PetLife budgie help?- Sad Update Post #35

[Featheredfuffs]

Hi, a few weeks ago, when I was on a food run for my dogs and kittens, I noticed a budgie that had a very weird cere. It was brown and crusty, but not like a broody feamale, more misshapen and discolored. It was really bad looking, not to mention the budgie seemed pretty lethargic as well. I told the management, and they agreed with me and took it away, hopefully to get some help.​

Well, today when I had to do a Delilah toy emergency run (AKA she completely destroys most of her toys, and gets mad if I don't buy more that day), and I see the same budgie with the same terrible beak in the exact same spot as a few weeks ago. She wasn't active at all. And what's worse, this time she seemed really off balence and could barely hold her head up! I can't believe they didn't do anything about it! I mean, they could of at least kept her quarantined...

If I had a cage set up for her, I'd buy her on the spot just to save her from the situation she is in, and try to get her help, but I also had to talk to the rest of my family as well (and they agree!)


The problem is, I'm going on vacation on Thursday, and there's no way I could bring her as I couldn't maintain correct quarantine protocols as Delilahs going with us. My question is: What is her chance of survival if she has to wait two weeks at the pet store? I mean, I could possibly leave her with the pet sitter who's taking care of our chickens, finches, and kitties, but I couldn't really help her there either (however at least she isn't with the other budgies, who could be bullying her).


Can you guys help me with the best course of action here?

Thanks!!!

 

[StarrySkies]

I'm sorry... I don't think she will survive 2 weeks... If management hasn't done a thing about it, I don't think they will ever do anything about it...

 

[Milestone]

That's really sad, most pet stores treat their birds like crap. Typically when pet stores say they'll get medical help for their small animals they don't do anything or they have them put to sleep.

Something has to be done. Maybe report them? Probably wouldn't do anything. Maybe the pet sitter? In any case she would need to see a vet asap.

 

[StarrySkies]

Yes. It's awful, how chains treat their animals.

 

[Featheredfuffs]

Yes. It's awful, how chains treat their animals.

For the past three times I've went, I've had to report at least one of the budgies getting sick.


I'm definitely no longer shopping there.

 

[Featheredfuffs]

Okay... I just picked up the budgie... as soon as I brought her home, she was able to get out of my hands and run around the room. I got her fairly quickly, however, four feathers flew out as she was flapping her wings trying to fly, and two of them were blood feathers! One of which had been terribly damaged, and looked like she or another budgie had really bitten it. The bottom of her wing was covered in blood, and I didn't know what to do so I just put a ton of stypitic powder on it.

The other blood feather, which was not broken, was really flattened on the end and looked like it had been pulled out, not to mention it had a few tiny beak marks on it.


Are Budgies known to have plucking problems? Also, could this narrow down the illness she's dealing with?



I feel so bad... could I have caused the feathers to be damaged and fall out when I attempted to get her? (It took a few try's, however it was less than a minute or two). Not to mention her beak isn't looking good at all, it's all dry and cracked looking, with beak marks from other budgies



The pet store people didn't even tell me what food she was on, how to care for budgies or anything, they just handed her to me and said "that'll be 20 dollars".

Thanks so much!

 

[Distaff]

Glad she found you, and has someone who cares. My budgie books have some disturbing pics of scaly face mites. Could that be the problem? My understanding is that a bird can live with the condition for a while, as disfiguring as it can be...

I've never heard of mites being hard to treat.
Hope she gets better.

 

[StarrySkies]

Could you show me a picture of her cere? She might have Knemidokoptes, or scaly mite.

 

[CeciliaZ]

Thank you for getting her...I hope she does well in your care.

 

[Featheredfuffs]

Could you show me a picture of her cere? She might have Knemidokoptes, or scaly mite.

Sure! Heres the best picture I could get.

You can kind of see the darker discoloration... that dark spot on the beak isn't just the lighting, it looks like some sort of bruising(?) is that possible?




I've decided to name her Starburst

 

[StarrySkies]

I'm pretty sure that's scaly mite. I'm not a vet- so please, don't only take my advice. Take her to an avian vet as soon as possible.

 

[Featheredfuffs]

I'm pretty sure that's scaly mite. I'm not a vet- so please, don't only take my advice. Take her to an avian vet as soon as possible.

Okay, thanks so much! I'll get her there as soon as I can, but I'm going on vacation for a week so I'll try and do it the day I get back


I just read something that said that a budgie will scratch the affected area with mites, and Starburst is definetly doing that.

 

[finchly]

If you have some SCATT go ahead and put a drop on her skin (not feathers, but skin like thigh or back of neck). It will not hurt and if it is mites it will get rid of them while you are gone.

 

[Featheredfuffs]

If you have some SCATT go ahead and put a drop on her skin (not feathers, but skin like thigh or back of neck). It will not hurt and if it is mites it will get rid of them while you are gone.

Oh great! I don't have some, but I don't think it would be hard to find


One thing is, I've heard that mite/lice spray can sometimes cause or worsen feather plucking, is that true? She's already dropped some plucked/barbered feathers in the few hours she's been with me, and I don't want to make that worse either!

 

[StarrySkies]

Scaly mite isn't life-threatening. But- if you have any other birds, bring them to the vet as well, in case they got infected.

 

[finchly]

I have canaries and finches (not budgies, but small birds) and used it on them for years. I have never had one pluck after using that. In fact I have never had one pluck, period!

 

[Featheredfuffs]

I have canaries and finches (not budgies, but small birds) and used it on them for years. I have never had one pluck after using that. In fact I have never had one pluck, period!

Great! Well, it's worth a try

 

[slinky-kitty]

How did you go with your new budgie? I hope all is ok.

 

[Featheredfuffs]

How did you go with your new budgie? I hope all is ok.

Good! We're getting her on a mite treatment, and she's gonna get regular checkups with the vet until the plucking stops. Hopefully it's the mites

 

[LittleBird]

she's beautiful, hope everything turns out well