Finding Out Why Your Bird DiedFinding Out Why Your Bird DiedSuppose you come home or wake up to find that your bird has passed away in its cage. Or maybe you're pet-sitting someone else's bird and the unthinkable happens. What should you do? If the cause is obvious, such as if your bird had a debilitating disease, or got a toy wrapped around its neck by accident, then the best thing to do is just bury the body. Of course, if your bird had a disease, make sure to sterilize its cage and totally disinfect the surrounding area, before bringing another bird into your home. But, what if the reason is not so obvious. To find out the answer, you should bring your pet to a veterinarian for a necropsy, the animal equivalent of an autopsy.
The quicker you can bring the dead bird directly to the vet's office, preferably within six hours, the better the diagnosis. If, however, the bird dies on a weekend or a holiday, what can you do to preserve its body until you can get to your vet? You can help to preserve the bird in good condition by wetting it thoroughly as soon after death as possible.
First, wash the bird's body in warm, soapy water. Mild dish detergent is fine. This will break down the insulating ability of the feathers. Feathers keep body heat in, allowing the body to decompose faster. If there is too much tissue decomposition, a necropsy will not give the answers that you are looking for.
Then, wrap the wet bird in 2-3 layers of plastic wrap (Glad or Saran) and place it in the refrigerator- NOT THE FREEZER. This can help preserve the bird for up to a week, although as time passes the tissues will deteriorate. Make sure that you do not put the bird in the freezer, since freezing allows ice crystals to form. These crystals can rupture cells, making it harder to find lesions that may give clues as to the cause of death. In addition, if the body is frozen, bacterial cultures can not be taken as many pathogenic bacteria may have been killed.
And, please, don't let your kids get into the fridge, looking for leftovers. The shock could be ghastly.
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