The top of my budgie's head is turning hot pink

[emmaandarcus]

Yesterday i noticed for the first time a small spot on the top of my budgie, Arcus's head it wasn't big so i thought it was just a little bit of pink stuff that got on his head. Today the spot is bigger and even on his crest a tad. Its very pink/orange so it doesn't look like blood and he's acting completely fine. I think that the cuttlebone i got him might be the cause but he's had it for a while so why would it just now start turning him pink? He has the "Brown's Calcium Cuttlebone, Mango" because it was the only one at the store. There was also a toy i made for him out of some paper dyed in koolaid powder that is pink but he never touches it. I took the toy out of his cage to see if it makes a difference but for now time will tell. I'm just wondering if others know whats happening or had similar issues with the browns mango cuttlebone. I'll try to get a picture of his head tomorrow because he's asleep right now.

[Shirls]

I think you may be right emmaandarcus, Acus has been rubbing his head on the cuttle I expect.

[samwiseg]

Hi and welcome emmaandarcus

Flavoured cuttles are not really necessary but without a picture of your budgies head we really cannot tell.

The only thing that I can think of that is happening is that he is rubbing his head on it as he is in moult or he has a pink patch there because he is in moult and they can get sore

[Marianne Marlow]

It's probably either rubbing his head on a pink mineral stone or that he has pink pink feathers because he's moulting.

A photo would help to confirm.

[emmaandarcus]

here is a picture of his head now that he's awake. It's a bit hard to see because my camera quality is bad.

 also he just molted last month and he isn't molting anymore

[Marianne Marlow]

Yes, it looks like the mineral block on your budgies head

[Hezz]

As budgies don't have a red colour gene, and it is not blood, I would bet everything I have that it is the coloured cuttlebone, or some other dyed thing in his cage. It is possible that he is needing some more textured things in his cage to be using the block to rub his head. Do you have any proper tree branches for perches? Something with a bit of rough bark on it? If he only has dowels and smooth plastic toys he is not getting the 'scratch factor' that he may be looking for.