Posted April 24, 200718 yr Baby has been having issues with her tail feathers. The long ones don't grow out well and when they do, they break off, leaving her with no long ones until more come in. It doesn't seem to affect her. Does anyone have any ideas about why this could be happening? Its been going on since about December or so, when the vet said she might have an encysted tail feather. After being on the meds, a tail feather grew out with several bends in it. After that, the feathers seem to break off easily. Yes, they break off rather than fall out. The other day she had one sticking straight up at a right angle to how it usually lays - you can see where it specifically breaks. Jared also seems to think that her tail is getting 'thicker'. I'm not totally sure what he means by that, unless he thinks the tail base itself is getting bigger, like its swollen or something. He wanted me to make a post here and see if anyone has any suggestions before we bother the vet about it, in case its something simple we can do that doesn't involve medical care. Like I said before, it doesn't seem to bother her in any way, she is acting like her usual cheeky little self, she just has a short and stubby tail. *L*
April 24, 200718 yr I know baby is older so it could be due to a nutritional issue. Meaning I know you feed them well but could be due to her getting older her body is not absorbing all the nutrients it needs or she may need more of one thing or another. This is a theory - not saying this is the issue. Doing some reading I read that brittle and frazzled feathers with scaly skin is often a sign of poor nutrition. have you looked at her skin on her feet does it look normal? What does Baby's diet consist of throughout the week?
April 24, 200718 yr Author I've noticed that her feet look like old lady feet - kind of like the skin seems more wrinkled and baggy than it should. It could be a bit dry too. I was wondering if it could be a nutritional thing. However, her wing feathers are just fine. She gets her seed mix and the dust from Cupid and Psyche's pellets sprinkled over it every day. Most days of the week she gets veggies in her food too (a mix of carrots, peas, corn, lima beans and green beans). The seed mix is a well rounded one (see here http://parrotisland.mainsecureserver.com/c...&products_id=15 ). They're eating Lafeber's pellets right now, but I'm going to be switching them over to Harrison's soon (as the supply of the Lafeber's gets to the end). Of course, this is what she is offered, but what she picks out from it all, I can't be sure. I do know that she eats at least some of the veggies - an empty pea shell here, a chewed up carrot there, etc. Maybe not enough though, or like you suggested, maybe her body isn't absorbing it all like it should.
April 24, 200718 yr is she actually eating the pellets or picking around them too? Make sure she has a good vitamin A diet that is huge in birds because it keeps their immune system up. I learned a lot about that when Pretty passed and if you do some goggles you will find excellent articles or you can PM me. The tail feathers are mostly affected because they are longer and get bumped around more then the wings.
April 24, 200718 yr Baby has been having issues with her tail feathers. The long ones don't grow out well and when they do, they break off, leaving her with no long ones until more come in. It doesn't seem to affect her. Does anyone have any ideas about why this could be happening? Its been going on since about December or so, when the vet said she might have an encysted tail feather. After being on the meds, a tail feather grew out with several bends in it. After that, the feathers seem to break off easily. Yes, they break off rather than fall out. The other day she had one sticking straight up at a right angle to how it usually lays - you can see where it specifically breaks. Jared also seems to think that her tail is getting 'thicker'. I'm not totally sure what he means by that, unless he thinks the tail base itself is getting bigger, like its swollen or something. He wanted me to make a post here and see if anyone has any suggestions before we bother the vet about it, in case its something simple we can do that doesn't involve medical care. Like I said before, it doesn't seem to bother her in any way, she is acting like her usual cheeky little self, she just has a short and stubby tail. *L* Hi Armchairangel... How close are your perches to the walls of the cage???? Secondly what does the end of the feather look like ( The ones that fall out ) Are they smooth with a dome like end or are they straight, cracked, bloody, hollow???? ........ What about her flight feathers? Are they they same or is it just the tail feathers????
