Budgies are lovely animals, and they make great pets.
And, perhaps the few things that make budgie such popular domestic avian pets are their hilarious antics and incredibly intelligent creatures.
Now, these fantastic pets are very easy to care for, but Nature has somewhat designed budgies in such a way that their upkeep becomes even less arduous.
These birdies are very good at cleaning themselves up as they preen, and you won’t have too much to fear in the way of a choking hazard for your winged friend.
Yes, budgies can indeed choke.
But, it is very rare for budgies to choke.
Budgies are good at swallowing food whole.
So, if you wonder under what circumstances budgies can choke and what you can do to help your beloved pet out, wonder no more.
Let’s take an in-depth look at the rare situations when choking hazards pose a real danger for your pet.
How To Tell If Your Budgie Is Choking?
Choking means that your bird cannot breathe as something is partially or entirely blocking the windpipe.
Now, a budgie that is choking will show the following reactions:
- Gasping for air
- Have difficulty breathing
- Gagging
- Attempting to regurgitate
- Cough
- Extend the neck
- Opening and closing of the beak in exaggerated motions
What Should You Do To Help Your Choking Budgie?
Budgies are designed to be able to swallow large bites.
So, it is a rarity to come across a budgie that is gasping for air and literally striving to gulp down a bite.
However, budgies are budgies, and even they may make an error in judgment and bite off more than they can chew.
In such a situation, when you find your budgie gagging, you need first to allow your beloved pet a few seconds to take care and recover on its own.
It’s best to remain calm in such a situation and never panic.
Your elevated stress levels can impact your bird which can cause your feathered friend to freak out too.
Nonetheless, if your budgie continues to choke, then you need to keep a clear head and quickly determine whether your birdie is choking on liquid or a solid object.
A solid object might include large pieces of food items, toys, or a huge chunk of seeds.
You might think that it is nearly impossible to make an estimated guess in such a frenzied state.
But, you need to understand that your ability to function composedly under such a situation can very well save your pet’s life.
A budgie choking on water will be coughing up some liquid and making wet gurgling noises.
On the flip side, a budgie that has swallowed something solid will inevitably gasp for breath and strain its neck forward to push the lump stuck in its throat down.
If your budgie is choking on a solid, hold it upside down, forcing it to open its jaw and expel the stuck object.
If your budgie is choking on liquid, you will have to keep your bird’s right side up and rub its keel bone which will force a regurgitation response.
Humans and animals naturally reach for water when choking.
But, it is not an emergency action suitable for birds.
So, avoid offering your pet water.
Budgies don’t have a diaphragm like mammals, so you cannot make use of the Heimlich Maneuver to unchoke your feathered creature.
In a dire situation, if your pet budgie continues to choke, it’s best to head straight for an avian vet.
Your vet can perform an emergency procedure such as an endoscopy to remove the lodged object.
Or, the vet might perform a nebulization (make use of an abdominal air sac tube) to help your birdie breathe so that the pet can live instead of dying while the obstruction is being removed.
Can Budgies Choke To Death?
Yes, it is possible for budgies to choke to death.
As mentioned earlier, it’s rare to find a budgie that takes a bite bigger than it can swallow.
However, pet parents, including budgie owners across the globe, are advised to practice caution when feeding their pets.
Pet parents are recommended to slice or dice down food into small pieces to eradicate even the slightest chances of a choking hazard.
Wrapping Up
Budgies may be exceedingly smart birds.
But, you should know that a domestic pet, even one as intelligent as a budgie, relies on the good sense of their pet parents for their well-being and safety.
So, yes, budgies don’t usually go around choking on the food they eat.
When it comes to your bird, why not go the extra mile and avoid even the tiniest possibility of your budgie finding itself in a predicament where it may choke.
Which is why always provide small-bite-sized food items to your pet and never provide toys or playthings that your pet can swallow.
Yet, if life throws you a curveball and you find your pet choking, try to stay level-headed and help your bird out.
If you have no clue as to helping your pet out of its dilemma, then grab your beloved pet and head right to the vet.