Hi. I have a "senior" pet budgie, male, about 6+ years old. He is fed Trill budgie mix and although I tried, he won't eat any fresh greens or fruit. It took him about 4 weeks to accept that a Trill treat stick was edible!!

 

Until recently he has been a happy, healthy budgie with lots of energy. But now he just sits around and sleeps a lot, often with his head tucked under his rope toy. He is fluffed up and constantly flexes his rump/tail. When he eliminates it is accompanied by a lot of rump/tail wagging. I have noticed that his droppings are very watery but his vent is not fouled and there is no obvious smell. He seems to be eating and drinking fine. I have tried some vitamins (Avi-vite) in his water, about every third change. I change his water regularly but not daily. (He doesn't foul his water.)

 

As I live in the country my local vet is not so bird savvy so I thought I would ask here first before I go to the expense of what might be an unproductive visit. I have attached some photos of "Jeremy" and recent droppings which as you can see is mostly liquid. Jeremy is a male bird even though he has a brown cere now. It was blue for at least 4 years!

 

Edited March 26, 201411 yr by Jeremy's mum

Hi there, im sorry to here about you sick budgie. I dont have any ideas for you sorry.

 

Your bird sure does look like a hen (Female) in breeding condition. Female budgies have different colouring cere's all through there lives. They are white/blue ish when not in breeding condition and change to be red/tan/brown when in breeding condtion.

Cocks (Males) cere's are never brown, the are full pink/purple when they are very young (Some mutations stay this way for life) then stay bright blue and dont change.

 

I hope you find the answers your looking for, best of luck with your budgie

Hi, even though his cere in brown he could have hormone problems. I had this also, try to get him some soluble Iodine (aquarius) I think it's spelt. or an Iodine bell may help. Could also be liver problems but some other better experienced breeders may help more. Hope he comes good for you.

Thanks for your replies. I have since observed that his abdomen is distended. It is not hard and tight but soft but distinctly enlarged and spherical. I will try and get a photo. I would say this is why his is constantly flexing - something is possibly either restricting his bowel so having trouble eliminating, or giving him the sensation of needing to go. The vent itself looked fine. I don't think it is a blockage in the bowel or he would be much sicker, but perhaps a tumour pressing against it, or with the suggestion of liver problems perhaps an enlarged liver?

Here is a photo of the abdomen and vent. It looks a bit worse than it was yesterday. He is also very thin around the breast bone. I fear he is not going to last much longer.

 

Edited March 28, 201411 yr by Jeremy's mum

I think you are right about him having either some kind of tumor or fatty liver disorder. I think budgies get susceptible to those kinds of things as they get older. Six isn't extremely old for a budgie, but also not young either. And for one who has always lived on a seed only diet, they say the fatty liver problem comes into play. But sometimes even budgies that are fed fresh foods still have such problems.

 

I agree that taking him to a non-avian vet would be an unproductive use of your time as well as money. Especially with that growth at this late stage. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if that were the reason for his cere turning brown. In addition to hormone imbalances and lack of iodine, I have read that cancer can cause brown ceres in males. (Could be that cancer causes the hormone and iodine imbalance.)

 

You have my sympathies for this sad time in Jeremy's life.

Thank you. Is there anything I can do at this time to make him more comfortable? Or would it be better to euthanise him so he does not have to suffer any more?

A warm lamp on one side of his cage that he can move closer to or farther from as he wishes is the usual first line of treatment whenever anything starts to go wrong with a bird. The aid it gives in just helping them keep up their body heat can sometimes be all that is required. But if you feel that he is suffering in spite of that, then yeah, you may have to make that decision.

Thank you. I happened to have a heat globe that I had forgotten about so that is now set up for him. He is staying near it so I guess he appreciates the extra warmth