Hi, just wondered what fresh fruit and vegetables everyone recommends to feed a Budgie with and also how often. Mine love carrot and apple. Don't want to give them the runs. All advice greatly received. Also does anyone know anything about "Mega Bacteria"? I had a budgie that died from it a few years ago and wondered what it was and how he could have caught it. My vet said it was the first case he had seen ever and then he had more budgies with it months later. All info much appreciated. Thanks Lisa

Edited September 9, 200519 yr by lisa

i offer gooby fresh veggies everyday. If i am eating an apple or banana he makes sure he gets some anyway. He like brocolli too and mini sweetcorn

If you do a quick search on the Food and Nutrition threads there'll be lots of info for you. Cress is good!

i had a budgie die recently. he died from megabacteria but he also had a whole host of other problems too.

 

megabacteria is actually now known as 'avian gastric yeast' as it is thought to be a fungus. there are two types of megabacteria. one type will kill the bird very very quickly, the other type takes a long time and is slowly progressive, although hard to diagnose in its early stages as megabacteria is not present in every faecal sample.

 

megabacteria has been found in the gut of healthy budgies and only manifests itself in budgies with an underlying infection, weak immune system or terminal problem (as my budgie had).

 

megabacteria is not always pathogenic. one of my budgies died from it but the other one has had a clean bill of health and it totally unaffected by it despite the fact that my budgies fed eachother frequently just before the one with megabacteria passed away. if the megabacteria does spread it can only spread by direct contact with an infected bird.

 

the current treatment for megabacteria is water soluble amphotericin b. other anti fungals have been found to have no affect. in some cases amphotericin will have no affect as the disease is often too progressed when the signs start to appear. its very much 50/50. amphotericin b is toxic in its raw state and it is not advised to give it orally via syringe unless there is absolutely no other option.

 

signs to look out for - fluffed up and inactive. in its later stages watery droppings or the white portion of the droppings being missing completely, rapid weight loss, anorexia (budgie appears to be eating normally, but is actually grinding seed down in the beak and not swallowing any. check for powder at the bottom of seed cups). the megabacteria actually prevents the budgie from being able to digest food. it can also cause ulceration and sores in the budgies throat so they may repeatedly stretch their neck out as if they are choking.

 

it is a very unpleasant disease indeed.

 

hope this helps a bit, this is only what my undeerstanding is from my experience - google search will give you loads of info also.

Thanks Pixie, I just checked my Health information and found that I don't have anything on megabacteria. Very Interesting.