Hi, We have just purchased (yesterday) our first budgie (for my 9 year old's birthday present). He seems to be settling in well (if it's a boy?! as he's only young & we can't tell yet) and we are "gently" trying to finger tame him - he is resonding quite well to this too.

 

However I've just noticed there is a build-up of poo around his vent. Every so often he appears to try to scratch it off with his claws, however no luck. Should I be worried about this and try and remove it. However I'm concerned about having to stress him out again (after bringing him home etc) in trying to catch him and wipe it off - if that's the answer.

 

Any help would be appreciated!

A poopy bottom is a sign of ill health. It CAN be just a sign he has been stressed in being caught and moved and maybe not eating properly yet. But look for the other signs. Apart from the poopy bottom, does he feel lightweight to you ? Can you feel his breastbone sticking out ? Have you seen him eating ? Is he sitting fluffed up looking ? Does the poopy bottom have a smell ? How old is he ?

Give me a little more info and I will be able to help. Good thing you have come on here. This is the best forum for helpful people and answers for your budgie

Edited November 2, 200717 yr by KAZ

A poopy bottom is a sign of ill health. It CAN be just a sign he has been stressed in being caught and moved and maybe not eating properly yet. But look for the other signs. Apart from the poopy bottom, does he feel lightweight to you ? Can you feel his breastbone sticking out ? Have you seen him eating ? Is he sitting fluffed up looking ? Does the poopy bottom have a smell ? How old is he ?

Give me a little more info and I will be able to help. Good thing you have come on here. This is the best forum for helpful people and answers for your budgie

 

Hi Kaz, and MANY thanks for your reply.

 

Does he feel lightweight - it's difficult to tell as he's our first budgie and we don't have anything to compare. We think he's approx 12 weeks old.

 

Breatbone - haven't felt it, however the girl at the pet-shop said he's quite healthy (couldn't feel any bones etc) - that "may" have been a sales pitch however!

 

Eating - only briefly seen him eating, then he flew back to his perch. Held up a millet spike and he munched a bit on that.

 

Fluffed up - occasionally he'll fluff up, but that tends to be after he's cleaned himself. So no, he's not sitting fluffed up.

 

Smell - not sure about it. Sometimes the poo will fall off after he's tried to get it off, then it will build up again a bit - usually only 1 or 2 bits.

 

Age - think he's about 12 weeks. Has the black eyes etc.

 

Maybe it's because of the stress of bringing him home from the pet shop etc. We sat in the shop for quite a while watching him, and he seemed to interact with the other birds happily etc. He also had only just come into the shop (ie not in there for days / weeks).

 

Cheers Sue (& Ben)

Rule number one Sue....never believe anything apetshop person tells you. They put each batch of birds in with the other birds so transferance of disease is high.

Handle him...check him over for the other signs I mentioned, please and let me know. If he is 12 weeks old he should have a coloured cere ( the part on top of his beak ) ..either blue or nearly blue or pink. He may be younger than you think and certainly no petshop person will be truthful about anything like age or health. They are just there to sell you a product....the budgie.

Rule number one Sue....never believe anything apetshop person tells you. They put each batch of birds in with the other birds so transferance of disease is high.

Handle him...check him over for the other signs I mentioned, please and let me know. If he is 12 weeks old he should have a coloured cere ( the part on top of his beak ) ..either blue or nearly blue or pink. He may be younger than you think and certainly no petshop person will be truthful about anything like age or health. They are just there to sell you a product....the budgie.

Hi Kaz, yes thank you for the info, I thought as much. Let's hope this pet shop was honest!? I'll certainly pick him up and see.

 

In the meantime, how do I post an image of him? (Maybe that would help with your diagnosis?) I've got an image that's only 140 kb in size

 

Sue

Rule number one Sue....never believe anything apetshop person tells you. They put each batch of birds in with the other birds so transferance of disease is high.

Handle him...check him over for the other signs I mentioned, please and let me know. If he is 12 weeks old he should have a coloured cere ( the part on top of his beak ) ..either blue or nearly blue or pink. He may be younger than you think and certainly no petshop person will be truthful about anything like age or health. They are just there to sell you a product....the budgie.

Hi Kaz, yes thank you for the info, I thought as much. Let's hope this pet shop was honest!? I'll certainly pick him up and see.

 

In the meantime, how do I post an image of him? (Maybe that would help with your diagnosis?) I've got an image that's only 140 kb in size

 

Sue

In my signature above...you will see a link 'HOW TO POST PICTURES" follow those directions and you can post a picture. Any trouble with it just ask and I will help.

Cheers Karen

Rule number one Sue....never believe anything apetshop person tells you. They put each batch of birds in with the other birds so transferance of disease is high.

Handle him...check him over for the other signs I mentioned, please and let me know. If he is 12 weeks old he should have a coloured cere ( the part on top of his beak ) ..either blue or nearly blue or pink. He may be younger than you think and certainly no petshop person will be truthful about anything like age or health. They are just there to sell you a product....the budgie.

Hi Kaz, yes thank you for the info, I thought as much. Let's hope this pet shop was honest!? I'll certainly pick him up and see.

