I have 2 flighted budgies in a outside cage boy stormy and girl winter, I have come home today at lunch time to find winter on the bottom of the cage chewing on a feather one of stormy's feather's (I don't know if this means anything) upon looking at stormy he has lost a couple of tail feather's and has blood on his tail and there is a bit of blood on the bottom of the cage. at first I thought maybe they had a fight but winter is white an there is not a spek of blood on her now if they had had a fight surely she would have blood on her?

they have been together for about 2 months now and they have had little spats with each other nothing major usually its stormy being annoying and winter basically tells him where to go and then they are preening each other again 5 minutes later

 

Stormy seems fine he is eating and flying and all the right stuff I just have no idea what might have happened to him if anyone has any idea's I would love it if you could help. he and winter seem fine at the moment I have seen them preening each other and kissing since I got home so I just don't know whats happened

 

what can I clean stormy's tail with? I can't get him to a vet till thursday, it has stopped bleeding I would just like to give it a clean or should I leave it alone??

Doesn't sound like feather plucking. How old are they? Could it have been a neighbourhood cat or other predator?

 

Either way, Stormy doesn't seem too worried about it. If it was still bleeding you could have stopped it by putting on some cornstarch, other than that I would leave it alone. Just keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't show any signs of being ill (constantly fluffed up, sitting on the bottom of the cage etc)

 

Feathers

Thanks feather's I was really concerened. there is a cat that has been seen around my house and has sprayed on my car (ewwww) but I can't see how it would have got a hold of him he would have just flewn away from it........ this really is a mystery?

if it is feather plucking (which I don't think it is because I can't see that he would want to make himself bleed) what would have caused it??

There are many different reasons that can cuase feather plucking. Illness, boredom, stress are a few.

 

But they don't normally start with tail feathers, mostly on the chest area or under wings.

 

By the sounds of things he has lost all his tail feathers? They could have had a fight over something, if winter got a hold of the tail feathers while stormy was flying away that can cuase some feathers to be pulled free.

 

Is the cage set up so a cat can't climb up on it or next to it?? If not the tail feathers might have been grapped through the wires by a cat or something else.

 

Like feathers said keep an eye on them and if the bleeding starts again use cornflour (or cornstarch) and take to an avain vet for a check.

Thanks so much for all your help. I don't think that a cat could have got hold of his tail because if I even go to stand near the cage and he is on a perch near the side he will fly away from me untill he realises its me then he comes and sits an talks to me or eats whatever might be nearby.

He hasn't lost all of his tail feather's it looks like he has about 2 left, but they look like they have been pulled out of his backside the ones he has lost, I'm sure it has stopped bleeding because the blood on the white bits of his tail are now brown.

I'm really baffled because they get along fine from what I have seen apart from like I said a couple of small spats.

It really looks like someone has yanked the tail feather's out. I can't see that winter would have been able to do it but then I guess ya never know.

should I take him out? I have left him in with her for now as like I said they look fine with each other, I just don't want this to happen again so I thought about taking him out, only I don't want to stress him out any futher as I am sure he is probably sore

thanks

 

also quick question, I was hoping to breed these 2 eventually, if they have had a fight to cause this does this mean they are not going to bond? not that it matters I am just wondering

Edited November 20, 200618 yr by juleslou

I wouldn't rule out a cat, they can be extremely good at sneaking up without being seen. If Winter and Stormy have been getting along okay all this time I can't see any reason why they would suddenly have such a huge spat.

 

I wouldn't worry about them bonding, females can quite bossy creatures but when in breeding condition may be more receptive. Leave them and see how they are getting along.

Everyone gave excellent advice keep an eye on him and maybe a quick trip to the avian vet would be best to rule out any illness. Budgies are not know to feather pick unless they are carrying and illness and as Nerwen said it usually doesn't start at the tail.

 

Keep us updated.

Thanks so much everyone, I was really worried about him last night he looked rather sad and I wasn't sure if he was going to make it through the night. but I have woken this morning to him back to his normal self flying around annoying winter :dbb1:, I did figure something out though they had a little mirror in there that they both seemed to share rather nicely, but this morning I heard them sqwaking at each other and when I looked they were both near the mirror so I have taken the mirror out incase that was the cause of the fight, if it was a fight.

anyway now I think he is annoyed at his tail feather's that he has left because they are all stuck together with the blood so he keeps trying to preen them so I don't know if I should clean them for him or let him do it. I'm just worried about him doing more damage by preening them all the time.

we are off to the vet on thursday :ausb: just to be sure

thanks again everyone

Getting rid of the mirror is a really good idea anyway. They can actually bond to the budgie they see in the reflection. I think the only time I'd use a mirror was if I had a solo bird.

thanks feather's, upon taking the mirror out I did notice that one of them has obviously been feeding the mirror because it was really grubby, so I am glad I have taken it out

okay just thought I would let everyone know, incase you were wondering, stormy and I went to the vet's today (not a avian vet) just my local vet but he has dealt with birds there before. he said he looked fine, gave his tail a little bit of a clean, couldn't really tell me any different than you guys as to what might have happen'd. he said to keep an eye on him to make sure he isn't doing it to himself... but since its happen'd I have watched him and he hasn't done anything to himself.

so I guess it will remain a mystery as to what happen'd I am just glad he is okay :bluebudgie: