Junco Doctoring

When Meekull (my baby Junco) became ill, I couldn't find a doctor to treat him. Veterinarians need a special license to treat wild birds or risk being shut down. There was one doctor I might have been able to see, but his office was two counties away, so I had to learn how to treat Meekull on my own.

 

Having a background in holistic alternatives for humans gave me some idea of how to research avian cures. I read books, watched YouTube videos, and spent hours daily cross-referencing on Dr. Google.

 

I also had to learn how to clip Meekull's nails and trim his beak, which was nerve-wracking the first couple of times I had to do it. But I learned. He survived his illness, which was touch-and-go for a few days, and now I'm sharing what I know about doctoring my well-groomed birdie below.

 

For future reference, if you need to look up remedies, treatments, or cures for your Junco, you can also reference Sparrows, Chickadees, and Finches, which are biologically similar to Juncos.

 

I'm not a doctor, and don't pretend to be one. The information below isn't intended to replace medical care for your Junco (or any other bird), and Tarot Gone Viral takes no responsibility for the outcome of not obtaining medical help from a qualified doctor. Still, they may be helpful when no veterinarian is available.

Signs That a Junco Isn't Feeling Well

Here are signs that your bird is feeling well. I say "He," but the symptoms also apply to females.

 

• He isn't vocalizing (singing or making other sounds)
• He sits quietly (listless) in one spot, all fluffed up for extended periods

 

• While he sits, he leans as if he's off balance
• He isn't eating or drinking
• He isn't pooping, or the consistency of the poop has suddenly changed dramatically
• He pokes at his cloaca with his beak (this can happen with constipation and prolapse)

 

The first two symptoms can also be caused by depression. Yes. Birds get depressed.

Doctoring Junco Illnesses 

Depression

 

Yes, birds can get depressed, and this may be even more true for Juncos, as social life is extremely important to them.

 

 

Constipation

 

On average, Juncos poop about 65 times daily (some more than others). If your bird is still eating but isn't pooping enough or not at all, you can try giving it moist foods. You can make a bird mash out of green and dark yellow vegetables, but give him the ones he can eat, or you could do more damage. See Junco Diet for acceptable veggies. You can steam veggies and mash them before adding pure water to make a puree, or you can buy organic baby food. 

 

 

Eye Infections, Cuts & Scrapes

 

Colloidal Silver is a natural antibiotic. For minor eye irritations use 1 drop of Colloidal Silver in each eye. It should clear in 24 hours. For Conjunctivitis, apply one drop in one or both eyes for two days.

 

For any minor cut, scrape, or other skin inflammation apply a couple of drops on the area up to twice daily until healed (1-7 days). It won't hurt your Junco to nibble at it. If his condition persists, see a veterinarian licensed in wildlife care. 

 

 

For Undefined Illnesses

 

If your Junco is fluffed up, lethargic, not eating or pooping much, and obviously under-the-weather, buy a one gallon bottle of pure water. Add one teaspoon of Colloidal Silver (a natural antibiotic) to the water and replace this water with your bird's regular drinking water for the next 7 days (only 7 days). 

 

 

Cloacal Proplapse

 

Unlike humans, who have separate canals for peeing and ejaculating, pooping, and giving birth, Juncos only have one canal called a cloaca, pronounced clo-A-ka, that does it all. Cloacal prolapse is when the inner chamber of your birdie's bum protrudes outward. Prolapse can be caused by a few things, including vitamin deficiencies, constipation, and papilloma (a wartlike growth on the skin or on a mucous membrane that's usually benign). If papilloma is the problem, dabbing apple cider vinegar on it will make it blanche (become pale).

 

Here's a picture of a prolapse in a small bird.

 

Cloacal prolapse is really tricky. Most of the time, there's no sure cause for it, and even if you can manage to treat it, it can return. Furthermore, because Juncos are such small birds, doctors can't operate on them like larger birds. The bad news is that a cloacal prolapse makes it nearly impossible for the bird to eliminate, and because its "canal" is hanging out, it's set up for infection. So, you're pretty much on your own should your Junco develop a cloacal prolapse, but here's what you CAN do for your Junco love.

 

First, he needs vitamins A, D, E, and calcium to keep depression at bay, prevent constipation, and for his bum to work correctly.

 

All of the following natural remedies can be dabbed onto the cloaca 2 times daily (morning and night) for protection and healing. If your bird bathes, apply it a third time after bathing. 

 

• Sugar water (1 teaspoon to 1 cup of warm water) can be applied to the cloaca with a Q-Tip to keep it moist until you can purchase the following ingredients.
• Virgin Coconut Oil (the solid kind with no scent) lubricates and protects the cloaca from drying out. 
• Colloidal Silver is an antibiotic.

 

When Meekull's cloaca prolapsed, I used sugar water, which seemed to agitate him. I quickly switched to using Colloidal Silver and Virgin Coconut Oil simultaneously, offering him instant relief. 

 

 

So, How Do You Dab Anything On a Birdie's Bum?

 

You'll need to prepare by gathering your supplies ahead of time. You'll need a couple of Q-tips, sugar water, or Colloidal Silver and Virgin Coconut Oil. You'll also need a small flashlight (and your glasses, if you wear them) to check the condition of the cloaca and a napkin or soft, clean cloth to wipe off excess oil around the cloaca. 

 

• If you're using sugar water, use pure water and warm the mixture in the microwave until it doesn't feel cold anymore. If it's too warm, wait for it to cool off. NEVER apply it when it's too warm. Have your sugar water and Q-Tip ready before picking up your bird. 

