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Post by ladybird on Apr 29, 2019 18:46:35 GMT
Charlie is three months and three weeks old, still not had his first moult. He has developed a habit of biting the bars of his cage after eating and also rubs his beak on his perches a lot. I have noticed he has now got a bare spot above his cere .....any ideas please?
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Post by Hezz on Apr 29, 2019 19:24:25 GMT
Is he starting to lose feathers at all? Are you finding feathers around the cage? Many budgies have a bare patch above their cere during a moult. Give it a week and this area will most likely be full of pin feathers. I really doubt it has anything to do with him rubbing his beak on his perches. All birds clean up their beaks after eating. Mine usually use my shoulder.  |
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Post by ladybird on Apr 29, 2019 19:53:29 GMT
I have only found the odd tiny feather . He is biting the bars so the part above his cere rubs on the bars above. I will get a picture tomorrow, it just looks pink and bald. Also rubbing his head on his perch branches a lot. Thanks for replying Hezz.
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Post by Hezz on Apr 30, 2019 18:43:32 GMT
Usually their feathers are a bit more robust than that. Sure, when they are young they are more likely to mess up their longer feathers, especially tail feathers, but yes, a close-up photo might be of help.
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Post by ladybird on Apr 30, 2019 19:21:36 GMT
 Yes there are more feathers in his cage today, he looks a bit scruffy everywhere.... |
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Post by Shirls on May 1, 2019 7:37:30 GMT
What an adorable little scruff ball!! Can't help re the feathers, hopefully it's just a heavy moult.
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Post by Hezz on May 1, 2019 7:51:20 GMT
Sounds like he is starting his moult in earnest.  |
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Post by ladybird on May 1, 2019 8:21:17 GMT
Thank you. Could biting the bars just have become a habit ?
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Post by Hezz on May 1, 2019 19:06:46 GMT
Probably. Hang some chewy toys - balsa bits for instance - in front of the bars in his favourite spot, or even at every perch end so that he comes into contact with these first. Depending on how much force he is exerting, he may strip the paint off the bars and then you have the problem of rust developing.
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Post by ladybird on May 1, 2019 19:19:24 GMT
Where would I get balsa bits from please? His cage is a Vision cage so not painted,
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Post by Hezz on May 1, 2019 19:29:30 GMT
Are you sure? Is the cage just bare metal?
Anywhere you can get bird toys will usually have balsa bits. Maybe others members in the UK will be able to point you in the direction of where they get theirs.
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Post by ladybird on May 1, 2019 20:02:09 GMT
Thank you Hezz, I will definitely check on his cage but it doesn’t look painted to me.....There is a pet shop several miles from me that sell a lot of toys and they keep parrots etc, so I am sure they will have something suitable for determined little Charlie. He definitely puts some force into his chewing. Crafty too, because when I put something in his way to stop the chewing, he just moves to somewhere else......Think he is laughing at me !
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Post by ladybird on May 2, 2019 8:40:49 GMT
Hezz, I just checked with the makers of the cage...they are steel and powder coated with non toxic coating that is completely safe to budgies. But I will still keep an eye on the bars.
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Post by Hezz on May 3, 2019 1:05:06 GMT
It will be safe, the cage, until the paint, or powder coating, is pulled off. That's when you have to worry because the metal will start to rust and the rust is the killer. Best to break the habit sooner rather than when it might be too late and well-ingrained. It isn't always easy, and you will surely have set-backs. Something that may work is to hang seagrass mats up inside the cage. Let him chew on these and he may just forget about giving the bars a ping.
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Post by ladybird on May 3, 2019 7:49:34 GMT
Thank you Hezz, it’s definitely become an annoying habit. It seems to have started when I took the toy with cotton tassels away from him ( not sure you will remember) but he was feeding then going straight to the cotton and chewing...... I find it hard to understand, as he has a big enough cage, lots of toys, is rarely on his own and comes out of his cage at least twice a day.....
He goes straight from his food to the bars and Goes backwards and forwards chewing.....Apart from the noise it makes , what is it doing to his beak....... Hoping the mats etc will work...
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