Rainbow

I'm sorry Aly, but you are taking care of him and hopefully he will rebound. Thinking of you both.

Dried fruit is fine for your budgie if they will eat it. But as birdluv said, you need to choose dried fruits that are not preserved with sulfites. Many seed mixes also have dried fruits in them. If it is not expressly stated that the fruit does not contain sulfites, then it most likely does. Sulfites keep the color prettier and prolong shelf life and are inexpensive, that's why they are used even though they may not be good for you. You can get dried fruit from your local health food store, just look for 'sulfite-free' or something similar on the label. Sulfites cause issues with some people also. Fresh is best, but even with fresh fruit unless you are growing it yourself and know it has not been sprayed you will need to wash it very well before giving it to your bird. Scrub the peel with mild soap and water or a fruit and vegetable wash, or you can also contaminate the produce by transferring whatever was on the peel into the fruit with your hands if you don't wash it well first. If you are real industrious you can dry fruit yourself, although I've never tried it. My birds won't eat dried fruit.

I'm so very sorry for your loss, and have lit a candle for Teapot. :hap: Words cannot express the pain and loss you must feel for your sweet, cheeky Teapot. What a character he was, and very much loved by everyone. I can't believe he is gone either. ((((hugs)))) to you. Fly free over the Rainbow Bridge Teapot, where there is no pain or infirmity anymore.

Not only rainfall, but the sound of the washer, the dishwasher, the shower, and the vacuum will get mine going. Especially the washing machine. When I had a mixed sex aviary, they were in breeding mode all the time until I figured out what was triggering it (they were very near the washing machine). The sound of rainfall triggers excitement.

I think the opposite, the cage is not big enough. Either a much bigger cage or a seperate cage for each bird will be necessary in the long term. Another thing came to mind though, and that is Runt is 4 months old. You say he is demanding food from Tweety. If he is 16 weeks he is not very old, and a normal age to still be getting some regurgitated food from mom and dad. He may be running Tweety ragged demanding food. Tweety probably complied at first, it is normal, but probably has no desire to feed this baby. They have not been together long enough to form that type of friendly bond due to Runt's age. It takes time. I'm sure Runt can feed himself, he's not doing this because he can't, it's a stage they go through, being so demanding. It is very unusual to have completed the first molt at 4 months though, that is usually when it begins and is over by 6 months. How long have you had Runt and are you certain of his birthdate? They do go through a very annoying stage once that first molt is over too, from about 7 - 10 or 11 months of age, then settle down a little. Also, are you certain Runt is male?

Thanks Rainbow, what do you mean by cooked diet of grains and veggies? - sounds tastey :budgiedance: ! What do you cook up and how do you serve it, if you don't mind me asking? I take the easy way and feed Beak Appetit. It has everything in it already, you just add water and cook. There are 7 or 8 different flavors, but my birds have a preference for the little bird flavor. Here is a link, it's the last one on the page. They will eat all of them, but prefer the Veggie Delight. If you've never fed a cooked diet before, expect to waste a lot of it before they actually realize it is food! Mine actually prefer this to all other foods, dry seeds included, and usually get some twice daily (breakfast and dinner). If you'd rather make it yourself, you can use any grain you'd eat, couscous, brown rice, noodles, etc. and mix in whatever cooked veggies you feel like (avoid onion, raw is toxic and it's a toss up whether cooked is safe or not). A frozen mix is fine thawed. Occasionally I will give a taste (a noodle or two) of macaroni and cheese, or spaghetti with a tiny bit of marinara sauce. :budgiedance: Actually, Skittles likes whatever she can scarf from your plate, LOL. She will fly over, do a quick landing on the side of the plate, and check out what you have.

I avoid anything with artificial colors. I'm with Kaz, natural is best. I free-feed my budgies Harrison's Mash. They really like it, they won't eat the small pellets (fine, superfine) anymore. The fine is too large for a budgie in my opinion anyway. I don't know what types of seeds you can get, but I use Volkman. It is preserved naturally with orange oil, and the bag smells great when you open it. The ingredient list is short also, which is good. If you haven't tried offering a cooked diet of grains and veggies, try that also. Birdie Bread is a great treat for them, and also a good way to 'hide' anything you want them to eat but that they won't usually touch. :devil:

It does sound like you have the sexes reversed. Hens do make a monotone chirp that resembles a grating-sounding 'cheep', I rarely hear it from mine unless one of them is "in a mood" then it can get annoying. I have 4 hens, and they do occasionally sing like males so that is not unheard of either. The girls also head bob and occasionally regurgitate for each other, and make very soft warbling sounds. As mentioned before, hens will have white, whiteish-blue, tan, or brown ceres that appear scaley or wrinkled. The males will have blue, bluish-purple, or pink ceres and they are much smoother in appearance. Can you post any pictures?

Ah, no problem! Thanks for the kind thoughts. He has been gone for awhile, but I still have some birds from him, in my avatar, the three starting from the right.

Andrew, your yellowface is just lovely. I have to tell you, the bird in your avatar reminds me so much of my Rainbow, only yours is not diluted. I'm sorry if I should know this, but what is the bird's name in your avatar? My Rainbow (RIP):

That looks like a normal grey to me also. Greywing budgies should not be any more expensive than normal color types. Heck, my greywing budgies were free! (babies, LOL)

You have to be very careful about these - are they made of stainless steel? If not they could be zinc coated, which is dangerous. Also that type clip is a bad idea for any bird, quick links are much safer. The chain looks small enough to catch toes to me...and check the connector for the bell too, again for beak and toe safety. it is a great idea for a foraging toy, but I think I'd keep to the ones especially made for birds for safety. KAZ, cool idea there too, again make sure they are made of a bird-safe substance.

Boomberry, that looks like how Blossom's started. It's even in the same place - just the opposite wing. I think she had it around 3 weeks before she went in for surgery. It started off small, like a cyst, but as it grew you could see more and more veins growing in it also. It grew very quickly, which was a bit scary. Watch it to see if or how fast it grows. If Chip is picking at it and making it bleed, I think I would talk to the vet about surgery. You can pm me or e-mail me if you want my perspective on what happened - anytime.

Hey Booms, my Blossom had a growth removed from her wing a few months ago, so I think I know what you are talking about. It grew under her feathers, so was not noticable except for just the stroke of luck I had when I saw it. She saw the vet, who recommended removal - not immediately if she left it alone, which she did at first. He said he could not tell whether it was cancerous or benign just from looking at it. In the space of a week or 10 days, it doubled in size, and she finally started to pick at it. When it was small she ignored it, but when she started to make it bleed, I was afraid something would happen while I was at work and no one would be around to stop her from bleeding out so I took her in for surgery. I did take some pictures, but my camera is junk so there weren't really any good pictures. I'll post them though, and maybe you can make out the lump. It was around the bend of her wing, under all the feathers. She has a fatty tumor on her chest anyway, and is very overweight due to the tumor, so it was risky (as all surgeries are, I guess) as she is somewhat of a special needs bird (she also has kidney issues). But the vet did not have concerns about her not coming out of the surgery. She came through just fine, I took her home same day, and she was her usual spunky self. I had to keep her seperated (at the vet's request) since sometimes birds will pick on an injured one, but the rest of the birds kept flying over to her temporary cage and kiss her through the bars. They would all fly over to her, chirp several times, then fly back to their regular cage, wait for her, then fly back. Skittles even tried to open up the doors and was scratching around the base of the cage to get in with Blossom! After 3 days they all seemed to miss her so much I put her back in with the rest of the flock and there was no issue at all. Everyone left her wound alone. It took about 3-4 weeks for the feathers to grow back, it was much quicker than I was told. Anyway, she is right as rain now and you can't tell she had any surgery. I know I have painted a rosy picture, and for me the outcome was great, but I'm sure you know each bird is different and you do have to weigh the pro's and con's of putting your bird under anesthesia. I don't have to tell you that, do I? Your bird is very young (Blossom will be 4 in Feb.), so if otherwise in good health and you trust your vet I'd really consider it if the growth continues to increase and Chip is picking at it. It is a totally different matter if your budgie is making it bleed, you know? You can't be around to supervise all the time. I could have had a biopsy done, but having one would not change the future. If it is cancerous, we deal with that. If it was benign, we hope it does not return. But that is of course up to you. Anyway, before and after pics: I need a new battery in the camera or I'd take a shot of her now - she is fully feathered and full of energy.

An online friend of mine is conducting some research on budgie life spans. She recently lost a budgie, and that is what has prompted her quest. We've all lost budgies, so if you are interested in participating, the link to the site is http://budgietalk.com. Click the life expectancy survey link at the bottom of the menu on the left-hand side. This will redirect you to another site, as this research is not part of the Budgerigar Breeders Club Forums.

Bea, you don't have to use bleach. It is just one method. As the article said, it is used as an antibacterial. You can also rinse the seeds with a mixture of water and ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) or water and a few drops of GSE (Grape Seed Extract) as both have antibacterial properties. Whatever method you use, just make sure to rinse well afterwards with plain water. I haven't used anything except regular water either with no trouble, but am starting to use the ACV. You can also put a drop or two in the drinking water to ********* bacterial growth - good if your budgie likes to make birdie soup - and you aren't always home to change the water immediately. I wouldn't rely on it in place of frequent water changes, but as a preventative I've read helps.

