Turbs

So sorry to hear about little Bo, August. You did the right thing by giving him a chance, although we all do worry how far we take things like vet treatment. Nice about about the vet staff gift. Perhaps something they could all share - like organise a basket of nice goods to be delivered at the surgery or even a dozen wine etc.

They are delightfully chubby little things aren't they. Although your vet wouldn't be too happy about that... Dim Sim certainly looks like he's been into the Dim Sims!

What is everyone's best guess re the gender of baby A to D???

Hi FGM - If you take Sonrisa to an Avian vet to get her beak looked at, there may a good chance that the beak can be corrected while it is still soft and pliable... It also looks like it will be misaligned the way it's growing. This may cause troubles with eating as the bird grows. If anything I would aim to look into ways to fix the misalignment so that it can eat properly when it's older. I suspect the mishapen upper part will be hard to fix though - ie. the misalignment is the thing to correct if anything is possible. As as an idea, in case the deformity is nutritionally-related, could you try to hand-feed it with a baby bird soft food mix (one that is nutritionally balanced - not just egg biscuit) to see if it can help. This may help things along. Always good to try anything.

Hard to tell from a photo. But if budgie is fluffed up ever so slightly, it could be a sign. Although remember you can always quarantine for 1mth and get him/her fixed up at vet. Most things are curable. But just be carefully re infecting your other birdies!

I'm pretty sure just about all "experienced budgie owners" on this discussion board will be able to tell you that they have had a great relationship with two or more birds together. The dynamics can even be quite fun at times. Given that you're out all day@work and you do worry about Sam (sounds like you really love her), you should feel confident that having Jack with her if the right way to go... It's a philosophical thing, but I believe that you must always keep two birds together for each other's company. Otherwise, poor little things don't have any company and can feel quite lonely if an owner is out all day. It sounds like a good move to have both checked up by an Avian vet. Especially if Sam is looking sick. The thing to remember is that budgies hide illness, so if she's starting to show it, she could potentially be really sick. Best book the appt today just to be sure... You can also have plenty of single budgie-person time with 2 budgies. I think that you'll also find it interesting to learn about their different personalities.. Good luck with Sam and Jack and let us all know how you go at the vet (or if you need an avian vet contact).

Hi Sam - Missed how many minutes he was out with his pooing condition. But budgies normally poo every 10-15min. Outside that, it could be stress poos/urination... Often it's like a nervous thing that budgies do when they're a bit toey or not tame. Sleeping isn't a good sign for such a young bird... Sounds like red flag for vet check to me. Especially, given your gut feel that he may be sick (trust your instinct). Feather loss could be due to a fight/scrap (are they all getting along?), a virus (eg. Polyoma), nutrition issues etc. etc. Hard to say really - limitless options unfortunately. Also consider that if he is sick with a virus like Polyoma, these can spread to the rest of your babies. Let us know if you need a number for an avian vet. They can even do a poo check under the microscope while you're waiting (which provides a lot of info)...

Hi Kerrie, It's a worry isn't it. I too have never gotten my budgie (actually called Turbs) to love pellets despite trying dozens of packets over years and years. I'm still putting it in though and here's what seems to attract some interest... Put a beated egg in the microwave for a 1min. Then mix it in with pellets - like crumbing it in as you do with butter and flour for scones. Wash your hands and rub the pellets and egg between your fingers to small bits. Even grind up the pellets like the consistency of their current egg and biscuit. A coffee grinder can be bought for about $25 for this (I wouldn't use the coffee one, cause of the coffee oils). Then they pick the egg out and may start picking bits of pellets. So the egg bits attract them to explore the pellets. It's a good theory anyway... ! You could also do the same with their current preferred egg biscuit and pellets. Mix them together and hopefully lead them to pellets. My girl budgie does eat a little, but stress the word little. Still a bit each day surely couldn't be bad, given that seeds are nutritionally deficient anyway... I recall reading a study that seeds have only around 5-7% protein and budgies need about 12% or thereabouts. Hence, there is usually a gap on an all seed diet. I know that this will be debated and it's probably not even 100% established as fact, but I reckon a bit of egg doesn't hurt, given that they only eat seeds. Also plenty of vegies everyday is important for other nutrients. When not breeding, I wouldn't cut back unless they are getting too fat. The less seed the better - especially, if they eat more vegies and a small amount of egg each day. Turbs.

