Budgie's feathers look wet and feel oily?

[Starloid]

Yesterday I removed the cage's blanket to find one of my bird's feathers look like as if she dunked in water! When I touched her they felt kinda oily. I read up and found that she may not be preening correctly and/or have a Vitamin A deficiency. My other bird seems fine with healthy feathers.
So far I haven't seen a dramatic change in her behavior, however she doesn't want to come out of the cage to fly for a while with her roommate. Please answer asap!

 

[Calpurnia]

This looks very strange to have happened overnight! Birds do produce preen oil but never THIS much all at once. Are you sure there is no way she could have gotten into some oil late last night? Either way have you considered taking her in for a vet check?

 

[Pipsqueak]

Looks like when my bird walked through a plate of olive oil..... I would see the vet if you don't know where it came from

 

[Lady Jane]

Is this bird doing any head bobbing or vomiting?

 

[WendyN]

Please take her to the vet.

 

[Lady Jane]

Reason I asked is because one morning I woke up to my budgie looking like yours. He was vomiting and spitting fluids all over his feathers and cage too. He had AGY or avian gastric yeast and eventually died from it. This could be more serious than you thought. If it is AGY is contagious.

 

[Starloid]

I have considered the vet.

My mom believes she injured herself while flying. She was the one who put them in their cage when they were out and said she wasn't like this when she went in. She also thought she dunked herself in oil while she was out.

I haven't seen her vomit or any bobbing of the head.

There are still no behavioral changes either. She seems to be normal in that regard.

 

[Calpurnia]

If she is otherwise healthy I would try to bathe her with a little unscented Dawn dish soap. She won't be able to effectively remove the oil otherwise. We had to do this when our own parrotlet accidentally landed in a bowl of oil. Just make sure you rinse very well.

If her feather condition goes back to normal after this then she is probably fine. But if they get mysteriously oily again then please take her to a vet. Good luck!

 

[Starloid]

Thanks for the advice.
Is misting her with water spray effective? I haven't cleaned her any other way before and I think she might be opposed to a full-on bath. I could dilute some Dawn in the water itself too.

 

[Calpurnia]

If it is oil just misting her with water will not be effective. She will simply try to preen and spread the oil around more. And definitely do not mist her with the Dawn. You don't want her actually ingesting it.

Getting scrubbed down is not going to be fun but it's necessary for her health. Just gently restrain her and get the ordeal over as soon as possible to minimize her stress.

 

[Birdbabe]

She actually looks like she doesn't feel good , if you can, see a vet and have her checked.

 

[Monica]

Your budgie appears to be a male to me. (pink cere = male)


Do you have an avian vet near you? In case bathing doesn't help?

 

[Starloid]

There is one nearby, but it doesn't have that great of a reputation. There's mixed reviews about it. I went there before for my dog (they are a vet hospital) who was deathly ill and he didn't make it. I don't really trust it, but it's the closest one.

 

[Beebthemil]

Your budgie appears to be a male to me. (pink cere = male)


Do you have an avian vet near you? In case bathing doesn't help?

Actually, I believe it's blue for a cock and brown for a hen.

 

[Shezbug]

Actually, I believe it's blue for a cock and brown for a hen.

Budgie sexing can be a little tricky depending on mutation, age and hormones.
@Monica (and a few other members) are usually pretty spot on with this stuff.

 

[Monica]

Actually, I believe it's blue for a cock and brown for a hen.

This is an old thread.

Albino, lutino and recessive pied males will *ALWAYS* have a pink cere. The bird pictured is a recessive pied blue, possibly violet as well. (if not a trick of the light) The cere is not that of a hen's, so that would indicate this bird is a male.

Females can have white, white with tan/blue, tan or the crusty brown ceres - regardless of color mutations.


Welcome to the forum!

 

[yellowfeathers]

Definitely blue for male. I have one with a blue cere and he's... most definitely male.
Hopefully you haven't accidentally given one a name not best suited to its sex

 

[Monica]

Definitely blue for male. I have one with a blue cere and he's... most definitely male.
Hopefully you haven't accidentally given one a name not best suited to its sex

Old thread and females can have blue cere's as well! Just typically not the same amount or color of blue as a males!

 

[yellowfeathers]

That's pretty neat. Is it genetic or is it a colour mutation?
Do you know if there is a way of sexing albino or Latino budgies without checking chromosomes?
Sorry about all of the questions I'm just curious and you seem to have an extensive knowledge on the subject

 

[Ripshod]

Definitely blue for male. I have one with a blue cere and he's... most definitely male.
Hopefully you haven't accidentally given one a name not best suited to its sex

Budgie is a Recessive Pied and the cere is pink. Male.
BTW this thread is from 2017.