On Wednesday I'll be taking Budgy2 to the vet as his feather growth has got gradually poorer and poorer and I'm quite worried about him.

Oh dear Julie, that is a worrying thing. I hope its something that can be easily rectified, like a simple diet adjustment. How are his tailfeathers and flight feathers?

Hopefully your vet will do a range of tests on Budgie2 and give you answers as soon as possible. Keep us informed of how he goes on.

Hugs

Anne

Edited October 3, 200519 yr by chirpy

Oh Julie my thoughts will be with you, I hope its just a diet thing too, we love that big guy.

 

Positive thoughts are with you.

julie, I hate to hear Budgy2 is looking poorly. What kind of feather problem is he having?

Thank you! It's very strange as his small feathers at the base of his tail have fanned out and can't be smoothed down and he has lost some long flights too.I'm thinking along the lines of French Moult but hopefully will know more on Wednesday.

I thought it was very rare they got French Moult after 6 months of age, Im hoping so, if Im right it sounds unlikely thats what it is. Pixie will know more about that.

 

Hope its some sort of easy fix deficiency thing, or even better nothing at all.

How old is he? Is his behaviour any different, or just the way he looks?

He'll be two in Dec. His general behaviour is absolutely fine,eating,chirping,arguing etc. The last moult he had before this one was when he started to look really tatty so just presumed it was a bad moult but he is definitely looking tattier now.

Do you think it could be due to one of the other birds? Or maybe he just doesn't pay much attention to preening his tail? One of mine, Blossom, will preen the long tailfeather but pretty much ignores the smaller ones that fan out, and as a result they are almost always fanned out and a bit rough around the edges. Sometimes she preens them, but not often. I don't know if she is just one of those birds that doesn't care about preening her tail, or maybe if it's that she's a bit on the heavier side and it's just not comfortable to preen those. Is he heavy at all?

 

How long has it been since his last molt?

That's really interesting that you should say that Rainbow because Budge is the one that I was trying to encourage to lose weight quite some time ago do you remember? Yes he is a big bird and yes also to the fact that he has never ever preened his wings or tail properly-I never see him pulling them through his beak like the others do. You've got me thinking now.

You can see his fan feathers here.

 

I have to log off now to go to dance class,but thanks for the help so far.

Edited October 3, 200519 yr by Julie

yes boom - peanut had french moult and it is very rare for budgies over 6 months to contract the disease. especially if they have had no contact with new birds. it seems unlikely to me and usually with the disease the tailfeathers are all but completely fallen out and the few odd feathers that grow through are discoloured and/or an unusual shape.

 

i would not worry too much about the more serious diseases unless the feathers that have fallen out have blood on the end of them or still have the sheath partly covering the feather - indicating that it is premature.

 

good luck at the vets, let us know how it goes.

Piper had a similar problem for a long time but after she was cleared of polyoma virus I focused more on her diet and keeping her from being so rough on her tailfeathers. She FINALLY has a gorgeous tail whereas before it was pretty scary looking; easily broken and when it finally came in it was almost white! I thought that was normal at the time but now that she has a normal tail, I see that it's meant to be dark blue.

 

Sometimes a change in diet does a world of good for feathers. Unless some other cause is found, your vet will probably have you concentrate on this first as it is directly related to feather quality.

Julie, Star's tail sometimes goes like that and frequently changes every few weeks. I don't think Budgy2 has a problem, he could be just lazy but a change in diet and extra exercise may help re-shape the tail.

Oh Julie, I hope he's okay, he's the cutest bird you've got (I love grey birds!)

I've got no input, but I hope he's okay

I'm sure he'll be okay, he's such a handsome bloke!!

Oh that's such nice thoughts everyone thank you- I do appreciate all this help and advice.I'll let you all know as soon as I can tomorrow,we're at the vets at 6.20pm.

Send him to Chirpys boot camp Julie

 

Budge2, pay attention!

okay, 4 laps round the cage please!

ladder runs now please Budge.. UP 2 3 4 DOWN 2 3 4 UP 2 3 4 Down 2 3 4!

Side stretches next Budgie2... left wing DOWN right wing UP right wing DOWN left wing UP.

There you go Julie, a few days of this and he'll ,lose all that unbudgielike belly-blubber and be preening his tail with all the grace of a ballerina

Edited October 4, 200519 yr by chirpy

(Laughing out loud) Chirpy! Oh I do hope so!

Chirpy, if your boot camp isn't full up yet, I'd like to send a few more "recruits" over to you...he-he!

 

Julie, any word yet, or is it too early over there still?

No it's teatime Tuesday here-vets teatime tomorrow.

Good luck for tonight Julie, dont forget to let us know how Mr Budgy2 gets on okay!

Thanks Boomberry! I've just put him into the travel cage and there is such a stunned silence from them all it's quite comical.It's as if they're saying to each other,"Did you see what just happened? That large hand just came in and scooped Budgy2 out and plonked him in that tiny little cage HELP someone"!Birdy and Sherbet are sat there in shock with their little heads peeping round at Budgy who is sat beside them happily tucking into his seed!

Setting off in ten minutes so will report back in then.

Right we're back from the vets and this is the story so far:-

There could be two reasons for his feather condition.

The vet is strongly of the opinion that he is stuck in an almost constant moult and the feathers are not having time to grow straight and strong as he is losing them so fast. He showed me that on his head the new pinfeathers have white sheaths on them which are not coming off properly.

 

What I have to do is to cut down his daylight hours to no more than ten a day to try to get his body into a more natural routine and to make sure that his cage is covered with a thick blanket to allow NO daylight in at all.

Then I have to rub his head twice a week to help his feather sheaths to come off and spray him thoroughly to encourage him to preen himself properly.

I have to try to get extra protein down him as this constant moult is taking all his energy and goodness.

I have to do this for two weeks to get his body back into a more natural rhythmn and see if there is any improvement.

 

The other possibility is the dreaded Beak and Feather disease.The vet however at this point in time doesn't believe it is that as his beak and everything else about him is in such good condition.However he warned us that it has to be in the back of his mind.

 

I have to report that Budgy2 LOVED his trip out to the vet! And was chirpy and happy and the vet even commented on what a little character he is.

So,fingers crossed the intensive care will do the trick.Now I just have to worry about HOW I am going to get more protein into him as he absolutely refuses to eat hard boiled egg.The vet suggested egg food which he won't touch either so any hints and tips will be gratefully received!

Julie, sounds like good news. I've also heard that changes in the daylight hours can mess up a birds feather cycle. Star's always moulting, have to move to the equator

 

Have you thought of trying Shaws Egg Biscuits (avaliable from high street pet shops), they are like a treat and may help to get the proteins/egg into Budgy2