# My Budgie has a twisted neck, have a video



## CurtAllen (Jun 4, 2013)

Hey guys, so I went downstairs to make a drink this morning and I noticed that my budgie wasn't on his perch, I went to go and have a look and he's laying on his back with his head facing the wrong way, my first thought was, Oh shi- he's died.

I opened the cage door and he started to move and squawk, I don't know what to do and I'm really worried. He's about 4-5 now and I've had him since he was a baby.

Video: Whats wrong with my budgie! Help please! - YouTube

Any replies would be highly appriciated.

Thank you,
Curt


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## CurtAllen (Jun 4, 2013)

Guys please help, I can hear my Nan crying downstairs, I can't get to the vets because I don't know where it is and neither me or my Nan drive. The only way we can get there is through my Dad giving us a lift and he's at work.


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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

I might be wrong but looks like he's having some kind of stroke  
He really does need to see a vet, an Avian one if possible. If you google you should be able to find a vet near you.

You could always ask on the Budgie forum they would probably know what it might be.

Hope he's okay.


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## CurtAllen (Jun 4, 2013)

Ok my Dads just finished work and he's coming to take the bird to the vets right now,

Thank you for your reply


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## CurtAllen (Jun 4, 2013)

Just a quick update, 

I took the budgie to the vets and it turns out it wasn't a stroke, he fell off his perch in the night and hit the back of his head, where a sensor of him being upright is, and it's bleeding there. They've given him some anti-inflammitry medication and are looking after him over the night. 

Thanks for your help


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## lisa0307 (Aug 25, 2009)

Hope your budgie recovers hun...please keep us updated. x 

For future reference...if you need help or advice this site is great and Barrie is very helpful..see link

LINK: http://www.officialbarrieshuttbudgerigars.com/homepage.htm

Barrie is also resident on this great budgie forum 
LINK: http://budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/


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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

CurtAllen said:


> Just a quick update,
> 
> I took the budgie to the vets and it turns out it wasn't a stroke, he fell off his perch in the night and hit the back of his head, where a sensor of him being upright is, and it's bleeding there. They've given him some anti-inflammitry medication and are looking after him over the night.
> 
> Thanks for your help


Aw hope he's okay and recovers soon. I had a budgie that was repeatedly falling off the perch and I thought she was having some sort of seizure but we took her to the vet and it turns out there was something wrong with the nerves in her legs I think he said but sadly we had to have her put to sleep as there wasn't anything that could be done. I've just got the one budgie now but not getting any more as my o/h hates the noise he makes when the tv is on..


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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

lisa0307 said:


> Hope your budgie recovers hun...please keep us updated. x
> 
> For future reference...if you need help or advice this site is great and Barrie is very helpful..see link
> 
> ...


Yes agree Barrie Shutt knows everything there is to know about budgies and I would always trust his advice. Was going to post that link but wasn't sure if I'd be allowed to or not


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## scosha37 (Feb 24, 2008)

Awww hows the wee thing today??


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## Phoenix24 (Apr 6, 2013)

I just thought I would comment on this, as its a topic close to home with me right now - but thankfully not with my zebra finches. A twisted neck (sometimes called torticollis, or 'stargazing') can also be a symptom of a number of disorders, which effect the nervous system and cause the twisting. One such problem is caused by a calcium deficiency, and in chicks this can lead to all sorts of trouble (brittle bones and malformed limbs being one). This normally only crops up in hand-reared birds, but I suppose if the parent's diet is poor it might happen with normal rearing. Apparently no matter how close to the natural diet you can get to giving hand-reared birds, somehow the calcium and associated vitamins do not balance right (I have been informed it is regularly seen in zoo collections, despite having vet-grade calcium supplements). The second, and probably more scary, major cause is a disease from paramyxovirus (of which there are several types) which is highly infectious, causing diarrhoea, inappetite, wasting, paralysis of wings and legs, deformities of the legs (from the paralysis), head tremors, fitting, neck twisting. This infection normally affects pigeons, but is also seen in poultry and waterfowl (which are usually vaccinated for it), and can be contracted by other birds, such as our caged ones.

I have also seen neck twisting as a result of head trauma, which I have seen successfully remedied by veterinary treatment. As this is what your own vet thinks has happened to yours, the outlook is good - fingers crossed!

(Believe me you do not ever want to see the other causes of neck twisting, because it is heart breaking.)


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## lisa0307 (Aug 25, 2009)

How's your budgie hun?


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## CurtAllen (Jun 4, 2013)

Just quick update guys, the budgie is doing much better now. His neck is almost fully healed and he can do everything on his own again.

Sorry it took so long I wanted to make sure there was an improvement, thanks for all the helpful advice, I'll be sure to recommend this website to anybody who has pet problems. 

You've been a big help and I love you all


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## lisa0307 (Aug 25, 2009)

CurtAllen said:


> Just quick update guys, the budgie is doing much better now. His neck is almost fully healed and he can do everything on his own again.
> 
> Sorry it took so long I wanted to make sure there was an improvement, thanks for all the helpful advice, I'll be sure to recommend this website to anybody who has pet problems.
> 
> You've been a big help and I love you all


That's such great news hun...hope he continues to do well. x


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