Hi there everyone, I am hoping someone can help me. I have taken on a budgie as my sons friend has gone overseas. I am trying to re-home it but as yet no one has come forward. However I have noticed that it seems to be scratching alot under it's wings and using it's feet to scratch, so i'm wondering if it has mites? I think it is quite a yound bird, i've had it for about 4 weeks now. Your advice would be gratefully appreciated

 

Shall I just buy a mite spray?

hi joanne,

 

welcome to the boards as youve just taken him on it would be a good idea to take him a long to the vet for a well bird checkup. the scratching may or may not be normal. moulting birds often scratch more so that could be it or it could be feather mites of some kind.

 

either way its best to get a check up from a vet to make sure there are no other problems. mite spray from pet shops are not reliable and in some cases can be harmful. he will need to be diagnosed before being treated and if he is diagnosed with mites your vet will give you the best treatment for it.

 

how come you dont want to keep him? sorry - just interested.

Hi Pixie, thanks for replying . My son's friend was going to live in Spain so my son begged me to take the budgie on saying he would look after it and so on . After a few days we realised the budgie 'buddy' was not tame, in fact it's very aggresive, it won't you near it and really hurts. I let it out and talk to it but it still won't let me near it .. Also it smells quite alot, i have a hamster and guinea pig and they don't smell half as bad. It's a lovely bird and if it were more friendly and less smellie I might think differently about keeping it, my children have left the cleaning of it to me .

 

I phoned the vet and he said to leave it a while as it sounds like moulting rather than mites... I have found this site very informative and funny, i can't believe some birds take a shower with their owners

Hello Joanne!

A budgie should not smell at all-could it have some sort of infection under its' wing that may be irritating him? Is he handlable?

Edited October 28, 200519 yr by Julie

Oh lord, the poor little bird! If he smells, he DEFINATELY needs a vet visit, any kind of painful, irritating infection could be causing this. Also, this may be why he is so untame and aggressive! Please get him checked over by nothing less than an AVIAN vet. I am sad that you feel you cant keep him based on his unfriendliness. Sometimes, the 'untame' bird is the most easy, and beautiful to have. I have a little budgie called Snowy, she is a rescue budgie (thats ALL i do, rescue, so believe me, I get some states handed over to me, including EXTREMELY mean African Greys!) Anyway, back to Snowy. I have had her for just over a year now. She is NOT friendly, does NOT want to be a pet, she wants to be a bird. So, I allow her to be what she wants. She flys free all day with my other (very, extremely tame) budgie Teapot, and my 3 cockatiels. On a very few occasions, she has flown to me, but only a few. When being caught for her bi-anual vet check up, she bites the h*ll out of me. I bleed. I dont care, its NOT her fault that we greedy, selfish humans chose to rob her of the blue skies and stick her in a cage. Of all my birds, wild little Snowy is the easiest. She asks nothing but fresh water, fresh food, a safe sleeping place and freedom to stretch and use her beautiful wings. The joy that can be obtained simply by watching her is immeasurable. The very fact that yu have come on here to do research and try and gain advice and guidance for your little friend shows that you are a caring person. Thats what this little guy needs, someone to care. Is there no way you could keep this little bird and continue to care for him? It sounds like you are doing a tremendous job so far, and the poor little thing, I bet the last thing he wants is to keep having all that is familiar taken away from him, time after time. That little bird could turn out to be the easiest, most entertaining pet you could wish for, even if you never get one bit of affection back Just watching his antics, seeing him being a cute, funny, crazy little bird can be worth all the 'cuddles' in the world. I do hope all works out well for you, I really do. Id deffinately get the little thing checked at an avian vet though, he really shuld not smell bad.

very best wishes.

Anne