Aren't you allowed to take them in cabin with you on the plane? As long as their carrier meets ariline specs and you keep it under your seat, I think you can.

I was surprised that in all those comments on the YouTube video link you put up that no one corrected that person - that budgie is not female! I was tempted, believe me..... I have had many budgies of both sexes, and must say I prefer hens. I find them to have a steadier temperament with fewer surprises than males. Either sex will bite, but hens seem to bite hard and then are done with it (unless you tick them off again), while males hang on and grind at your flesh relentlessly. Hens are grumpier around other budgies, and have definite preferences as to which birds they will tolerate being near at any given moment. Males seem not to care and will share food and toys with other birds - usually they have better luck with other males as the hens tend to want toys and food all to themselves, LOL. But hens will bond just as strongly to you as a male budgie would. I don't think there is much difference whether they trust you or not. Right now I have 4 hens. They do not bite, they live together in the same cage just fine, and 3 of the 4 are able to be handled without a problem. The one that I can't pick up is an older hen who I think was teased before I got her, but she has come a long way! She will land on me and preen my face, and also will take food from my hand and will fly to me when the food is coming! 3 of the 4 also talk to varying degrees. They are the more aggressive of the sexes, but are not as hyper as males and will not chatter as constantly as the boys do.

Hi, don't know if you saw this picture or not, but it might help. The black shell markings and most wing feathers are the normal black color in the bird in the upper left. The bird in the lower right is a greywing. You can see the color of the wings is about 50% of normal, and if you notice her tail, it has a greyish-blue cast to it. This one shows a greywing in the upper left by herself, a dilute third one over, next row (next to the normal from the 1st picture). The rest that you can see the back sides of are of normal color. The photos are old, but at least you can see normals, a dilute, and a greywing next to each other.

Did the vet trim the whole thing down? Did it bleed? It looked like it was very long in the picture, but the more I looked at it, it looked really skinny. Not the normal width of the beak. I guess it was probably the angle of the picture. Anyway, special needs budgies are so precious. It wouldn't be SO bad if he made his forever home with you, would it?

Hi, it's nice to have you back! There is a lot for you to catch up on, I'll bet. You have a wonderful flock.

I think the most common causes of an overgrown beak like that is either liver disease or a vitamin/mineral deficiency. A healthy budgie will not ever need a beak trim, as they keep growth in check through everyday behaviors (ie chewing up toys, eating, investigating their surroundings, etc). If the bird has not ever had anything wooden to chew maybe it could grow out like that??????, but I think a bird that felt well would probably find a way to chew something. I'd keep the quarantine in effect for at least 30 days, maybe longer (at least until whenever ALL testing results the veterinarian does have come in and he/she has had a chance to look at them and tell you what exactly is wrong). I think it might take several trimming sessions, as I'll bet the blood supply in that beak reaches down pretty far. Just keep the lights on for them so it is not so dark all the time. I hope it something correctible, they are precious. You are such an angel to do the work you do. Bless you.

I would like to post an update to this thread. I have done some research on this lately, and AGY (Avian Gastric Yeast) is found in the droppings - your vet can look under a microscope and see whether they are present or not. They do not have to do a gram stain, just a wet mount will show. If there is even one rod present, treat your birds! It does not cost much to have the vet look at a fecal smear under the microscope, and if you have had one bird diagnosed with the disease, it is a good idea to treat the flock. Meds might seem expensive, but a little expense upfront is better than many deaths down the road. They look like a bacterium under the microscope, but antibiotics are ineffective. That is why it was initially called megabacteria. It has been found to have more yeast-like qualities to it, and so the name change to more accurately reflect the disease. Amphotericin-B is the most effective medication against it, although other antifungals are in trials for effectiveness. Signs and symptoms oftentimes mimick PDD (proventricular dilation disease) and often the first symptoms are vomiting and weight loss.

Joey, that bird needs to see an avian vet NOW! I'm sure she is in severe pain. If the same thing happened to another bird several months ago, they are not getting the nutrients they need. You might think about not breeding them as you need to figure out what is lacking in their diet and environment, and determine what needs to be done to turn it around. Cuttlebone is not a very viable source of calcium, and can contain contaminants. Bioavailability of the calcium in cuttlebone is poor, a much better source would be calcium-rich foods as the calcium contained in those is many times better absorbed by the body, and also contains other nutrients necessary for optimal health. Please take your bird to the veterinarian.

Welcome Scotty. You have found a fantastic resource to learn more about caring for budgies, and to decide whether breeding is right for you. Check out the breeding sections, as well as the mutation and general care and health sections for more information. As you have questions, don't hesitate to ask!