I've been given a budgie and i've noticed it seems to have difficulties breathing mostly on a night time, its nostrels seems blocked and its 'skin' (not sure of correct name for it) above the beak looks enlarged. He seems very lively during the day and is eating and drinking but I he makes a wheezing noise and looks like he is taking short but deep breaths kind of like someone with asthma does.

 

Can anyone give me any clues whats wrong? I'm trying to get some photo's will post them tomorrow.

 

I've added some vitamins to his seed mix and tonic to his water to try and help.

Edited March 1, 200619 yr by Markie

sounds like your budgie really needs a visit to an avian vet asap. if the nostrils close up that can be very serious.

 

in the meantime if you could get a picture that would be great. sometimes scalyface mites can cause a swelling or growth on the cere and around the beak. this is a picture of quite a bad case:

 

http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index.php?showtopic=7336

Edited March 1, 200619 yr by pixie25

 

I know its not a very good image and hope its good enough to give you some idea whats happening

How is the humidity in your house? Does he sneeze? I would say a trip to an avian vet is deffinate.

Maybe try a humidifier in the mean time, my coco sneezes and makes strainge weezee noises if the air is too dry.

Those nostrils (nares) really do look clogged. I'd get your budgie to the avian vet immediately as this is obviously hindering her breathing and this is very dangerous. The vet will be able to clear her nares up so that she can breathe more easily. She'll feel so much better afterwards! Let us know how it goes, please.

oooh yeah that does look serious. let us know how the vets visit goes.

Hi and welcome Markie, great looking bird you've got there

beuatiful bird, let us know what the vet says.

I've managed to remove the tissue from over the nostrels of my budgie today and he is breathing so much better now, I had a chat with the owner of my local pet shop about him and he has given me some stuff to put onto him to help clear up the 'scaly face' its like a thick milky cream which i've been told to use twice over the next 24 hours. Not sure what it is but he looks much better already with the blue of his cere coming through nicely now.

 

Will keep you updated and get some new photos of him soon.

You should never attempt this sort of thing unless instructed by the vet and at least told how to do it. :wine Also, cream from the pet store often doesn't do the job and it doesn't look like scaley face to me anyway. It looks like a female bird's cere gone into breeding condition which, aside from the blocked nostrils, is safe and normal.

 

Your budgie needs to see an avian vet, not a pet store. Please have her checked out rather than guessing. Medicine for mites is basically pesticides. Applying too much or applying it when it isn't even necessary can cause harm. Often, the stuff in the pet store is not only ineffective but harmful. The most widely used and effective medication for scaley face is Ivermectin and you must get this from your avian vet (who will also be able to confirm whether or not it's even needed).

 

If you need some help locating an avian vet we might be able to help out. Just let us know what part of England you live in.

I live in the North East not far from Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

 

I think there's an avian vet at Morpeth but not sure?

I've managed to remove the tissue from over the nostrels of my budgie today and he is breathing so much better now, I had a chat with the owner of my local pet shop about him and he has given me some stuff to put onto him to help clear up the 'scaly face' its like a thick milky cream which i've been told to use twice over the next 24 hours. Not sure what it is but he looks much better already with the blue of his cere coming through nicely now.

Will keep you updated and get some new photos of him soon.

 

That bird is male??? If the cere is normally dark blue on that bird, you really need to see an avian vet. I don't want to alarm you unecessarily, but a brown cere on a male bird normally occurs because there are other internal issues going on. The brown color of the cere is due to estrogen levels, which if they are high in a male bird, means something is amiss.