Any behavior that seems not normal or weird may be a sign that there is something up with your bird.
The something weird may be your budgie shaking its head from side to side.
This article looks into why your bird may do this.
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Budgie shaking head side to side:
You can sometimes as a bird owner pick up on subtle signs that there is something off about your bird, and other times, the signs aren’t that subtle
Your budgie shaking its head isn’t exactly a subtle sign.
If your bird is shaking its head from side to side as though it is saying no then you’d understandably be worried.
Here is why your budgie may be shaking its head from side to side:
Surprise:
One of the reasons why your bird may be shaking its head from side to side may be because it was surprised by something.
If your budgie eats food that is new to it then the bird may be surprised at the taste, moisture level, or temperature of the food.
Sounds can also surprise the bird. If a sound is too sharp, loud, or high-pitched, then the bird may shake its head out of confusion.
What to do:
This is normal, some budgies may do this from time to time.
As long as the shaking of the head isn’t accompanied by signs of illness or distress in your budgie then the bird should be fine and you don’t have to worry.
However, if you do notice signs of distress in your budgie then get the little bird seen by a vet.
Neurological damage:
Neurological damage of some kind may also be the reason why your budgie is shaking its head.
Anything from a fall to an injury like a bite, during a fight with another bird, may have caused your bird to suffer neurological damage.
Other signs of neurological damage in your bird include incoordination, convulsions, weakness, or collapsing.
What to do:
If you think that your bird has neurological damage then a vet visit would be in order.
The vet will examine the bird and give you their professional opinion on what is happening with your bird.
The vet will also recommend the best course of action for your budgie depending on how severe your bird’s case is.
Vomiting:
One of the other reasons why your bird may be shaking its head may be that the bird is about to vomit.
Just as in humans, when birds vomit, partly digested food comes up and into their mouths.
Once this partly digested food gets into the bird’s mouth the bird will become surprised at the horrible taste in its mouth and will shake its head and open its mouth to get the taste out.
What to do:
Vomiting is certainly not normal or natural for birds, so, if your bird seems to be vomiting then a check-up at the vet is a must.
If this is happening with your bird it is also recommended that you isolate the bird in a separate cage in case the bird has an infection.
Isolating the bird will keep the other birds from becoming infected.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other bird related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Parrot Making Noise While Sleeping, My New Parrot Is Very Quiet, Why Is My Bird Making Whimpering Noises?, Why Is My New Budgie Always Sleeping?, Why Does My Budgie Chirp When I Talk?, Why Do Budgies Pull Each Other’s Tails?, Conure Biting Other Birds Feet