hi yall, i just got a parakeet from petsmart a few days ago, and i noticed him umm.. sneezing, i think, its like a very quiet Foo! sound, i dont think that is normal, and he has been scratching around his cere alot too, and is it normal for them to fluff there feathers alot? he seem healthy other that all that, i really love the guy i hope he's okay.

welcome to the forum and NO this is NOT normal at all i would bring it back and ask for another or get it too a AVIAN vet asap as its been sick awhile already and the sooner something is done the better...be sure also its not in any drafts in the meantime ..warm or cold no matter how minimal and you keep it warm and quiet till you get all this sorted

but id bring it back...you shouldnt have to incur vet expenses already because they sold a sick bird ...good luck...

oh thanks for anwsering so quick, i'll see what i can do.

if at all possible get another bird from a different store as when this sneezing happens the bacteria is all over and possibly others are sick as well...sorry for the bad news but this i strongly...recommend

okay, one thing though, i onley saw him have a sneezing fit once, im just parinoid (maybe?) but do healthy birds ever sneeze? my finches fluff up alot too, and they are healthy, do you think maybe its to cold in the house for the birds? its around 72-78 degrees all day.

its not too cold in the house...but again always keep any birds you have out of drafts warm or cold...dont second guess...birds do sneeze just as we do but the other things you mentioned to go along with this all coincide to this bird is not well...id again...without hesitation bring it back and preferrably find another from a different store as like i said ...its not right on the purchase of a bird to have to incur vet bills so soon as a purchaser expects an should...to be buying a HEALTHY bird...id explain and not let them talk you into keeping the bird but getting a refund then going elsewhere or getting a different bird ..and when you do ...look around the cere of the bird..(just above the beak) for signs of wetness or loss of feather due to rubbing and make sure eyes seem clear and bright .. a bird in the store will not fluff as its excited not relaxed so if you even see that DONT buy it...ask for some sort of guarantee to go with the bird and usually they only give a week for that for you to bring to a vet and get a wellness check...

listen if it were me ..and im saying it straight here...id bring it back...sorry again for this news ...truly

well, i was watching him alot in the store and he wasent fluffing, he looks very healthy as a matter o' fact, no wetness around the cere, and the pet store gave me papers that say if he dies, or if i want to bring him back for ANY resion then i can get my money back, within 14 days. if there is anything wrong with him than do you think he would die b4 14 days? i really like him, sorry if i seem annoying. oh, and the pet store, if i remember correctly, part of there gurentee is that i can bring him to there vet and get him a checkup for free. good deal:D if i think he's geting any worse than i'll take him in a flash. also, im new to parakeets, this is the cage he is in, do you think it is okay? i know how tall it is matters more for parakeets, but with toys and alot of play things do you think this is okay? : http://www.petco.com/product/114152/Petc...t%20Cage-114152

thanks for all your help i'll probley be asking more stuff later :P

i gave my answer to the health of the bird...its up to you...im not second guessing it and you shouldnt either as far as if it will live or not ...if you got those guarantees once again and final...id bring it back...and nice to see at least they are now offering gurantees in writing like what you described.

why would you want to let a potentially sick bird not get treatment and let it get maybe sicker in 14days and then maybe not much can be done for it ...id do the responsible thing, if this bird and i suspect it is sick ...is...then they can treat for it there right away so the bird doesnt suffer...give this bird a shot to live not die and to get healthy and let them treat it.

cage is fine for ONE bird because once you start to put in toys and extra food cups (at least two for one bird) a **unflavored mineral block which is more important that even a ***unflavored cutttle bone... and perches..swing etc it will become to crowded for more than ONE bird and they need these things to be happy

Bigger is always better a bird cant have too much room especially with all the above mentioned things in a cage..so when your pocketbook can allow for it id get a bigger one as that is one of the most important things you will buy for your bird ...

hmm okay thanks D:

Hi Mik, welcome to the forum and congrats on your new feathered one

I would like to say that if you think there is a chance your new guy/gal is sick then see an Avian vet.
If the store where you got him offers a free checkup, then by all means use that!! If not, then take him to another Avian vet for a checkup.

While sneezing is not always a sign of illness, they all sneeze occasionally just like we do, if it is done excessively or is accompanied by fluffing and or wetness or staining above the cere it IS a sign of illness.

I am not there to observe your bird so have no way of knowing just how often he is fluffing up, or how long he remains fluffed. Fluffing is a normal thing too if doing it before a nap or sleeping, or maybe fluffing quick to rearrange feathers or shake something off.
But remaining fluffed for extended periods of time is a sign something is off.
It is definitely not too cold in your house.

By any chance have you been supplying your new bird with millet spray? Spray millet is notorious for being dusty which may cause sneezing and also the hulls can get in to their nares and cause sneezing and other complications if the sneezing doesn't remove the hulls. SO if you are offering millet spray I would remove it. It's really not good for them especially if they are eating only the millet spray and not their seed mix or veggies. They get plenty of millet in just about any seed mix you feed anyway.

My motto is if in doubt seek medical attention from an Avian vet.
So if you are unsure of whether he is sick or not...get him checked out. The sooner the better with these guys.

Oh, you say you also have finches? It is very important to quarantine new birds from your existing birds for 90 days.
Even if not housed together in the same cage, illnesses can be transmitted in the air..esp if sneezing?
So be sure your new one is a separate room from your finches.

As far as the cage goes..I think it is fine. It is a good size for your one guy/gal. Especially if you plan on letting him/her out for fly time once s/he is trained.
You might at some point down the road want to go bigger so you can have more toys and feeding stations etc without overcrowding. You'll be surprised how many toys you will end up accumulating. LOL

Here is a link for reading your bird's body language you might find helpful.
http://littlefeatheredbuddies.com/info/gen-bodylanguage.html

Lots of other useful info there too if you click on different things in the sidebar...look around

I forgot to address the scratching his cere..how often is he doing this?

Anyway, if I were you I would take advantage of that free checkup. It would be nice to get a weight on him anyway, and an overall stamp of good health.
If he does have some sort of infection going on then it is always best to get treatment asap before it is full blown.

I always like to recommend getting Herb Salad to new members. It's a great product with many benefits. Most birds seem to like it. Even picky ones
Check it out and be sure to read all about its benefits. Again, click on the sidebars..What makes us best..comments, Q&A's..
http://www.twinbeaksaviary.com/herbsalad.html

Got pics??