I just noticed that my budgie Jack has a white fungus type covering on his face (beak) and his legs and toes. What could this possibly be? he is not sick and still chatty, eating and sweet but it looks bad and it is growing alot around his beak and into his mouth.

 

Thanks for any help and glad to have found a forum that may be able to help Jack and I. Ali

Edited July 6, 200519 yr by alivayo

I'm no breeder but from what I've read on the internet, Jack might have Scaly Face Mite!

 

It's supposed to affect the cere and the legs, like you said. The good news is that it is easy to treat if you detect it early on. There are medicines you can buy at pet stores. Just ask for medicine for scaly face mite. You also might want toseek professional advice on this though so I would take Jack to the vet.

 

Good Luck!!!!!

 

L&L

Do not treat him with any pet shop products! You need to get him to an AVIAN vet asap and get a professional opinion. Even if he's not acting sick there could be something wrong.You should definitely separate him from your other bird as he could have something contagious.

Edited July 6, 200519 yr by Bea

what's wrong with using pet shop products?

 

Don't they work?

Usually not effectively. And if it's not scaly face then treating him for it would be useless and a waste of time. Also, pet shop products are usually put into the water and that's often no good as the budgie hardly gets any or gets put of by the smell or colour and then wont drink it.

pet shop products are usually ineffective with scaly face mite. if you have any other birds they will all need to be treated for it by a vet to prevent recontamination.

you do not put pet shop products in the water for scaly face they do work but the downside is the treatment has to be repeated so stresses the bird evan more the best cure is ivomectin as this is only given once,i doubt this is scaly face though as you say its a fungus scaly face looks normally like a coral or sponge so i would definatly take to a vet if it is fungus

Usually not effectively. :yellowhead:  And if it's not scaly face then treating him for it would be useless and a waste of time. Also, pet shop products are usually put into the water and that's often no good as the budgie hardly gets any or gets put of by the smell or colour and then wont drink it.

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Oh okay, thanks for warning me!

By the way, my female seems to be scratching an awful lot, but on the outside everything's fine, so i think it could be mites. What's the most effective way to treat them?

The most effective treaments come from the vet so you should try to get your bird to an avian vet to get checked out and then you'll be able to get just the right treatment. :yellowhead:

okay, thanks for the info. I'll try to get her to it as soon as possible.

Thank you for all your advice. Yes my other bird Pebbles is now developing the same scale/fungus on her legs. I will take them off to the vet and/or petstore for an intial diagnosis. Thanks again and I'll let you know how they go! Ali :yellowhead:

How are the birdies?

Both Jack and Pebbles are now fungus free!!! I used the scaly mite liquid from the pet store and it worked perfectly. I had to apply it for four days to their beaks, and legs and they didn't fuss too much. It was hard to stop them eating the cotton bud though!!! I am so thankful to you all for your help and the birdies and I have grown closer too. I am sure they know I helped them... does that seem strange to anyone??

 

Thanks again Ali