Signs of Illness in Your Clown
Clowns, for the most part, are quite resilient pets, which probably explains why I haven’t seen a single post about how to tell if your clown is sick. Even when they do show symptoms, it can often be confused for play! But as someone who recently lost a clown (a spotted frill-neck- RIP Pablo), I feel the need to make this post to warn other clown owners so they don’t have to go through the heartbreak of losing a clown after only 10 years when they have a lifespan of up to 70.
Paled makeup. This is one of the easiest ways to tell that something is wrong with your clown. Facial markings will dull if the clown is ill, and in the wild this is how mother clowns detect illness in their brood. It can be difficult for a novice to tell if the makeup is paling, though, so make sure you regularly take photos of your clown and compare them the moment you think something is wrong- the more social breeds can even be given a cheap kid’s camera to play with and photograph themselves.
Deeper honking. A healthy clown’s honks rest in the G#-B range. They may dip lower on occasion, but for the most part, this should be what they sound like. If their pitch drops to D#-F, call your vet. Many clown viruses target their nasal passages first, which is what causes this. Make sure you also regularly get their noses cleaned, to minimize the chances of them contracting infection.
Abnormal focus on seltzer. Seltzer is important to raising a clown, as it keeps their coat sleek and their body temperature low. But if your clown is using up more seltzer than normal, or trying to bathe in it, that is a sign that its body temperature is high, and it’s trying to cool down. This can be more difficult to notice in aquatic breeds like the Italian dancer, but this will usually coincide with the clown slobbering more than usual.
Change in sleep cycle. The sleep cycle of clowns varies from individual to individual, even within the same breed, but they almost never change. If your usually-nocturnal clown is suddenly performing during the day, that’s a sign of both sleep deprivation and that it may be clawing at itself during the night. Likewise, if diurnal clowns are spending abnormal amounts of time resting, they may be stressed or in pain.
Attention from other clowns. Social breeds are typically easier to notice illness in than solitary ones, because clowns have a complex social hierarchy and if one of them gets sick, the others will worry for it. They may eat less or give up on eating entirely, or start practicing more “entertaining” but more risky stunts, like jumping off rooves or tree branches. If your clowns are all behaving oddly, you MUST locate the sick one and get it treated, because it can have devastating consequences for the rest of them. Clowns understand death and will mourn lost members of their group; if the sick clown must stay with the vet overnight, or be separated from the others, they will likely begin to howl and slap themselves in distress. Be prepared for this.
Remember the risk factors for clown sickness too- unprocessed sugar can hurt their digestive system, and shoes that fit too tightly can stress them out. Do not let domestic clowns interact with feral ones, either, even if they seem to get along; feral clowns often carry diseases that can spread rapidly. (Frankly, you shouldn’t be letting your clown wander around outdoors unsupervised in the first place, but that’s a topic for another post.)
