Hello,

 

The are directly above my budgies beak is red and i wondered if anyone could shed any light on it. I've put a picture below, it's not very good but it's the best i could get (Chippy is a bit camera shy!).

 

Thanks in advance

Neil

 

Hi Neil, and welcome to the forum.

 

By any chance is Chippy molting? It is hard to tell by that picture, but it looks like it could be thinner patches due to missing feathers. If he is not molting, do you notice him wiping his beak or rubbing his head against toys or perches more than usual? Does he sneeze? You might want to hold him and part the feathers to take a good look at the skin to get a better idea of what it looks like, and let us know.

Edited June 19, 200619 yr by Rainbow

Welcome, I agree with Rainbow

He doesn't seem to be sneezing but he does rub his head on his perches quite a bit but i don't think any more than usual. He's not molting at the moment. I've tried getting hold of him to have a closer look but he won't let me. I wish i'd started holding him when we first got him now.

Most budgies don't like to be held, so it's not surprising he wants nothing to do with that. It does look reddish on my monitor - could it be from something he's eaten...strawberries, red peppers, anything like that? Does it look like dried blood, or more like you can see the skin underneath the feathers? To me it looks like the feathers are thinning there for some reason.

 

If you really don't know, a closer look is probably in order. You will just have to catch him. You'll probably end up chasing him around the cage, so it would be easier to take out most perches and toys. If necessary, use a tissue, paper towel, or washcloth to put over him as you pick him up. The washcloth will be the only thing that will protect your fingers though. Have you ever held a budgie for examination or to give medicines? Make sure you don't compress the diaphragm, or he will suffocate. If you keep his head between your thumb and index or third finger you should be able to prevent him from biting. Just be gentle. If it seems to stressful and you find yourself unable to catch him and frustrated to boot, then a call to your avian vet is in order and see what they have to say.

I can always tell that my budgies are about to moult when they start to get red and lose the feathers around the cere. The pins start coming out shortly after. It certainly looks like that in the picture. But if you are concerned, a trip to your avian vet should confirm what it might be.

Birds breathe via air sacs, which they expand and contract to push fresh air through the lungs, they don't have a diaphragm in the sense that we do and I think (recalling lectures) that their ribcage is static, bUt if they are squeezed they can't breath even more so because they can't expand their air sacs, so are very fragile. Just remember to be careful.

Thanks for your help everyone. It appears i was worried unduly. Chippys head looks back to normal today and he has started moulting. I've just never noticed this before when he's moulted.

That's good. :rip:

good to hear it seems like each moult comes with something different.

Pretty moulted lightly and for a long time the first one and now he is just flying feathers all over the place and looks like a pin cushion (Laughing out loud). Keep us updated with pics of course :rip: