Happy Easter everybody :glare:

 

A couple of days ago I noticed that where Coco's cere meets the beak it is looking a bit crusty. There is also a long scratch kind of thing running through (but I am not sure if Coco just did that on his bark perch). Does this look like the beginning of scaly face?

 

Hope the picture works, I am terrible at this! The colour of his cere is quite washed out, I am posting a new topic in budgie pics as I am still unsure of gender, last time I had some mixed opinions.

 

 

 

Thank you, Tam

Hi Tam,

 

it is really hard to say, if you have a mite spray it wouldn't hurt to put a little on or even use some olive oil or baby oil on the cere.

 

As for sex, going by those pictures, I'd say a boy who loves carrots! :glare:

 

 

Feathers.

Hi Tam,

 

it is really hard to say, if you have a mite spray it wouldn't hurt to put a little on or even use some olive oil or baby oil on the cere.

 

As for sex, going by those pictures, I'd say a boy who loves carrots! :glare:

 

 

Feathers.

 

Thanks, yeah maybe it is better to safe then sorry. I have only got canola oil at the moment, is that okay to use or am I better off getting something else?

 

His face is always orange, I think his feathers are permanently stained!

Hi Tam,

 

canola oil is fine, being a bit thinner than the others you may just need to apply a little a couple of times a day.

 

 

His face is always orange, I think his feathers are permanently stained!

 

 

I have one that is the same :glare:

 

Feathers.

If she hasn't been around any other birds, not outside in an aviary, and you have had her for quite awhile I wouldn't think it is scaley face. Since she is a hen her cere could be going into breeding condition, along with that even Merlin rubs his beak on different objects which rubs it and can make it look flakey so I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that it is. That is my opinion only though. :budgiedance:

Scaly face is a condition in budgies that lays dormant until some form of stress makes it come through. They can have been away from other budgies a whole year and still get it.

It doesnt look like scaly to me from those piks, but a dryness between cere and beak that OFTEN does mark the beginnings of scaly. The oil you have on a cotton bud carefully wiped and not near nostrils will help if it is about to develop.

:budgiedance:

so the mites lay dorminant and can be induced by stress?

It can take some time for visible symptoms to appear, even after infection. From your picture I can't see any symptoms.

so the mites lay dorminant and can be induced by stress?

YES.....there is often a lot of panic about scaly face,,,like everyone thinks if ONE has it you have to do the whole flock or remove one from the flock. Its best to treat the indiviual bird showing signs of it and not panic about the rest. I once had a mother and father who devloped scaly face while raising chicks. The chicks didnt get scaly face and one of the chicks didnt get scaly face until it was 2 years old.

That is interesting Kaz, do we have that noted in the FAQ because I just learned something new today , I had not a clue.