what are the normal and abnormal signs of health for a parrot?

Danni: what are the normal and abnormal signs of health for a parrot?
I am doing coursework for college (im studying animal care) and we have a assignment to do which is finding out the normal and abnormal signs of 5 different types of animals so i picked parrot as one but i dont know much about them so what are the normal signs of a healthy parrot? and what are the abnormal signs of health for a parrot? ( how do you know if it is ill and healthy? p.s dont say not eating or drinking cause i know that one, thanks.

Answers and Views:

Answer by Kate Ocean
Healthy parrot: Long shiny feathers, bright eyes, active
unhealthy: droppings look very abnormal, dull feathers, cloudy eyes, weepy eyes, not active
Just my thoughts Im no professional but I have had many parrots and know generally what to look for. Good Luck

Answer by Lasse
What is already said, but also look out for if it “fluffs” up so to speak, make sure the eyes are nice and clear, and finally keep an eye on it’s energy level, if it suddenly starts sleeping in the middle of the day, or just a lot more often than normal, please take it to your vet.

(Also if you have a feeling your parrot is starting to become ill, try and put your hand near it in its cage, and see how it reacts, if they seem more passive than normally could again be a sign of lacking energy, i.e. a illness)

Answer by skydanzer400
The single most important thing for a parrot/bird owner to know is to be aware of the appearance of a normal dropping and to be familiar with the appearance of their own bird’s normal droppings. Odd as it may sound, there is a subject called “poopology 101”. A web search would bring that up for you. That is because all birds, by nature, will mask their symptoms for as long as possible. That is a protective device in the wild. Sick or injured birds are often chased from the flock because of their vulnerability to prey animals. By the time we see symptoms, it’s because the bird is too sick or too weak to keep up the pretense. But their droppings is not something they can control, hence, it can be our first warning. Other symptoms are any change in normal activity level, spending a lot of time on the cage floor and staying puffed up all the time. Again, by the time we see those symptoms, it can be too late. In short, all owners should be very familiar with all habits and signs of their own bird. At the first hint of a change, get to a good Avian vet for a check up. Hope this helps.