I'm a bit worried about Bobby - above his cere it's a bit brown.. It's been like this for a little while, and hasn't gotten any worse... but hasn't changed either. I really don't know what to think. He's fine other then that though - eating well, active etc.

 

Edited April 1, 200619 yr by lani

Could it be a molting thing. My budgies feathers always look "yukky" above the cere during a molt. They get discoloured or fall out and leave bald spots.

Just thought you might like to know that Pippin is exactly the same colouring as Bobby and he too gets the browny coloured staining above his cere. Like Bobby, Pippin doesnt seem to be suffering and is very active and eating well. Pippin is coming up to 12mths old now and this has been a regular thing since I had him. I have tried bathing it, to see if it comes off (its doesnt) I too would be very interested in what others think it may be.

do you have something in his cage that he rubs on that can turn it brownish or when he eats he could be getting bits of food up there (veggies/fruits). I know that Pretty's pink calcium perch is now above his beak too (Laughing out loud) so he has a tint pink above his cere.

I think it could just be a mouting thing, but to be sure he isn't sneezing a lot, or even jsut a few times? If he is then it could a a slight discharge that is staining the feather, but that normal makes them look wet.

I dont know about Bobby, but Pippin is actually going through a moult at the moment and the feathers that were stained have disapeared over the last couple of days. I will keep a watch on him now just to see if it is a moulting thing.

Looks like my Maxwell he is always like that even worse during a moult he sometimes loses all the feathers and has a cute little bald patch. Bobby looks fine to me!

I don't know how old your budgie is but mine (2 yrs) has a brown cere more than a blue one. The vet told me he's got a hormone imbalance and when things are a bit off, it's brown. When things are more balanced it's blue again (or tinged with blue). He assured me that it's not a medical problem though so perhaps yours has the same? I can only guess. The other people on this forum know much more about budgies than I do.