Naughty Budgie, Odd Behaviour

[marusa 0]

Hi, I'm new to this forum so i hope i am not repeating a topic already posted. I have searched but still havent found anything to help me out 100%.

 

My budgie Barry is 13 months old. He's always been a character but he's changed behaviour recently. He is tame, flys around the house when i'm home, talks and is generally pretty good but i went on holiday for 10 days and left him with my mum. No one teased him (so i have been told) but i think when he's dropped his swing etc obviously other peoples hands have gone into the cage. Since getting him back he isnt talking as much, he cant seem to fly properly and he is extremely aggressive. If i put my hand in his cage he bites and really latches on and trys to attack anyone or anything that goes near him. He also wont let me pat him anymore, and no longer flys to me when i call him which he always did. He's just not the same little bird. Is there anything i can do, do i need to start all over again with him? I undrstand that he might be adjusting to me again but it has been to weeks and there is no improvement. He still knows me and came straight to the front of the cage and rubbed his beak against me when i got him but he is definately a changed budgie.

 

Any suggestions would be so much appreciated.

 

Thanks

[melbournebudgies 0]

Try bribing him with some of his fave foods in your hand and let him come to you. He might just need to readjust a bit.

[thk 0]

Thats so sad, its so depressing when your little friend snubs you. I agree though, perhaps you can win him back fairly quickly with millet or his favourite treat. I would also talk gently to him. I found when I was away for 10 days some time ago, and my daughter came around to care for him, I came back and Charley seemed a little afraid of me, or else angry with me for going away...when normally he is totally tame and adores me. I too felt a little sad (and hurt) at being snubbed but I made a point of talking softly to him a LOT and gave him little treats (he likes snow peas).. but I didnt push it too much. Didnt take him long to return to the lovable little man he's always been. I'm sure Barry will be back to his old self soon too. Good luck and I'm sure the experienced members will have some good advice for you!!

[Neat 0]

Is he going through a Molt at he moment > this can change even the tamest birds temperment

[Elly 0]

It sounds like he did have a bad experience even though they don't they he did, I would suggest just working again with him, there are some excellent tips in the taming section in the FAQ's....if he doesn't stop you may want to consider doing a one time wing clip that does help get them settled back down and then it grows right back out.

[marusa 0]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I i'm actually wondering if he could be going a little blind. He seems to be flying terribly. The other day he flew straight into the wall. I'm wondering if this is causing him stress. I've taken him to the avian vet 3 times but they havent really been too helpful.

Does anyone know, are budgies okay blind, i mean, without sounding silly, do they adjust like we do?

Thanks.

[melbournebudgies 0]

My perfectly sighted birds fly into the wall sometimes, but to answer your questoin a blind bird would not cope very well they would be best to have their wings clipped. I doubt he is going blind but if you are worried get your vet to have a look at his eyes.

[marusa 0]

okay thanks, i will do. i'm off to the vet again tomorrow. I just freak out as he is not the same budgie. The vet said he seemed to be maturing and molting a little but its just been going on for 2 months now. i know i'm still learning and researching budgies and budgie care but just when i think i'm on top of it something else comes up.

Thanks for your help.

[Elly 0]

it is odd behavior and I think he was traumatized to be honest, I left Merlin left for 8 days and he was completely okay with our pet sitter and I instructed her not to let him out and put her hands in the cage since she is not bird knowledgable. Birds start to mature and molt at 4-6 months old if it was related to this behavior you would have seen it already because he should have molted at least 2x by now so I don't know if that could be it. If it is I suggest that you make sure his cage is covered at least for 14hrs a day with darkness for the next week that will throw them back into a non-hormonal stage, make sure you don't have his cage next to running water such as a fish tank etc... Are you seeing an Avian Vet? or a regular vet that does make a difference too as avian vets are much more knowledgable because this is their field.

[Neat 0]

Birds molt more then once, and at different ages, I agree with MB about clipping the wings, I baby sat birds this past weeks, and they are tamed and clipped every now and then one would fly and clip a wall ( this is them learning their boundaries too ) RE:Molting the bird loses too many feathers at the same time. The bird's ability to fly then temporarily is reduced. Older birds who are experienced in flying can adjust skilfully. Young birds who undergo their first moult are usually less trained than their older fellows. Therefore crashes can happen.

[marusa 0]

Hi

Yes he has molted before and i know he was going through it again a few weeks ago and he had his new feathers coming through on his head. I have always maintained a good relationship with him ie. he seems to know who is mum is and will come to me before anyone else. With his whole behaviour changing i asumed he was going through puberty etc (i'm unsure if he is too young for this though as he is only about 18 months old) so i made sure the environment was as stress free as possible.