April 25, 200718 yr Author She gets the crumbles from the pellets, not whole ones. I try to see if the powder is gone when I dump the seeds out the next day - sometimes it is, other times I notice its still there. What are some good foods that have vit A in them? I bet the birdie bread made with sweet potatoes and pellets etc would be a good supplement. I haven't given them some of that in a while. And then I look up and see Baby in Cupid adn Psyche's cage eating out of the dish that has their pellets... Maybe she is eating fairly decent afterall. *shrugs* Who knows? Neat, I was wondering if her cage furniture arrangement could be a factor. I want to say that I read somewhere that tail feathers can be damaged if the perches and toys are in the wrong places. I can't remember where though, so I haven't been sure of it. Most of her perches are 3 or 4 inches away from the walls, however, there is one large horizontal one that is more like 2 inches away. She has a lot of toys too, one which is a beaded necklace that you can hook together and wear, or hook the ends to the cage which goes across the middle. I've been wondering if its too crowded for her, but Jared has wanted us to leave it alone. However, he asked me to post about her feathers, so if it happens that her furniture is an issue, I know he'll be happy to change. I don't think I've ever seen the ends of the lost feathers, so I can't say what they look like. I suppose I could dig in her tail and see what the ends there look like.... And the shafts are flat across, white ended, kind of dry looking, no blood and the feathery parts that come off the shaft are intact, so the whole end is in the shape of a V with the shaft at the center point. The feathers don't fall out completely from her body, they break off partway down. I found 3 in my little exam just now. And her wing feathers are fine, its just the tails that do this.
April 25, 200718 yr Hi, poor Baby. I have no answers as to why it keeps getting broken, but I just wanted to make sure that she is getting a lot of protein in her diet. Protein is an important element for any bird that is moulting, or rather, growing in new feathers. Make sure she is getting some eggfood or another protein suppliment. Feathers.
April 25, 200718 yr Move the perches so that she has ample room and isn't getting her tail *squished.... have a look if you need to move them the do it ..... I am sure there is nothing major with her * tails sound right, however if you feel doubt take her to a Avian Vet not a normal one the prices are the same ( Consultation fee $46 Mine is ) and get them to double check.. Or ring them up and just ask them a question PLEASE Don't put her in until after quartine time has subsided better to be safe then really sorry.. Keep up with fresh Veggies and Vitam supp and she should be A okay... It's pretty daughting with a new bird, not knowing if it's health is okay, or etc But it'll be sweet in the end... Good luck with it all can you post a picture we love pics
April 25, 200718 yr Neat, Baby isn't a new bird She is a 16 year old veteran and has her own cage, but she enjoys playing with Cupid and Psyche too. Feathers.
April 25, 200718 yr Armchair I going to lean toward the fact that she is older and when we all get older our hair, nails tend to dry out and get brittle. Our body metabolism changes, keep an eye on the pellets. Vitamin A is brocolli, kale, carrots, (dark greens is what carries it the most). Do a google called foods with vitamin A and I can locate that article for you about V. A. if you like. You know I forgot to ask has it been dry in your house or is there enough humidity I know that can lead to dry skin too .
April 25, 200718 yr Author I'll add the dark green leafies and make sure she has plenty of carrots. If I remember right, she actually liked kale, so lets keep our fingers crossed! *L* Neat, I think I will do some rearranging in her cage, just to be safe. And yes, Baby's very old. I don't have time to find a good picture of her right now, but she is my avatar. Cupid and Psyche are in my signature. I think you joined after I had to take a bit of a break from here. I've been going to vet tech school and am doing my internship at a clinic that specializes in exotics. I can talk to a really good avian vet every day! I don't, however, want to bug him every day. *L* He's been hearing a lot about Cupid and Psyche's flying mishaps lately, and since some stressful things are going on in the clinic, I wanted to see if it could be something relatively simple before I go bugging him again. *L* Eggfood is something that I haven't ever tried. I'll have to look for a recipe in the food forum. There will probably be suggestions as to how often they should get it and if it can replace any of the other stuff. They get so many different things!! Technically, I should only have seeds out at certain times of the day, but with my schedule change, its been really tough to do and stay on top of eveyrhting else too. Oh! And as far as protein goes, their seed mix has a whole bunch of different nuts in it. They have a lot of protein, don't they? Of course, do they eat the nuts? *L* I don't think our house has been terribly dry. I get bloody noses when its really dry and there haven't been any this winter. We have 5 reptile tanks with water in them all the time, light shining on it 12 hrs of the day, so I would imagine that would help keep the ambient humidity from getting too low.
