Many of the things that we do are simple automatic behavior. Nonetheless, we are still quite careful in the way that we handle ourselves to ensure the best possible results. Birds are the same. It’s important to understand just how our beloved birds are different from us in the way they breathe, eat, and other activities we take for granted. The thing to watch for is that we do not allow our normal understanding of how we do things to become how we think we can treat our birds. They are different in many ways. Today, let’s explore how they ingest water.
Water The Wrong Way Can Aspirate
Birds have an airway opening in their mouths that reacts differently in times of stress and in times of normalcy. That opening leads to the trachea, opening and closing with regularity. This physiological difference can lead to a horrible outcome if an unsuspecting person with a new parrot thinks that it is OK to introduce water into their mouths with a dropper. Birds have a controlled way of drinking water that works effectively for them. They know how to keep water from entering the opening leading to their trachea. However, when stressed, the bird’s airway opens and closes rapidly. If you use a dropper because you feel they need water, you run the high and unacceptable risk of asphyxiating the bird if even a single, tiny drop should enter the airway.
If a bird sees you attempting to drip water into their mouth, this will likely initiate a stress event. In this, the danger of several issues is introduced. A drop of water entering the trachea can lead to choking, overhydration, bacterial introduction, and a host of other problems that could lead to the bird’s death. Birds already know how to regulate the amount of water that they drink. They effectively dip their beaks, intake water, lift their heads, and let the life-giving liquid slide naturally down their throats, avoiding the airways altogether. It’s an instinctive behavior that is greatly disrupted if a person feels that water needs to be introduced into the bird’s system.
Safe Ways To Offer Water
The best way to provide water is to leave a dish within their reach. The bird will know how to deal with that. If, however, you believe that the bird is in distress because it is not drinking water, then it is vitally important that you refer the bird to a veterinarian who can get to the bottom of why your bird is not drinking appropriately and possibly help it.
The bottom line here is to warn all bird owners who are unaware of the dangers of introducing water abnormally to a bird. It is never a good idea to introduce water abnormally.
Check out this video of bird rehabber’s important PSA on this topic!
You can run into the same problem administering medication. That’s why I never towel a bird and lean them back to give medication. I keep them on the counter or perch and bring the syringe in from the front. When they open their beak, I just drip the medication in and let them swallow it. I find that birds that resist medication when toweled are usually fine with it if I don’t restrain them. If need be, I corral them with the other hand to keep them from running away.
What about liquid medication administered by dropper?
I remember having to give my cockatiel medicine from a dropper. This was a while ago. I don’t remember my bird choking. I am confused.
what about when vet gives you meds and a dropper to use. I understood dropping in lower beak, not down throat. is correct. My vet will not touch parakeet for fear of stress, makes me do it. Sick birds usually won’t drink so how to hydrate?
Good article very informative. My conure naturally drinks like gargling water down his throat from his water bowl with out an eye dropper. I put meds in bowl.