Crusty beak budgie

[ABM]

Hi

My almost 10month "green budgie" has a crusty beak and kinda infected surrounding area....
I have a another blue budgie (7months) but no such signs.

Is this life threatening? Treatable ? What should I do....vet or something I can handle?

Blue - BLUE BUDGIE
Green - GREEN BUDGIE

Thanks
Abm

 

[Shezbug]

If your bird has infection anywhere then it needs to see a vet for a prescription for the correct medication.

Any chance you can post your photos directly on this site using the attach files button?

Are the birds kept together? Is one of them new?

 

[ABM]

Birdie (blue) joined Pista 2-3 months back. They've been together for 2-3monrhs. They spend the day together...nights in different cage.

 

[Momof3litt]

I would definitely take your green budgie to the vet. If the birds are more comfortable traveling together, you could just bring both. If it is diagnosed as something infectious (for example, scaly mites) they will likely both need to be treated anyway.

 

[ABM]

...so while reading my earlier reply, thought I'd clarify and correct the dates.

Birdie came home at about 2 months (breeder). Now about 8 months.
Pista came home at 6 months (same breeder). Now 10months.

So technically they've been together 4months.

Attaching a picture of "before n after" of Pista. Hope it helps.

 

[ABM]

Followup questions.....lol....so Pista being so much more social and interactive than her female partner (even though I've had Birdie from a younger age), Pista has pecked my mouth a few times. Any chance of spreading that infection to humans in anyway!
Thought crossed my mind!

Thanks

 

[Zara]

Definitely take both birds to the vet (while you take one you may as well take the other).

 

[ABM]

....vet confirmed it mites. Share more details soon. Thanks

 

[Ripshod]

Your birds have scaly face mites. Time for the vet.

 

[ABM]

Your birds have scaly face mites. Time for the vet.

Yes. Vet confirmed the same and found 3 mites too. Both On medication now for 2weeks. Will monitor in 1 month again.

My question: Where Do they get infected with mites??. Breeder place as young or through bird food)toys etc?

 

[Sparkles99]

Is the evidence of this the white stuff? It's the first time I've seen anyone diagnose over the internet. I'd like to know so that if any of mine ever exhibit such symptoms, I'll know what to do. I had honestly thought when I saw the earlier pictures that it was just regular cere colour changes.

 

[ABM]

Is the evidence of this the white stuff? It's the first time I've seen anyone diagnose over the internet. I'd like to know so that if any of mine ever exhibit such symptoms, I'll know what to do. I had honestly thought when I saw the earlier pictures that it was just regular cere colour changes.

It wasn't on the internet. I physically took my bird to the vet this morning. They had to scrape out some crust and under a microscope I suppose saw the mites. I saw a picture of the mites myself.

Both my birds need to be treated of course because of it spreading to the other one.

 

[Sparkles99]

I wasn't referring to you/your vet. I was referring to Ripshod knowing right off the bat from a picture. That * never * happens. No need to be defensive.

 

[GreenThing]

I wasn't referring to you/your vet. I was referring to Ripshod knowing right off the bat from a picture. That * never * happens. No need to be defensive.

Yeah, I wouldn't have been able to tell from the female, either, but the male definitely. In one picture it almost looks like the crust left by saltwater on his cere, and it is on the lower beak as well. Last time I asked my vet because I will worry over normal keratin growth-- smooth layers of keratin or even the odd skin flake aren't as pronounced. Tough to detect really early on, though.

Glad you took them to the vet and wishing both buddies a speedy recovery! Best thing you can do about mites is catch it quick and be super consistent.

 

[ABM]

Yes, it's early on so good. But still would love to know the cause and how to avoid a relapse if that's possible once the bird is prone to this condition.

Secondly, the vet has them on a oral medication "once every two weeks" for 2weeks. Is that less?
Do I need to additionally use a store "bird mite spray" to address other body areas?

Some say it's a genetic transmission (from parents or during nesting). If so does it take 6+months to start showing signs?

Any idea would help.
Thanks

 

[Ripshod]

@ABM You posted you reply about the vet's diagnosis whilst I was eating with a full-screen pic of your bird on my laptop while I ate. This photo...

...... clearly shows the the mites' activity, tunnelling through the surface of the beak and the nare. Plus the matting of the feathers around the beak. Seen it so often.
We should have a library of pics like this, just to help people understand things.
Mites can be brought in in any manner of ways. If we bring in just one egg it can end up as an infestation. That can take anything from a few weeks to several months. They can travel on our clothes and in food from pet shops that have an infested bird. The eggs can survive months in the most inhospitable environments.
It's not genetic, eggs and mites travel easily from one bird to another. A bird can't be prone to them. Once they get in that's it, and all the birds in a household will have them.

 

[ABM]

@Ripshod , nice nice,.... I've been so worried since I saw this as I believe I'm quite diligent in cleaning the cage n their accessories....but apparently not.

I'm planning to limit cage accessories to the bare minimum for a month and go to basics and introduce slowly. Also limit the two birds interacting?... would that help?

Also get mentioned he is overweight. 40grams for a 10monrh old. Have to revisit his diet....which again I thought was good. Veggies, fruits and seeds (yes..... pellet he wasn't having and vet enforced to start the transitioning soon).

Ripshod - so What you're trying to say is once cleared and medication course is completed, mites shouldn't return....unless of course there is a bird to bird interaction or toy introduction from an infected store. Correct?

 

[Ripshod]

If you're treating both birds then seperating them will serve no purpose.

I'm planning to limit cage accessories to the bare minimum for a month and go to basics

That would make life easier for you. You have a month to prove your diligence. Get this right and you should never see the mites return.
This will be a hard month. Regular deap cleaning of the cage and the whole area around it - but it'll be well worth the work.

 

[ABM]

....started deep clean

 

[ABM]

....hand an extra cage. Stripped to basics .

Birds find a way to sit beside each other no matter what