Post by hsvgun2 on Jan 16, 2015 19:42:11 GMT
OMG we seem be having all the fun this year.
The other day when checking my little nestlings I noticed a black ring about the size of a match head under one of the chicks wings - about 1 week old.
I don't usually handle them but I had a look and determined this was not normal. I made a decision to remove the thing and risk it as our bird vet is not readily accessible and sometimes you just have to do things for yourself. Anyhow with a pair of tweezers I was able to get it out and it looked like a little slug or something. I treated the wound which didn't bleed or anything and the next day the baby was fine.
However another day later I noticed both of the younger chicks (one the same one as before) had a black ring in one of the openings in the cere and the little one also had a black hole and lump on its tail end.
I knew they had to come out and this time I was able to keep one of the things alive - lo and behold after visiting the local vet (not a bird vet) we have established that this is a fly strike of some kind and these are fly larvae embedding themselves in the nestling ready to pupate.
This is the most disgusting and unfair thing I have had to deal with during our time breeding budgies. I feel so sad for the poor little things.
Of course we have done everything you can - replace the nest box and so on but that won't stop it happening again and is - after some heavy research - apparently not uncommon.
I haven't taken photos before but if the poor little things get any more I will do that before we remove them so you can see. I also can't quite work out how to do it as the image insert tab asks for a url? rather than selecting a location on your computer (advice on that would be appreciated)
I am in Australia and its summer right now. Also we have a large nectarine tree that got fruit fly this year - we looked into the possibility of the fruit fly causing this but it seems it is a common kind of bush fly or blow fly.
I wanted to share this as although the research seems to indicate its common, its the first time I've seen it or even heard of it in domestic colonies.This is what I saw when I recognised something was wrong - this isn't my little chicks but an image on another from net.
