How to Know if Your Macaw is Sick & How to Help Him?

Last Updated on August 12, 2022

Macaws get sick like all parrots. Some sicknesses are easy to identify, whereas others are challenging to identify. But to treat the bird, you need to be sure about the sickness. In this article, I have discussed different ways of identifying sickness in macaws.

When your macaw shows signs of inactiveness, eats or drinks less, has watery or discolored droppings, diarrhea, dehydration, sudden feather loss, fever with nausea, sneezing, watery eyes, coughing, vomiting, sudden weight loss, it might be sick. Each of these symptoms is associated with a type of sickness.  

Sometimes, macaws look healthy but suffer from internal health issues. For example, macaws can fall into a deep depression if not given attention or kept in a stressful environment.

\Similarly, in some cases, the sickness is hard to identify as the bird apparently looks normal. For example, feather plucking is due to some nutrient deficiency, while molting is a neutral process. Both are different, but most people take them as a sign of sickness. 

Let’s discuss some common types of sickness in macaws and how you can help your macaw through them.

1. Lack of Energy

Healthy and happy macaws are always active, full of energy, and interactive. It might be sick if your macaw is constantly behaving lazily and does not interact or show any gesture when you come near its cage. Macaws become lazy due to a lack of energy.

Make sure it is eating properly and is not exhausted due to weather stress. This also happens if the bird has a vitamin deficiency.  

2. Stop Eating or Drinking

Macaws love to eat and chew all the time. But if your macaw has a lack of appetite or intakes less water, it might be sick. This usually happens when macaws are severely sick, either because of the weather or something they have recently consumed.

In such cases, immediately consult a vet and, with his guidance, hand-feed your macaw. It is essential for the macaw to eat something to retain its energy. Otherwise, its body loses the power to fight off the sickness naturally.

3. Watery/Discolored Poop

Normally, macaw poop consists of a semi-liquid substance. But when macaws are sick, their stomach doesn’t,t function properly, and their poop is more watery. Usually, the color of poop also changes with the sickness, and it is one of the most prominent ways of identifying sickness. The color of poop also changes if the macaw consumes something that has a prominent color.

The changed color of poop indicates certain kinds of sicknesses, including life-threatening diseases (New Castle Disease).

4. Loss of Feathers

In some fungal and skin diseases, macaws start losing feathers. This feather loss is similar to molting, except the macaw loses most body feathers, and the skin becomes completely uncovered. The feather loss can be on specific patches. In such cases, the bird needs proper diagnosis.

Sometimes, lack of a balanced diet, stress or social anxiety causes macaws to pluck their feathers. They pluck every single feather they can hold with their beak. The bare skin becomes vulnerable to diseases. The bird can be stopped from plucking using a neck collar and anti-feather-plucking spray. If the bird plucks feathers because of some sort of stress, it may start plucking again after some time. Identifying the reason for plucking is essential, and the bird must be treated accordingly.

Usually, macaws start plucking when the owner stops giving them attention, and such birds can be cured with more attention and care.

5. Watery Eyes And Diarrhea

If you observe watery eyes, diarrhea, discolored droppings, weight loss, lethargy, and sleepiness in your macaw, it might be suffering from fever and flu. Macaws catch fever and flu when they are either exposed to changing temperatures or if they eat and consume something that has caused an infection.

Keeping macaws in a warm environment is recommended if they have any such sickness, and their diet must be monitored.

What Should I Do If My Macaw Is Sick?

If you ever notice any of the above symptoms, immediately consult a vet for a detailed diagnosis. Even if the sickness seems negligible, timely treatment can reduce losses. If you do not treat your macaw in time, it may stop eating and start losing weight, which complicates treatment.

Tips To Avoid Sickness In Macaws

Always take care of the following factors to prevent sickness in macaws.

• Regularly clean macaw cage.
• The cage’s size affects macaws’ physical health; choose a cage that is suitable for your macaw.
• Instead of feeding just one type of seeds, serve it a variety of fruits, vegetables, seeds, and grain.
• Daily spend time with your macaw and provide it with toys to play with.
• Look for factors that may disturb your macaw and prevent them.

Final Thoughts

Like humans, macaws show signs of inactivity and stress when they are sick. Although they cannot speak up when they need help, the factors I have described above will help you understand their sickness. No matter how negligible the symptoms look, never neglect them and immediately consult a vet.