Hi everyone,

 

It's been a long time since I've logged on, (sorry to say), but I definitely need some help. Peaches, my budgie, can't seem to keep her feet still while standing on a perch. She keeps lifting one than the next in a marching or stomping motion. She's been doing it for at least the last half hour that I've noticed....can anyone let me know what may be going on?

 

Michelle

Is she grooming them or just shifting her weight from foot to foot?

 

Check both feet for signs of broken skin, redness or swelling.

 

What sort of branch is it?

Is it new?

Is it clean?

Is she grooming them or just shifting her weight from foot to foot?

 

Check both feet for signs of broken skin, redness or swelling.

 

What sort of branch is it?

Is it new?

Is it clean?

 

 

Hi Nerwen,

 

She's not grooming them....She kicks them backwards sometimes, but mostly just shifts back and forth from foot to foot in a marching motion. I've checked both feet and there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with them. The branches she sits on range from wooden dowels to natural branches, to those textured concrete perches. right now she's sitting on a dowel. Could she have a mite of some kind?

i was told off by my vet for using the concrete perches, that they cause problems with the feet, sores and such, i don't know if that would be causing issues with your babies feet but it may be a start by removing them?

Hi August,

 

I have a very large indoor aviary and there are only 2 very small 4" concrete perches in the entire aviary. The rest of the perches are natural wooden branches or dowels. I leave the 2 concrete perches in because a few of my birds love to use them to scratch their beaks on. I've had them in for over a year and hadn't noticed any problems. The more I watch Peach, the more I think she may have a mite of some sort. Is there a mite that may infect the feet that may not be easily seen?

The only one I think of straight away is the scaley face mite, yes this can affect feet and legs as well.

that was my initial thought too mites or sores on the feet

I would take her to the avian vet to get her checked out because if you have an aviary with more birds they will all need to be treated.

Everyone....

 

Thanks so much for your advice. I again looked over Peaches' feet and was unable to find anything obviously wrong. Mites seem to be the most likely explanation...I guess we're going to the vet!

keep us updated and let us know how it goes

How old is your budgie? Another thing to keep in mind is the possibility of arthritis. Has she had varied perches all her life or did you get her as an older budgie?

Good thing to think of as well Eterri. Gout was crossed off my list before you should see a white blob in the joint areas. But the mites would have signs as well from swelling to what looks like peeling. But a vet check would be the best to be sure.