may fall under some of these examples.
Thus, take the time necessary to see if these examples apply to your parrot or not.
Nevertheless, down below, we’re going to discuss everything there is to know about parrots and how you can tell if they’re sadly on their way or not.
Again, keep in mind, just because your parrot is experiencing one of these examples doesn’t mean they’re 100 percent dying.
Without further ado, let’s take a look!
Fluffed Feathers When It’s Not Cold
If you see your parrot all fluffed out, it tends to mean they’re cold.
Now, if they’re in your house, it’s practically impossible for them to feel cold unless your heat went out or there’s a window open with a breeze that’s hitting them.
It’s possible you have it too cold in your house for them, but realize fluffed feathers mean they’re cold.
However, if you think the temperature is perfectly fine and their fluffed feathers persist, it could be a sign something more severe is going on.
Parrots tend to fluff their feathers out not only when they’re cold but when they feel something is wrong.
Dirty Feathers
As dirty parrots are with eating and making their cage a mess, they tend to keep their physical appearance of feathers up nicely.
Thus, if you happen to see your parrot appear dirtier than they usually do, they might not be feeling well and can’t clean themselves.
Obviously, if they just recently dirtied themselves up, you don’t have to worry about the dirty feathers in that respect.
Still, be mindful of their appearance and the dirtiness of it as it’s a good sign to know if something is up with your parrot.
Missing Feathers
Right next to the subject of fluffed feathers and dirty feathers comes the added appearance of missing feathers.
As we discussed earlier, your parrot may be balding or something else that’s causing the ordeal.
However, still, usually missing feathers are worthwhile to highlight.
As a result, do what you can to highlight the distress of missing feathers and see what the problem is.
If they seem fine physically, it’s probably a result of something else.
Still, don’t be afraid to bring them to their vet if the issue persists.
Never wait when it comes to issues like this.
Swollen Eyes
Eyes play a significant role in telling how a parrot is and what they’re up to.
If your parrot has significantly swollen eyes, it tends to represent an issue that’s going with them physically or internally.
Still, it can be difficult to examine their eyes, especially in smaller parrots.
Thus, it becomes essential to look for other social signs with swollen eyes such as shyness, inability to move, etc.
If there happens to be a combination of everything listed, then there’s definitely room for concern.
Still, do what you can to stay calm and see if something is wrong or not.
Wet or Crusty Eyes
Similar to swollen eyes, you need to be mindful of wet or crusty eyes.
Usually, the two tend to coincide with one another, but on occasion, they might have a wet or crusty alone.
Now, an eye infection can be the reason why, so make sure you immediately take them to a vet if you see this issue.
Wet or Crusty Mouth
Similar to the subject of a wet or crusty eye comes a wet or crusty mouth.
Again, an infection can be the reason why this particular incident is occurring but don’t ignore it.
If your parrot seems off, do what you can to get them help and understand what’s going on.
Nose Discharge
Discharge is never a good thing when it comes to a parrot.
Thus, if your parrot happens to be experiencing nose discharge, realize something is off.
Usually, discharge from their nose also results from a more severe infection, but it can be a sign their body is deteriorating.
Visible Wounds
If you happen to see your parrot with visible wounds, you more than likely are going to immediately get them help.
Any parrot owner who cares deeply about their parrot will do this, even if they know it’s a result of something completely separate from dying.
Still, as parrots age and don’t feel well, they might cause wounds on themselves.
On the other hand, it makes it amazingly easy for them to get an injury as their older.
Either way, make sure you do what you can to get them the help they need sooner rather than later.
Notable Injuries
Similar to the broad spectrum of visible wounds is the area related to any notable injuries.
Notable injuries can range from them not moving correctly to anything being physically off with them.
In some instances, it’s a result of them aging, but realize it tends to lead to a more severe problem.
Plus, if the injury is extremely severe and your vet doesn’t know what to do, realize it’s an example of them not being well enough to live anywhere.
You should never give up on your parrot, but make sure you comfort them in their last days, as any injury is incredibly challenging for them to deal with.
Trouble Breathing
As we all know, breathing is the most critical factor to tell if any animal is still living.
Even if a person is in a coma, they’re still breathing and have a pulse.
The same can be said with your parrot, meaning that something is wrong if they’re having breathing issues.
Similar to what we’ve discussed already, an infection or other illness can be the cause of them having trouble breathing.
However, if you find their breathing patterns are only worsening, make sure you take the time necessary to get them help.
Otherwise, it might be too late for any help.
Inability to Fly
Even people who aren’t parrot owners tend to know that flying is a natural part of a parrots’ life.
Thus, when a parrot doesn’t have the ability to fly like they usually would, expect it to be a more severe issue.
Flying is always a go-to ability for them, even when they’re sick.
It’s possible they experienced a physical injury that’s preventing them from flying, but understand it’s more than likely a more rigorous reason.
Whatever the case might be, do what you can to help your parrot.
You never know what you can do to help until you do it.
Excessive Drinking
As parrots age and deteriorate, they tend to drink excessively as their body can’t keep the fluids down and allow them to stay hydrated.
Thus, it’s widespread for dying parrots to continuously drink, as they feel like they’re always thirsty.
If it’s a hot day and your parrot is drinking a lot, realize it’s probably not because they’re severely ill.
Just, if you experience them drinking a lot more than they usually do, then you need to realize something more drastic is at stake.
Sitting too Still
Parrots sit still when they’re naturally shy or bothered by something that’s around them.
However, if they refuse to move, even if you try prompting them, realize it’s most likely that something else entirely can be attributed to the ordeal, such as dying.
Limping
Similar to not being able to fly, limping is a sign your parrot’s bones and limbs aren’t holding up.
Keep in mind, this is a widespread occurrence for aging parrots.
Still, be mindful of what this means longevity-wise.
Again, make sure you check for physical injuries in case you feel like your parrot isn’t too old to be experiencing these problems.
Inability to Stay Awake
Being active is a natural part of living, and the same can be applied to parrots as well.
If your parrot is having trouble staying awake, realize they’re either deficient in some way, or they don’t have the energy to live like they once did.
Either way, be mindful of what this means for them.
Getting Snapped at By Other Parrots
If you happen to be a proud parrot parent to multiple parrots, other parrots can usually tell when another parrot isn’t feeling well.
Thus, look at your other parrots for signs that another parrot isn’t feeling well.
It sounds odd, but it’s more useful than you might realize.
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