One of my budgies has been going downhill this last year. The vet gave him antibotics but those didn't seem to help. He sometimes has difficulty evacuating faeces that end up clumping aroud the vent. His down feathers have started to grow very long and spindly. These have also started to fall out. He looks like a big fluffy ball. His appetite is okay. Can anyone help?

 

Thanks

Bobbyblue

Edited April 19, 200520 yr by Bobbyblue

eeek, bobbyblue, that dosent sound too clever. when was he last at the vet? Is it an avian specialist? Do you have any pro-biotics? anti biotics often totally upset the stomach floras of a bird (possibly the cause of the poop problems) and pro-biotics usually counteract this. I always back up anti's with pro's. Is your budgie possibly at the begining of a heavy moult?

Also, the feather condition sounds like it could possibly be some sort of vitamin or mineral deficiency. There is an excellent vetinary aid to deficiencies, called ACE high. you just sprinkle a tiny little bit onto the birds food and it really helps them pick up. make sure your bird is getting calcium and minerals in the meantime, i always scrape a tiny bit of cuttlefish into my birds seed, and a tiny bit of mineral block, to make sure they are getting some down.

Id deffinately get the bird back to the vet, if its not an avian vet then id get searching.

please will you keep us updated?

Good luck and blessings,

Anne

Edited April 19, 200520 yr by chirpy

eeek, bobbyblue, that dosent sound too clever. when was he last at the vet? Is it an avian specialist? Do you have any pro-biotics? anti biotics often totally upset the stomach floras of a bird (possibly the cause of the poop problems) and pro-biotics usually counteract this. I always back up anti's with pro's. Is your budgie possibly at the begining of a heavy moult?

Also, the feather condition sounds like it could possibly be some sort of vitamin or mineral deficiency. There is an excellent vetinary aid to deficiencies, called ACE high. you just sprinkle a tiny little bit onto the birds food and it really helps them pick up. make sure your bird is getting calcium and minerals in the meantime, i always scrape a tiny bit of cuttlefish into my birds seed, and a tiny bit of mineral block, to make sure they are getting some down.

Id deffinately get the bird back to the vet, if its not an avian vet then id get searching.

please will you keep us updated?

Good luck and blessings,

Anne

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Many thanks for the replies.

 

I have been trying to get both birds to eat more varied diet. My two birds are really fussy. I don't think Bobby has been two impressed with the cuttlefish, so changed it last night. I will also start to put the cuttlefish powder on their seed to see if that helps.

 

I got onto a Bird care website yesterday and they advertise pro-antibiotics. I have never heard of them. Will they replace gut flora? Also have you heard of Calcitron and what is it supposed to do.

 

My vet isn't an avian specialist and am getting to the stage where I think Bobby needs to pay a visit.

 

Many thanks

Lynn

Edited April 20, 200520 yr by Bobbyblue

i think it would be a good idea to see an avian specialist before you give him anything like that. birds can be very sensitive to change and if your little bobby is a little under the weather he might not take very well to any probiotics or supplements. if you take him to an avian vet or phone one to ask for advise they could probably tell you which would be the best course of action that way.

 

it may be worth buying a mineral or iodine block for him to scratch his beak on. the minerals found in here cannot be found in their food source and so needs to be added.

 

keep us updated

Thanks to Casper & Peanut,

 

I am awaiting a mineral block. I haven't given them supplements before - this is the first budgie in over 15 years that has had difficulties like this. Lucy the other bird is completely fine.

 

Lynn

Edited April 20, 200520 yr by Bobbyblue

Reply to Daz,

 

 

Bobby is about 4 and is a Blue budgie.

 

Lynn

yes, as pixie says, dont give prescribed drugs without veterinary advice (anti biotics and pro biotics are prescription only meds as far as i know) All a pro-biotic does is help level out the good bacteria in the birds gut and stomach, which the antibiotics might destroy. Dont buy off the net, they could be faulty, old, out of date, fake, anything. Even a small animal vet should have some background knowledge on thse things, and if not, vet to vet advice is only a phone call away, let your vet get dialling!

I do agree with yu that an avian vet is the best course lynn, they are specialists in bird and reptile care, so I hope you manage to find a local one!

Good luck!

Anne

Thanks to Chirpy.

 

Lynn

Thank you Daz, I won't be trying Calcitron. A bird supply website is advertising it.

 

Bobby seems to be perking up now - I have changed the cuttle fish and they both seem to be using it, I don't think they liked the other one.

 

Lynn

Brocolli also is rich in calcium and most birds love it-raw,washed,clipped to cage.

Julie