Great question and it's good that you're trying to find out more info... Budgies actually need fresh vegies/greens every day - whether they're breeding or not. Sounds like yours are pretty fussy little guys and girls. Perhaps a few ideas could be to - - cook a silverbeet/spinach leaf (the big long dark green ones) in the microwave (with water) for ~4min. After cooling for 5-10min (caution - stems can be hot), place in cage. Now it's softer for budgies to get their beak into it, so this may help with uptake - try grating some mixed carrots/greens/broccoli into small pieces in a similar bowl to the one that they currently use for seed. Small pieces may be better and the bowl may trigger them to realise it's food - If no luck - perhaps leave the seed out for an hour or so (ONLY a short time as birds can starve!) to get them hungry, then put in a seed bowl full of vegies and a few vegie bits in the bars. Make sure you put it in when they are watching you. This will "motivate" them to pick and then they may get to realise that it's food and it tastes quite nice. But remember to return the seeds within no longer than 2hrs or so, as birds need regular food, due to their active metabolism (so be very careful with this approach) Also don't do it if they have babies, as babies could starve in even a shorter time. Also some questions to help you find out issues could be: - Are they scared or it or just disinterested? - Do they know it's food? How could you show them it's a food? - Have you tried the standards most budgies like? (eg. peel carrot shoved between bars, spinach and broccoli - often many don't take to fruits) Also note that lettuce has little nutritional value. Spinach and dark greens are better.. Also bear in mind that budgies should also get at least some seed AND pellets for improved nutrition, as seeds alone are akin to us eating some low nutrition food each day and nothing else. If can be tricky to convert them though, perhaps do a google search for "budgies" and "pellets" on the internet. This should bring you up to speed... :parrot: Best of luck with it.. Turbs.

It could be itching due to skin dryness (often linked to vitamin/nutritional deficiency). What sort of diet your little mate on?

Hi Chrissie, As feathers said, vitamins like Soluvet may help a little (multivitamin), but having a properly balanced diet is no doubt best for the long term. Moulting is a high energy time, as feathers are growing and new keratin sheaths are forming... So ensuring proper nutrition is arguably a good thing. Converting to some pellets in the diet is good for all budgies and can also help with the liver issue. Although the right percent of pellets to seed still seems debated. With those fatty lipomas, it sounds like Percy needs improved nutrition rather than more to eat (although feel in company - my bird is a little pork chop as well) I'd even try the home made egg biscuit thing - beat up an egg, 1min in the microwave and then mix with an soft food mix you know he'll eat (especially budgie crumbles). No doubt your avian vet has talked you all thru this... Touching a bird during moult can be a bit painful due to all those new little pin feathers breaking through the keratin. Ouch! So sympathise if he gets a bit cranky. He may well be feeling off colour. I've also read that it's good to keep up the humidity as this can help to soften the new keratin sheaths. When you mentioned his droppings, it sounds like you may have had these checked recently. But if nothing in the last couple of weeks and he seems "off colour", I'd be taking Percy back to the vet for a poo-check. With his liver condition, he's likely to have low immunity and this could thus be the sign of an emerging infection of some sort. Speaking from experience here - had a bird with a liver condition for 5yrs.. Do hope the little Percy is okay. Turbs...

Personally, I would give the little one a booster feed a few times a day until he catches up in size. Try offering a syringe or if doesn't work, a crop needle if you know how to use it. Otherwise, would be a good idea to take all babies to an avian vet asap. Perhaps bring all the babies and the nest box cage if possible, in case there is an infectious condition.

How many days old are babies 1, 2, 3 and 4 at the time of these pictures... Really interested to know this.

It could also be a sign that he's just happy. Especially if he does it while warbling away... You've got a friend for life if you keep up the relationship you have now. What colour is he?

It means he loves you... Or he loves something or another. Regurgitation is a courtship response. It's more like a purposeful neck bob - while vomting looks more uncontrolled and involves a flick of the head (no chirping either). Sounds like he's a happy baby...

English budgies seem to be getting so big, that I wonder if one day, they'll become as big as that pink galah in the photo! Imagine a budgie the size of a cockatoo!! Wow that first one is HUGE!!! and so pink I had no idea they were so small! I would love to get a few one day

Will she be signing budgiegraphs? Hopefully she'll deal with the papparazi okay... Perhaps she needs to go and see Harry Miller (Agent of the stars)?

Oh Riebe. Bobby is just a little bubbie. So we both think (my husband watched it too and loved him)... I'm now watching him again...

Love the last photo - very cute.

I would guess that your dad's probably right... There's so much cross-breeding these days, you can never be sure... Yes, a picture would be good to show people... Wish I had one handy.

