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It can be very hard to tell if a bird is ill. Being prey animals, rather than predators like most of our pets, they hide their illnesses so a predator doesn't target them as easy game. Your best chance of catching a disease in the early, treatable stage is to know your bird well and to stay alert for significant changes.
Some signs to beware are:
Listlessness, lack of energy, and lack of interest in normal activities.
Dull, rough, un-preened feathers or a general un-groomed look.
Fluffed up feathers despite moderate room temperature.
Abnormal feather growth.
Sleeping with both feet on the perch.
Sitting quietly on the cage bottom (this can be tricky -- tiels are ground feeders and spend a good deal of time on the cage floor but they are usually busy there scratching around and playing with floor toys).
Discharge from the eyes, nose, or any other place where no fluid should be.
Wheezing, clicking, or raspy sounds when breathing. Normal breathing is silent.
Tail-assisted breathing. That is, the tail moves up and down pumping to aid in moving air through the distressed lungs.
A change in the color, quantity or consistency of the droppings that isn't immediately traceable to a change in diet (seed only poop is more green than pellet poop, fresh foods give a more watery texture, beets may color the poop reddish, etc.). Birds who are nesting (or who think that they are nesting), have huge droppings that you wouldn't believe came out of such small birds. These droppings are likely to be a bit wet and may smell a bit stronger than normal.
A foul odor either from the bird or from the droppings.
A "pasted" vent -- droppings stuck to the feathers around the vent.
Vomiting.
Any kind of growth, sore, blemish, wart, skin abnormality, etc.
A vague feeling that something about your bird isn't quite right. If you observe your bird carefully and know it well you can probably trust your instincts when you think that something may be out of the ordinary even if you can't put your finger on a specific symptom.
Do not try to treat your bird's illness yourself with over the counter remedies. By the time you know a bird is ill the sickness is usually well advanced. Delaying a visit and masking the condition with over the counter medicines is very likely to cost your bird its life. Until you can get the bird to the vet keep the bird warm (85-90F degrees), quiet, and in strict quarantine. Provide fresh water in abundance and offer its favorite foods. Also remove perches so the bird can just rest on the bottom of the enclosure. Small birds have high metabolism and few resources to cope with the drain of a long period of illness so every calorie and every drop of water they can take is critical. You may even need to hand feed to keep your bird alive while our treatment does its work. Most illnesses can be prevented by good care, adequate nutrition, careful sanitation, and wise quarantine procedures. But, if illness should strike, a vet visit is the first priority. A sick bird should always be considered an emergency.
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