Injured cockatoo not eating, losing weight. How to force-feed safely?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It sounds like he is not doing well and in any bird with a history of trauma, it would be best to have them evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I would highly recommend you consider having him evaluated. They may recommend further therapy like antibiotics based on the findings. Good luck and have a great day!

I am very concerned based on what you were describing that your bird is very ill. I would recommend trying to hand feed her or syringe feed her a critical care supplement to try and get her appetite back where it needs to be. Unfortunately, without an examination by a veterinarian there are no over-the-counter remedies that I can recommend that I can be sure will be safe for your bird. Try to interact with her as much as possible and encourage her to eat. Also make sure she is in a warm dry room and see if that helps. If she still refusing to eat or drink after a few days it would be in her best interest to seek out a vet that can examine her. I’m sorry you are going through this with your bird. Best of luck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for reaching out about Nibbles. A bird this small/light weight probably needs diagnostic testing to determine the problem. You should start with a CBC (complete blood count) to look for signs of infection, a serum biochemistry to check kidney/liver function, and possibly radiographs. You need to feed more than twice daily and improve the caloric intake, but food is not fixing the problem. Continue to heat support so Nibbles doesn't get cold and have to shiver to generate heat, thereby using up calories. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Koko. Its sounds as if he is very sick. A veterinary visit is recommended, even if a dog/cat veterinarian willing to help. There are no medications that can be prescribed over the internet. But providing heat support in the 80-85 degrees range, 24/7 might allow him to conserve some energy that he would normally use to heat himself. Remove perches and allow to stand on a flat soft surface (towel or blanket). Ensure that food and water are within easy reach. Using a small syringe without a needle, to offer water is very important. Go slow as to not allow aspiration into the lungs. Most pet stores sell baby bird hand rearing formulas, in an attempt to give calories. Still, a veterinary visit is best. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Venus and including a photo. Have you tried offering different foods? Provide heat support might give some comfort. Most sick birds are placed in incubators of 80-85 F. Offing water via a syringe if not drinking. A veterinary visit is recommended to assist with diagnosis and treatment plans. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Chulbul. A veterinary visit is highly recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Providing heat support for sick animals in the 80-85 F range could help. Offering syringe feeding of a parrot hand-rearing formula could sustain them but a diagnosis needs to be achieve to effectively treat. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Shadow. By the picture and the blue cere, is probably a boy. If not eating or drinking, this is very serious as these small birds have little caloric stores to compensate. Providing supplemental heat in the 80-85 degree range might give some aid. A veterinary visit is highly recommended, and soon. Older budgieregars are prone to metabolic concerns (kidney, liver) and other problems. Ingested foreign bodies or toxicities are also common if allowed free roam. Good luck.