Very, very sick parakeets

[PotterWatch]

My son came to me a little while ago and said that his parakeets were just sitting on the bottom of their cage not moving. Sure enough, they were both at the bottom of the cage. He was giving them some millet when he noticed they were sick and they didn't even move to get the millet, their favorite treat. They won't eat or drink. I'm fairly certain they are both going to die. I would feel better if we could figure out what has caused this.

These are the first house birds we have ever had. My 9yo bought them in July of last year with his own money and was so happy to have them. They have had fresh food and water every day, he has been diligent about cleaning the cage. They seemed fine yesterday and even earlier today they were perching and acting pretty much normal. In hindsight, I recall that they weren't as noisy this morning as usual, but it was a cloudy day and they aren't as active as early in the day when it is gloomy.

The only thing that has been different lately is we bought some millet from a new feed store. It wasn't packaged, just loose in a bin. They have had that as their millet for the last couple weeks. Could there have been something on the millet that has caused them to become sick? What else should we be looking at? There are no obvious physical signs such as changes in their poop or cere, just all of a sudden complete listlessness. No breathing trouble or feather picking.

Is there anything we can do? Everything I have read online and from what they are acting like, it doesn't seem like there is any hope that they will live.

*Sorry for cross-posting this. I didn't realize until after I posted in the other section that there probably isn't much traffic over there and here may be a better place to get a fast answer.

 

[PotterWatch]

They both died. My poor kid has been crying all evening. I sure wish I knew why it happened.

 

[Mrs. Feathers]

It seems very unusual to lose them both at once?
My personal knowledge is very limited but I have had cockatiels and I know they are very sensitive to many different fumes...could your parakeets have been exposed to anything?
I hope someone with parakeet experience can help you with an answer.
I am sorry your little boy has to deal with the loss of his pets.

 

[chickenzoo]

Yes to lose both is odd. They are very sensitive to fumes, Febreeze can be hazordous, Teflon from burning cooking pans, some cleaning chemicals...... So sorry he lost his birds, how heartbreaking.

 

[StarLover21]

I'm sorry....I don't know what could of caused it. Maybe you could get a new parakeet- but I would buy the millet from the original feed store!

 

[PotterWatch]

I know they can be sensitive to fumes, but there wasn't anything unusual going in the house that I know of. The house was empty for most of the day as we were either out in the field or running errands. He wants to get another bird in the near future, but I hesitate to do so without knowing why these died. I would hate for the same thing to happen again!

 

[PitterPaws]

I'm sorry your Birds didn't make it. It is very odd that they both got sick and died at the same time, It Sounds like you

might have had a bad batch of Millet.

The Store owners might have got it from some place that sprays for bugs, In the future I would not buy loose

millet unless they can say for sure it was from a batch that hasn't been sprayed with pesticides.

 

[dainerra]

Also, millet and other seed can grow fungus if it gets damp. I'm careful to check a couple handfuls from different parts of the bin for any musty smell. Those big bins sometimes NEVER get emptied all the way.
Also, the smell hazard can be anything scented. Incense, candles, toilet cleaner, something sprinkled to freshen the carpet in the living room, spraying for bugz. Even fumes from your neighbor's yard if he is burning. I know someone who lost a parrot feom fabric softener.