Did you know captive budgies can live between 5 and 10 years or even more when adequately cared for? While this is true, you probably have come across the question, my budgie died overnight: what could be the reason?
The truth? There are many reasons your parakeet could die suddenly. One possible reason is due to inhaling some poisonous fumes in the house or eating unsafe foods. Sometimes, it could be due to a bacterial or viral infection. Your budgie may also die overnight from overheating problems or internal bleeding due to injury.
But can budgies kill themselves? You can find out this and much more in this blog post.
My Budgie Died Overnight: What Could Be The Reason?
Your budgie could die suddenly for several reasons. Some causes of their sudden death may present clear symptoms, but others may go unnoticed. So, let’s check out the primary reasons.
1. Inhaling Toxic Fumes
Pet bed toxicity is one of the leading causes of sudden death among budgies. This is because budgies’ respiratory tract is very sensitive. So, your bird could quickly die from inhaling toxic fumes in your house, such as nicotine in tobacco smoke, carbon monoxide, and gas leaks.
Additionally, your parakeet could be affected by exposure to vaporized PTFE cookware. Other household products with toxic fumes include:
- Aerosol cleaning products
- Lead and oil-based paintings
- Scented candles
- Plug-in air fresheners
- Hair sprays and nail polish
2. Consuming The Wrong Diet
A pet budgies diet should consist of 60-80% high-quality seed mix, pellets, and up to 15% fruits and vegetables. However, there are some foods a parakeet should never eat.
For instance, your pet bird should never eat the seeds and pits of raw fruits like apples, cherries, pears, nectarines, and peaches. These pits have cyanide compounds that could lead to sudden death in parakeets when consumed in high amounts.
In addition, other human foods not safe for your healthy budgie include:
- Avocado
- Extremely salty foods
- Caffeinated products
- Chocolate
- Garlic and onions
- Alcoholic beverages
- Mushrooms
3. Viral Or Respiratory Infections
Budgies can develop some health issues which may go unnoticed until they pass away. This is because many avian diseases of companion birds are caused by viruses or bacteria. Some of these include:
- Budgerigar fledgling disease or French molt
- Adenovirus infection of the kidney
- Polyomavirus infections
- Pacheco’s disease
- Parrot fever or psittacosis
4. Overheating Issues
The ideal temperature range of budgies is 70–75-degree Fahrenheit. If the temperatures go beyond 85 degrees, your budgie could succumb to death from being exposed to extreme heat.
Therefore, you must never place your parrot’s birdcage in direct sunlight. And during summer, when the temperatures are high, you should find a way to lower them and keep your bird hydrated.
5. Injury From Falls
Your budgie could fall or bump hard on the walls or an object as it flies around the house. As a result, your pet bird could sustain some injuries, develop a clot, or suffer from internal bleeding. Because of the bleeding, the parakeet could die within hours if you are unaware of the fall.
6. Night Terror
Budgies don’t die because of night fright. However, they could succumb to internal injury. When your pet bird is frightened, it will try to find a way to escape from its cage. In the process, your budgie could get injured from hitting the cage cover, bars, and roof, leading to unexpected death.
Can Budgies Kill Themselves?
No. Unlike humans, animals, including budgies, cannot comprehend suicide. However, these birds can kill each other, although very rare. Parakeets can attack one of their own using their beaks.
These birds usually attack vulnerable areas, causing severe injuries and bleeding. Unfortunately, if the bird owner is not present to stop the fight or give first aid to the injured bird, it could die from excessive bleeding.
Also read: Budgie Bleeding Under Wing
How Do I Know My Budgie Is Dying?
Unfortunately, this is not always possible because some symptoms are not visible. That said, in some cases, you can tell your sick budgie could be dying if you observe signs and symptoms such as:
- Clicking and wheezing sounds
- Shortness of breath due to respiratory infections
- Breathing heavily via their open beak
- Reduced activity and excessive sleeping
- Heavy breathing and weight loss
- Regurgitation or vomiting
What To Do When Your Budgie Shows Signs Of Dying?
The first thing to do is call your avian vet immediately to give you a proper diagnosis and possible treatment. But before the vet arrives, you need to keep your feathered friend calm in a warm and isolated place.
Once your sick bird is calm, check if it is overheating and try cooling it down. Then, give it lots of fluids and food to keep it hydrated and strong. You could do syringe feeding.
What To Do With A Dead Budgie?
You simply wrap the dead body in a zip-lock plastic bag and store it in your refrigerator but don’t freeze. Then, once you get the time, take the body to your vet so they can perform narcolepsy. This way, you can know the cause of death.
After that, you can decide to bury your feathery friend in your yard or have it cremated. Later on, you could adopt another bird. Here is a video of how to correctly dispose of your dead budgie:
FAQs
Want to know more about the reasons for your budgie dying overnight? Check out these commonly asked questions.
According to pet experts, accidental poisoning from foods and other household products in the house is the most common cause. This is followed by traumatic accidents. Therefore, you should never leave your feathery friend unsupervised outside the cage.
Yes, but it’s common among long-lived budgies. Like humans, aging parakeets could die suddenly from heart disease and heart attacks. So, you must have your bird undergo periodic checks at their old age.
Related: Pregnant Dead Budgie
Outro
As you can see, there are many reasons your budgie could die overnight. While some of these death causes are hard to detect early on, others are accompanied by signs such as shortness of breath. However, if your budgie dies, you can choose to bury it in the yard or cremate it.
