Budgerigars

 

Budgerigars or budgies are known for developing various solid external tumours as well as internal cancer. A common cancer affecting the kidneys or reproductive organs causes a unilateral (one-sided) lameness that owners often mistake for an injured leg.

 

Cnemidokoptic mite infestation is a frequent cause of crusty dermatitis of the cere (area around the nostrils over the beak), face and feet. Thyroid disorders such as goiter and hypothyroidism occur in budgies. While not common in birds, budgerigars can become afflicted with diabetes mellitus. Chlamydiosis is a common cause of respiratory disease in these popular birds.

 

Since many owners incorrectly feed an all-seed diet to their budgies, hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) is a problem that often causes death in this species. While reproductive problems are not usually seen in most pet birds, egg binding is seen with some frequency in pet budgerigars, even those housed individually without a mate.

 

 

Thanks to the Canberra Veterinary Hospital

Edited November 19, 200519 yr by daz

Hehe...i started reading and though 'hmm, haven't i read this already today??', then i noticed where you got it from! :(Laughing out loud):

thank you Daz, where do they get the mites? Is it more common in aviaries or multiple budgies or those that don't quarantine like they should?

I am not quite sure where the mites come from but I do keep an eye on the new branches I bring into the Aviary.

I ask because Pretty is by himself, in our home so should I be overly concerned about it?

Probably not. Tirikke isd the first case of mites i've had in any of my budgies and they've been living outside for over a year. The vet suggested that the budgies probably had parrot visitors popping down to say hello (which is true, we get rosellas in our yard) and that's where the mites come from. The mites can live on your birds without showing and infect others but i doubt with a single bird it would be a problem unless it already has mites to begin with.

okay, thank you. I saw that picture and it just gave me the creeps, I hope your little one is okay.

One of my budgies got mites after I had him about 4 months and nobody else had them. My avian vet says they can lie dormant for quite awhile and gave him a couple of shots and all was well and none of my other birds contracted them although I did exercise strict sanitary almost daily cage cleaning for a couple of weeks.

One of my budgies got mites after I had him about 4 months and nobody else had them. My avian vet says they can lie dormant for quite awhile and gave him a couple of shots and all was well and none of my other birds contracted them although I did exercise strict sanitary almost daily cage cleaning for a couple of weeks.

 

One reason why you should quarrantine at least 30 days...some say 42 days before you allow the new bird/s to come into contact with your existing birds.