Phoebes

Thanks so much for answering. My daughter is going to come over tomorrow with a better camera. All my budgies are non tame so I dread trying to catch her and bring her to the vet. She has been with all the other birds for a year and none of them have anything resembling this. We got her from the adult bird cage at the pet shop and I noticed right away she seems cross eyed. There is something different about her eyes and all my other budgies. I don't know if you can see it.

Could this be hyperkeratosis?

It looks like I am going to have to get Emerald to a Vet. The more I look at this the more I think something is going on.

I only had one clutch of eggs and all hatched.

How are things now?

I took more pics of Emerald. My eyesight is really bad but these pictures do not reassure me. It really seems like something is wrong with her cere? http://s1055.photobucket.com/user/bbbirdie/media/moreofEmerald009_zpsf2125dab.jpg.html Here is the link if someone would like to give me an opinion on her.

A while back I started buying these new orange blocks I found at the pet shop. The birds are so crazy about them they can make it disappear in one day. One of my females became very dirty above the nostrils. I didn't give her any for the time it took to verify that this is what was causing the problem. Her face became quite clean and to my satisfaction. Recently I gave her more, I couldn't help myself she loves them so much. Now I look at her nostrils and am having the same dilemma (thinking she is sick). I really don't know why I did this to myself. At first you can see the orange staining very clearly then she really just looks sick. The others are not getting this kind of staining from these blocks. I am wondering what she does differently than my other birds. I guess from now on I am going to have to be cruel to be kind. No more orange blocks for Emerald! Will post pics soon. I believe this is the culprit. Sorry she does like to throw fresh corn on the walls.

Very nice looking birds. In our Canadian weather we couldn't even think of leaving birds outside though. Although there are many regions a bit warmer in Canada then where I live. Here they would surely be Popsicles next month.

You know that photo almost looks like a bird looking in a mirror Rachelm, that's a very cool effect.

I read somewhere that sometimes brothers and sisters give blind chicks. I don't have much experience, My budgies are in flight cages and they are not tame. I would suggest having some small cages for training purposes. This is one of my babies in her new home. She likes to groom eyebrows but won't do it for the camera. She used the method described somewhere on this site. Leaving her hand in the cage for a while without disturbing the bird (daily). Hand-feeding millet, then getting the bird to step up. This little female was very shy and still is however she is coming around. Also she has clipped wings but this was only so that she wouldn't hurt herself being new there. The cage is a play top.

Great thread, I could just spend all day looking at the lovely photos of these beautiful birds. Every time I think I have seen every color a budgie can be it seems someone manages to prove me wrong with some dazzling picture.

You seem to be doing a good job. He is rather tame, that is very nice.

Sorry about the loss, they are so tiny and but the vet bills are not. I'll be reading along hoping to ready myself if ever this happens.

OMG Paulie those babies are to die for!

I visited the white baby in my profile picture today. She doesn't talk but does groom eyebrows.

Here is a picture of Noah taken today. I took this with a camera phone and resized it on photobucket. He isn't a showbird obviously but what a character. http://i1055.photobucket.com/albums/s501/bbbirdie/Noahprettyboy_zps93a11e41.jpg

Haven't been on for a while sorry. Just wanted to say Paulie that clutch is soooo adorable!!!!

I had a scare with one of my birds where I thought she had blood above her nostrils. It turned out that some of the seeds had red coloring on it. The male had spit some up on to her face somehow. I later noticed the red coloring on certain parts of the food. The red color was a little bright to be blood but very scary at first view. I just thought I would add this in case some other budgie owners have the same scare. I wish people would not put coloring onto bird food. I hope your bird gets better.

It's been quite some time now and the biofilm never came back. I have added one important step to my bottle cleaning. I pour boiled water over the stoppers after having cleaned them. I knew that the water quality here was less than perfect, we drink bottled water. (as do the birds) I suspect the old plumbing is responsible as mold will form quickly in the toilet if not maintained daily. There is none in the house but I have to add cleaners often to the washing machine.

Sorry I haven't been on as much. I did get the product and I am really glad I didn't give the 100% markup to the store. I can't see why they should make as much money as the factory plus everyone else involved in getting this to my door. They really are greedy. I was surprised to read online that many stores do take a 100% markup. The 147 dollars from the States included the Quebec tax charge.

Love that picture by Rachelm. Looks so playful.

Great picture! What a character that Ghost is.

Paulie that is one very good looking bird. I wish we had some like him where I live. Rachelm, that photo is so adorable. It looks like the bird is magical to her.

True, I thought the same thing. Brutus is gorgeous and the photo is well taken, it just seemed a bit grainy.

Have to say Nadene.