 

• If you're using Virgin Coconut Oil, warm a pea-sized amount in the microwave for about 5 seconds until melted. Please wait for it to cool off. It should be room temperature before you apply it to your bird's bum. NEVER use it when it's too warm. Have your small dish of coconut oil and Q-Tip ready before picking up your bird.

 

• You don't have to warm Colloidal Silver unless it's really cold. Place a few drops in a small container, such as a shot glass. Place the glass in a warm bowl of water until it's lukewarm. DO NOT microwave it (silver is metal!). You'll apply one drop to the cloaca. If your Colloidal Silver bottle doesn't come with a dropper, you can dip a Q-Tip into the solution and apply the equivalent of one drop to the cloaca. Have your bottle open and Q-Tip or dropper ready before picking up your bird. 

 

• Ensure you have your glasses on and turn on your flashlight if needed.

 

 

It's Dab Time. Let's Do It.

 

Gently hold your bird and tip him upside down (he'll be fine as long as you're prepared). Tip the tail backward just a little with one finger and use your flashlight to locate and check the condition of the cloaca. Don't take too long to examine. He is upside down, after all. Just peek and move on to the next step. Dab your Q-Tip into the sugar water and onto the cloaca. Turn your birdie right side up. You're all done!

 

If you're using Colloidal Silver and Virgin Coconut Oil, dab the Colloidal Silver on first. Then dab on the Virgin Coconut Oil. You can blot up any excess oil around the cloaca with a napkin. Even though excess oil won't hurt your bird in any way (unless you apply too much), it can make your bird's feathers look raggedy. Turn your birdie right side up. You're all done! Again, don't use toilet paper. It can leave a residue that your bird might eat. 

 

Note: Like humans, nearly all illnesses a Junco faces are caused by diet and environment. A proper diet and a clean environment, free from molds and toxins, are essential for a healthy life. 

Grooming Junco Beaks & Nails

In the wild, Junco beaks and nails stay trim because they are used to peck and grab hard materials, such as tree bark and limbs, sticks, rocks, gravel, hard earth, and even cement. These hard surfaces naturally keep sharp claws and beaks trim. In captivity, beaks can become too sharp due to not having hard items to peck against, and claws can become razor-sharp. Both can harm the bird when it grooms itself. 

 

People often use cuttlestones in bird cages for birds to nibble at to keep their beaks trim. However, the problem with this is that birds end up ingesting too much calcium, which can cause health problems. One is a beak that grows too long and pointed, or an overhang on the upper point of the beak. This can also happen when the Junco gets too much calcium from its food. 

 

There are also pumice stones in cages to trim beaks naturally, which might work well if you could get a Junco to use one. But Juncos don't bother much with anything that's not edible, and even if they did, you don't want a captive bird getting too much grit. You can buy grit, but don't buy it for your Junco. In the wild, birds eat a bit of gritty material while foraging (sand, tiny bits of rock, seed shells, tiny husks), which helps to break down their food. This isn't necessary for your Junco because purchased bird food doesn't need to be broken down like food in the wild does. Adding grit to a captive Junco's regimen can cause internal blockages, constipation, cloaca prolapse, and death.

 

 

To Trim a Beak

 

You'll need a clean pair of nail clippers and a clean nail file (a finer, soft grain). You'll need to hold your bird in one hand while working with tools in the other. You might ask someone to hold your bird for you. I do it alone because too many hands can be even more daunting, but holding your bird and keeping its head steady simultaneously can be challenging. Birds duck and bob, like mice. When holding your bird, ensure his wings are down and relaxed against his back, and his legs are folded upward with the back of his feet against his chest. Don't squeeze. Just hold him gently. You'll have to use your thumb to hold his tiny head in place for the next part. Again, don't squeeze or push too hard against his delicate head.

 

If the entire beak is too long, trim the top and bottom points of the beak with the clippers. If the top beak has a calcium deposit, making the top protrude over the bottom part, clip off that little bit of extra length on the top part of the beak. Then, softly file the beak. NO GRINDING! Junco beaks are not hard. Use the file to softly polish a little around the sides and the tips of the beak to ensure the top and bottom meet properly (no rough edges). And you're done! This would be a great time to clip your bird's nails. It only takes a second. 

 

 

To Trim Nails

 

Hold your bird just like you did for trimming his beak (above). Take your free hand and pull one tiny claw forward from the hand holding him. Be sure he can't move his leg or foot. Why is this important? Birds squiggle to get away, and you can accidentally cut too much claw or even a whole toe off if you're not careful. Meekull and I learned this the hard way. He lost a toenail when he turned over in my hand (like a baby rolling over during a diaper change), and his nail never grew back. I was heartbroken, guilt-ridden, and Meekull was traumatized. It was a horrible experience, so hold your bird firmly. He'll forgive you for it. 

 

You don't want to cut the nerves and veins that supply the toe and the nail. Sometimes, you can see them running through the nail and where they end. Sometimes, you can't. If you can see where they end, clip just beyond that spot toward the tip of the nail, but if you can't see them, only cut the very tip of the nail. There's no need to file. You may have to clip your Juncos nails every month or so.

Junco FYI

• Junco males will loudly shrill (sing) all day long for weeks at a time to attract a mate in the Spring. It's normal.
• Juncos molt in Spring and Fall. Their feathers fall out and grow back in. It's normal.