I can go right up to his cage and he seems unaware that i'm there until i speak to him, this is why i'm sure he is visually impaired. Just unusual for him. When he has been flying in the past he has occassionally clipped a wall but i know he is testing himself but now he is just clean flying straight into the wall so i havent let him out since saturday as i dont want him hurting himself.

I'll keep looking over the FAQ's section too. I must be dribbling on but i'm just really anxious to make make sure he is okay.

[Neat 0]

Hi

Yes he has molted before and i know he was going through it again a few weeks ago and he had his new feathers coming through on his head. I have always maintained a good relationship with him ie. he seems to know who is mum is and will come to me before anyone else. With his whole behaviour changing i asumed he was going through puberty etc (i'm unsure if he is too young for this though as he is only about 18 months old) so i made sure the environment was as stress free as possible.

I can go right up to his cage and he seems unaware that i'm there until i speak to him, this is why i'm sure he is visually impaired. Just unusual for him. When he has been flying in the past he has occassionally clipped a wall but i know he is testing himself but now he is just clean flying straight into the wall so i havent let him out since saturday as i dont want him hurting himself.

I'll keep looking over the FAQ's section too. I must be dribbling on but i'm just really anxious to make make sure he is okay.

How blue is his cere??? he could be in Breeding condition get a vet to check his eyes ...

[marusa 0]

his cere is blue.

Vet apt. tomorrow morning.

Thanks

Edited June 20, 2008 by birdluv
oops, please ignore this edit.

[Chrysocome 0]

Flying into walls might not be due to eye problems. I know my budgies fly into walls when they got exhausted, which is why I panic when they fly in circles for no reason and don't try to find a place to land. And well, they are a little tubbier than they used to be so it drags them down and makes it harder for them to fly, they also get tired faster. Is this a possibility?

I agree that a vet check is best, clipping will stop him flying into walls but it won't fix some kind of underlying problem, like say for example high blood pressure damaging the fine veins in the eye (I don't know if this happens in budgies, I'm just using it as an example).

[marusa 0]

Thank you for all your responses, unfortunately i have just picked Barry up from the avian vet this evening after his weekend stay there. He has a tumor and she thinks that is the obvious cause of his blindness due to pressure against the optic nerve. I never realised these things could happen. She assures me he is in no pain and to see how he adjusts to his blindness.

 

Can i ask, if anyone has heard of this before, does anyone have any advice, particularly on how well budgies cope being blind?

 

I obviously want to keep him with me as he is my little mate but i dont want him to suffer due to quality of life, it just seems even sadder than letting him go.

 

Thanks

[Elly 0]

I haven't had anyone have a blind budgie that I remember on here but tumors in budgies are sadly very common. I would work on making sure that you don't startle him when you come up to his cage so when you approach from another room start to whistle, say his name, say I am coming whichever so he knows that you are coming and not just bam you are there. I would keep his wings clipped and if you want to let him out only in the same room and in a small area. Blindness is a disability but animals learn to cope, adjust very quickly if you work with it toward the positive and not feel sorry for the animal. In my opinion he will be just fine the tumor is really the concern more then the blindness. You have such a special little guy, enjoy him.

[maesie 0]

I'm so sorry for the news. Just remeber to keep his cage the same. Don't move things around... water in same spot, food in same spot etc... that way he can find things eaisly. Elly gave good advice as usual too. Good luck and please keep us updated.

[marusa 0]

I haven't had anyone have a blind budgie that I remember on here but tumors in budgies are sadly very common. I would work on making sure that you don't startle him when you come up to his cage so when you approach from another room start to whistle, say his name, say I am coming whichever so he knows that you are coming and not just bam you are there. I would keep his wings clipped and if you want to let him out only in the same room and in a small area. Blindness is a disability but animals learn to cope, adjust very quickly if you work with it toward the positive and not feel sorry for the animal. In my opinion he will be just fine the tumor is really the concern more then the blindness. You have such a special little guy, enjoy him.

 

 

Thanks Elly,

I will do that, i've been warning him that i'm approaching but i'll keep working on him. He seems a lot more relaxed now than he was at the beginning of the week. I just have to work on him talking again as he doesnt make any noise.

I feel a lot better now, i just didnt want him to be suffering and not knowing.

Thanks again! )

[Elly 0]

no problem, blindness is not a disability my dad was blind and the most accurate and smart of the bunch of our family :hap:, the nice thing about animals is that they live in the now and it is what it is to them, he just needs to hear a warning, I would also have music on all day for him quietly I do that for Merlin because if I don't he is quieter too, quiet means danger and noise means everything is okay, so try a radio and then just shut it off at night :hap:/