Hi,

 

I'm a bit concerned about my little Beaky and Tommy

 

Beaky has had some missing wing feather for quite a few weeks and they don't sem to be growing back. They are the mottled black feathers that cover the main part of the wings, not the flight feathers. Interesting, exactly the same feathers are mising on both wings (I will post some pics later on when my camera has charged up). His feathers are otherwise okay but not particularly tidy compared to his friend Tommy who has a very fine and fluffy plumage. I also woke up this morning to find what looks like some kind of small blemish to the side of his beak and some minor brown tinges to the feathers around there. I cannot think what else this could be but some kind of cut caused either by misadventure...or by Tommy. Beaky seems very chirpy and active though, more so than Tommy.

 

As for Tommy, well his feathers are fine and he otherwise looks fine, however he cannot fly any more! He used to be able to but now he just crashes to the ground. When he waddles across the carpet he seems to carry one of his wings in an unusual way. However, this could simply be because he is rather fat and refuses to touch anything other than seed while Beaky seems ever so thin.

 

Any advice? Or is this a trip to the vet? I can't find any avian vets in or near Southampton (UK) unless anyone knows of any so I would have to try a conventional vet.

 

Thanks,

 

Gary

Yeah, I would try to find a vet to take a look though my first impression was that maybe one was picking on the other and causing the injuries. It wouldn't hurt to separate them for a while just to monitor things (namely droppings and such) for a while.

 

As for the budgie that can't fly, if he held his wing a funny way he may have hurt it when trying to fly. Or it could be his weight. I've got a budgie with a bad wing and if she doesn't come out for a fly on a regular basis she seems to have a little trouble with it at first. I wouldn't doubt if her weight is part of the problem too.

 

Keep trying to get your seed-loving budgie on good foods and see about having the wing checked out as well. I hope you figure out the problem and that it's solved soon.

Thanks ETerri. I will try and get them to the vet ASAP.

 

Here are some photos. Apologies for the poor quality but my digicam seems to have totally packed up I've had to take these with my webcam (which was actually a lot easier as taking photos of these birds while holding them and a camera may have proven difficult!

 

Beaky:

 

A not-very-clear photo showing feather's missing from Beaky's neck.

 

A better view of the aforementioned:

 

This photo shows Beaky's missing wing feathers and the 'bald patch' underneath. His other wing is the same.

 

A closer look at the bald patch:

 

Tommy's wings. His left wing is at a different angle to his right wing

 

A top-view. His flight feathers hardly overlap at all.

My oppinion is this. Tommy has hurt (possibly fractured his wing, hence the reason he cant fly, and holds it out an an angle after attempting to flly)

Beaky looks to me like he is being plucked. I doubt its self traumatisation, I think Tommy is doing it to him, possibly because he (Tommy) is in pain.

Both these birds need a visit to the vet, and they also need to be seperated for a while at least. You can still have the cages side by side so they dont pine for each others company.

Vet visit asap, and seperate asap my advice.

I agree except I think the bird is doing the plucking itself. When they pluck each other it's more commonly on the wings and the back of the head. The neck/chest area is a common place for a budgie to pluck itself, especially seeing as so many feathers have been plucked.

 

Definitely have them seen. Budgies rarely pluck for behavioral reasons (unlike the larger parrots) so the problem is most likely some sort of illness, parasite, or nutritional deficiency. I agree they should be separated though. You'll need to monitor each of their problems very carefully.

oh dear,

 

i agree with chirpy and eterri - if you separate them you can also monitor them more closely and possibly find out if it is them plucking eachother or him plucking his own feathers.

 

make an appointment asap.

 

PetVet

54 Thornhill Park Road

Thornhill

Southampton SO18 5TQ

02380 463646

 

Zoo and Aquatic Veterinary Group, Keanter, Stoke Charity Road, Kingsworthy, Winchester, SO23 7LS, Mr Peter W Scott, MSc, BVSc, MRCVS, M.I.Biol, ACI Arb, Tel :-01962 883895.

 

Cedar Veterinary Group, Clifton Veterinary Surgery, Anstey Lane, Alton, GU34 2RH, Mr C.P.Baxter, BVetMed, MRCVS, Tel :- 01420 82163, Branch Surgery ; The Veterinary Surgery, New Farm Road, Alresford, SO24 9QW, Tel :-01962 732535.

 

Strathmore Veterinary Clinic, 6 London Road, Andover, Hants, SP10 2PH, Tel :-01264 352323, Mr John Chitty, BVetMed, MRCVS

 

these are the closest ones i could find to your area. if you phone the fist one, ask if they have an avian specialist first though.

 

hope that helps, good luck.

Any news Gary