Good to hear that you're getting the meds into him. You're doing the right thing. Don't stop - as the consequences of stopping will be worse. Remember when a bird shows they are sick, it often means that they've been sick for a while. So, it will be likely to take a while to get over it... The trick is keeping up the meds. My experience is that it takes at least 2 days to show a small sign of improvement (eg. 10%) and maybe 4-5 days before you know for certain (eg. where you may notice a 20% improvement). But getting back to 100% may take 2-3wks. Just like when you get antibiotics to treat a chest infection in winter - it takes some time. So think of him as like a person with a best chest infection - they can get better, but it can take time. Yes - Baytril is foul tasting. Mixing it with a drop of red cordial (not sure what it's called in the US, but basically drink syrup you mix with water), helps disguise the flavour. Or even a drop after it to take the taste away. My avian vet rec'd it and it was quite a useful suggestion... Nevertheless, Baytril is at least a good antiobiotic. One of the better ones. So it's good news you've been given a good one that covers many bugs. If you're really still worried and can afford another trip to the vet, go to another to get a culture and sensitivity test. Then you'll know 100% that it's the right antiobiotic. Below is a web site with a list of Avian vets. Even ring them if no luck on the web (wasn't sure where you are in the US). http://aav.org/vet-lookup/ Wet droppings are likely to be from the bug and maybe a bit of medicine too. But my guess is the bug mostly. Tweeting is a great sign! Once again, getting a gram kitchen scale to weigh him is best. Take a baseline and his weight in the evening before bed should be at least 2-3g more than first up in the morning (ie. he needs to eat at least 2-3g of food/seed in the night to maintain his daily weight)... Note also that this may vary 1g or so, depending on his size. This is the best indication he's eating... You can also feel the food in his crop (his throat area) each night. There should be a small little lump of food. This "theory" by the way is based on years of weighing many sick mid size (non-english) budgies... If he's not eating, an Avian vet can also crop needle him some food. So if he's not improving and you're not able to do this yourself, you're best to take him to an avian vet hospital and they'll give him lots of food to build him up again. The usually give hand rearing formula. They can put a little tube into his throat and deposit the food. Doesn't hurt him at all, but will do him good... A little stress is better than starving. Am I right to understand that they did this crop feeding at the last vet surgery? If so, even if they may not be so thorough, take him back and get him fed if he's not eating. Use them for what they're worth. Re the costs of vets, remember that avian vets are highly trained professionals. Doctors essentially with specialist quals. So their fees aren't structured based on the price of the birdies... Re your vet, the thing I wondered - Are they being nice re the costs or fobbing you off simply because they don't have the expertise? That was the question in my mind... Not sure. If in doubt, go with your gut feel. Do hope Mr B. gets better soon. Will be thinking about him.

They are so so tiny the bushies - probably (?) 1/3 of the weight of an english budgie... And normal green of course. I'm hoping to get one soon. 6 eggs have hatched over Xmas-NY and the parents are both bush budgies. So maybe will be able to take one home in the next few weeks. Will keep him or her as a house pet. While I love all budgies (mainly because of their great personalities), I'm surprised that people don't generally go for the normal green bush budgies as much as the English ones... Several breeders say that they also find it more difficult to sell the green ones. Any experiences out there? Does anyone have an idea why green ones and bush budgies may not be so popular. As the 5 breeders I recently approached all independent said this.Or is it just the green colour (eg. maybe some just don't prefer it cause it's "typical" or something??). :ygbudgie:

Hi - I was wondering if anyone had an interest in little green bush budgies. My first budgie was one of these and he lived for 14yrs. I'm looking at getting another one soon from a local breeder, as my second budgie recently passed away from a long term illness. They are so small and cute and much smaller than English budgies. Does anyone also have an interest in bush budgies? Maybe some people outside Australia haven't had even had a chance to see any...

Here's a listing of the avian vets in WA - it was on the Vetafarm web site. Other states also listed. If these aren't near you, maybe ring them and ask if they could mentor local vet. Get in early though. Don't wait a day longer! Dr Ray Butler BVSc MACVSc Risley Veterinary Clinic 789 Canning Highway Applecross 6153 Phone: 08 9364 2288 Dr S R Raidal FACVSc (Avian Health) Phone: 08 9360 2418 Email: raidal@numbat.murdoch.edu.au Dr S T Oldfield BVSc MACVSc (Avian Health) Wattle Grove Veterinary Hospital 791 Welshpool Road Wattle Grove WA 6107 Phone: 08 9453 6655 Email: wgvh@iinet.net Geographe Veterinary Hospital Richard Lucas BSc BVMSc 89 Bussell Highway Busselton 6280 Phone: 08 9754 4422 Email: geovet@netserv.net.au Web: http://www.geovet.com.au

Stinker is so handsome. How did you come up with that name by the way? Budgies smell just lovely, although I'm sure you didn't mean that he smells!