April 25, 200718 yr When i make mine i get a hard boiled egg, bread crumbs, bird seed, and my birds favourite veggies. You microwaves the egg shell for about 2 mins and smash that into a fine powder. You add that to mashed hard boiled egg. Sprinkle some bread crumbs over the top just enough to spread right through the mix. Add a tablespoon or two of the budgies seed mix and then mix some finely chopped veggies in as well and stir it all together. from Bea -- there are many receipes out there you can do a search on the forums. Nuts yes have protein again it depends if they are eating it along with the pellets.
April 25, 200718 yr Neat, Baby isn't a new bird She is a 16 year old veteran and has her own cage, but she enjoys playing with Cupid and Psyche too. Feathers. Ummm Opps HEHE.... Well i'm just looking out for umm you know the birds and all LMAO .. * Feels like a dumb A@
April 26, 200718 yr Author You don't have to feel like a dumb@ss! This is probably the first time I've talked about Baby since you joined, so it kind of makes sense you thought she was new. She certainly acts young enough! *(Laughing out loud)*
April 26, 200718 yr You don't have to feel like a dumb@ss! This is probably the first time I've talked about Baby since you joined, so it kind of makes sense you thought she was new. She certainly acts young enough! *(Laughing out loud)* LMAO... True ....
April 26, 200718 yr Neat, Baby isn't a new bird She is a 16 year old veteran and has her own cage, but she enjoys playing with Cupid and Psyche too. Feathers. Ummm Opps HEHE.... Well i'm just looking out for umm you know the birds and all LMAO .. * Feels like a dumb A@ Neat...we dont always have to "get it right" ...you DO get points for trying to help around here
April 26, 200718 yr Neat, Baby isn't a new bird She is a 16 year old veteran and has her own cage, but she enjoys playing with Cupid and Psyche too. Feathers. Ummm Opps HEHE.... Well i'm just looking out for umm you know the birds and all LMAO .. * Feels like a dumb A@ Neat...we dont always have to "get it right" ...you DO get points for trying to help around here Yep, I believe that earns double points, doesn't it? Feathers.
April 26, 200718 yr Neat, Baby isn't a new bird She is a 16 year old veteran and has her own cage, but she enjoys playing with Cupid and Psyche too. Feathers. Ummm Opps HEHE.... Well i'm just looking out for umm you know the birds and all LMAO .. * Feels like a dumb A@ Neat...we dont always have to "get it right" ...you DO get points for trying to help around here Yep, I believe that earns double points, doesn't it? Feathers. YEP...never be afraid to stick your neck out and try and help someone
April 27, 200718 yr I have never heard of them being bad for budgies the legumes would have good protien in them.
April 27, 200718 yr Author If it were the beans, I'd think that Cupid and Psyche would be having the same issues. Their tails are almost always beautiful.
April 29, 200718 yr Beans are often seen in recipes for birds, and are highly recommended as a source of protein, so I don't know where the idea beans are bad for birds comes in
April 30, 200718 yr Neat, Baby isn't a new bird She is a 16 year old veteran and has her own cage, but she enjoys playing with Cupid and Psyche too. Feathers. Ummm Opps HEHE.... Well i'm just looking out for umm you know the birds and all LMAO .. * Feels like a dumb A@ Neat...we dont always have to "get it right" ...you DO get points for trying to help around here Yep, I believe that earns double points, doesn't it? Feathers. YEP...never be afraid to stick your neck out and try and help someone WOOHOOO * Jumps with joy.... Double points .... How is everything going with the perches??? Hope it is all working out for you
April 30, 200718 yr I dunno, I read somewhere here that beans were bad. Maybe its bad if your budgie pppfffftttssss !! near you after eating the beans Edited April 30, 200718 yr by Kaz
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now