 

In the meantime, how do I post an image of him? (Maybe that would help with your diagnosis?) I've got an image that's only 140 kb in size

 

Sue

In my signature above...you will see a link 'HOW TO POST PICTURES" follow those directions and you can post a picture. Any trouble with it just ask and I will help.

Cheers Karen

 

Thank you again for your help Karen.

 

Here's his pix

 

SHE is very pretty

Rule number one Sue....never believe anything apetshop person tells you. They put each batch of birds in with the other birds so transferance of disease is high. Handle him...check him over for the other signs I mentioned, please and let me know. If he is 12 weeks old he should have a coloured cere ( the part on top of his beak ) ..either blue or nearly blue or pink. He may be younger than you think and certainly no petshop person will be truthful about anything like age or health. They are just there to sell you a product....the budgie.

Hi Kaz, yes thank you for the info, I thought as much. Let's hope this pet shop was honest!? I'll certainly pick him up and see.In the meantime, how do I post an image of him? (Maybe that would help with your diagnosis?) I've got an image that's only 140 kb in sizeSue

In my signature above...you will see a link 'HOW TO POST PICTURES" follow those directions and you can post a picture. Any trouble with it just ask and I will help.Cheers Karen

Thank you again for your help Karen.Here's his pix

okay, without stressing him too much, I sat him on my finger and he's very light, however I'm not sure how heavy he's supposed to be, not having held a bird before!. The poo doesn't seem to smell and I noticed that there was only 1 small bit and it was difficult to feel a breast-bone - again I was worried about stressing him.He's sitting in the cage at the moment whistling away to the passing rainbow lorrikeets - ie he doesn't "appear" to be ill.What are your thoughts?

SHE is very pretty

Ah, you said "she" - a girl maybe?

SHE looks okay to me. ....YES....a girl

SHE looks okay to me. ....YES....a girl

 

Oh that's great! I'll keep you informed about how she's going .. .. should she be drinking yet? (sorry for all the questions, just a nervous first-time "mum"!)

She will be drinking...you just havent seen her do it yet. Budgies can go awhile without water...she may drink at sunset or around teatime. They eat and drink at breakfast and tea time

She is a very pretty bird. Any pics of her back - i am assuming she is a spangle based on the white feathers in her tail. her head marking seems very light, so she could be opaline, or is it possible she is a dilute - her blue is not very vibrant (but then there is the whole flash thing).

 

Ultimately, more pics please "protective mum".

Hi Blinky & Ben,

 

She is very pretty and looks to still be young (under 4 - 5 months). She looks in good condition to me too. Hopefully she was just a little stressed with the move. You never know, she may have only just arrived at the shop in the last day or two, so it could be the result of two upheavals in her short little life.

 

 

Feathers.

Welcome to our forums, you have received excellent advice. She is a pretty little girl

She is a very pretty bird. Any pics of her back - i am assuming she is a spangle based on the white feathers in her tail. her head marking seems very light, so she could be opaline, or is it possible she is a dilute - her blue is not very vibrant (but then there is the whole flash thing). Ultimately, more pics please "protective mum".

Thank you Dave.Actually, her chest is quite mauve - not the blue in the photo.Here are some photos of her back ..

Hi Blinky & Ben,She is very pretty and looks to still be young (under 4 - 5 months). She looks in good condition to me too. Hopefully she was just a little stressed with the move. You never know, she may have only just arrived at the shop in the last day or two, so it could be the result of two upheavals in her short little life.Feathers.

Hi Feathers,Thank you for your comments. Yes, I "feel" it could be stress. This morning she's happily singing away to the passing birds and she doesn't appear to have any poo around her vent - just dirty feathers.We were keeping an eye on the pet store to see if they had any young birds (as they only had a few older birds) and then I think we purchased her on the first or second day she arrived - so as you said, 2 upheavals.Regards Sue, Ben & Blinky.

She is looking good. If she is more purple than blue, its more possible she is a violet clearwing. If so, she wouldnt be classed as a common type. A friend of mine is breeding some show quality ones over here.

She's a lovely bird and looks fine now that she is settling in

She is very Pretty

Hi, We have just purchased (yesterday) our first budgie (for my 9 year old's birthday present). He seems to be settling in well (if it's a boy?! as he's only young & we can't tell yet) and we are "gently" trying to finger tame him - he is resonding quite well to this too.

 

However I've just noticed there is a build-up of poo around his vent. Every so often he appears to try to scratch it off with his claws, however no luck. Should I be worried about this and try and remove it. However I'm concerned about having to stress him out again (after bringing him home etc) in trying to catch him and wipe it off - if that's the answer.

 

Any help would be appreciated!

 

Thank you everyone for your help and advice!

 

Blinky seems to be settling in really well.

 

Not sure if I should ask a health question here, but thought since it's got all Blinky's background I would (please let me know if it's wrong for the future).

 

I've noticed around her right eye two little spots. She also closes this one a bit. Anyway, does anyone think it's a problem? Read somewhere about mites! Ahh.

 

Regards Sue, Ben and Blinky

 

:fear What a BEAUTIFUL budgie!!! Welcome to BBC and I hope you have time to view all the topics and FAQS, they are really a wealth of information. :yellowhead: