Post by budgiepercy on May 18, 2020 1:28:04 GMT
Hi all! I haven't been on this forum for quite a while but I've looked all over the internet and I can't figure out what's wrong.
My budgie, Percy, who is almost 7 years old has been losing his flight feathers for the past month. It started with one misplaced feather, that seemed to hang weirdly off his wing, which we expected was just a one time thing. It affected his flying a bit but once it fell out, we assumed he would be back to normal. We were wrong, since that day, his flight feathers have been sticking out weirdly and falling out (sometimes the whole feather sometimes a bit is broken off). At this point, his right wing pretty much looks clipped (except instead of a clean cut, the area where the feathers are broken looks very disheveled, you can only really see this when he stretches his wings out). The only flight feathers left on his left wing are all sitting out of place (so I know they will eventually fall out). Before all of this, Percy would always fly around the room to his various play areas, and always fly to the kitchen and land on our heads. Ever since his feathers have started coming out of place and falling out, he barely leaves his cage. The only time he comes out now, is to look for food and eat food if we put it out there. He can barely fly now; he flies like a clipped bird and won't play outside of his cage. He also seems more afraid of us, when typically he had been extremely tame and playful.
About 2 weeks ago, when the problem wasn't as bad as it is now, we took Percy to the vet. The vet gave him a physical examination and ruled out mites or parasites. He still eats and drinks normally, sings and talks, his poop looks normal and he seemed generally happy so the vet suggested we keep an eye on him and if it got worse or didn't show signs of improvements in a few weeks to come back for further testing. I am planning on scheduling a vet appointment tomorrow.
Currently, he seems to be going through a molt, but the problem began before he started to molt. Also, in all the molts he's had through his seven years of life, they've never happened like this. I am concerned that he is somehow doing this to himself, as he seems to preen pretty aggressively and nibble on his feathers. I can't tell if this is in response to the problem, or causing it. He hasn't had any changes to his environment or added stress before the problem began. As a result of the feather problem, I have been feeding him a bit differently and healthier with hopes that it would help. I'm even trying again to convert him again to pellets, and mixing pellet mash into his chop which he eats.
Today, Percy seemed very nervous and skittish; he suddenly flew to a random spot on the floor and seemed very scared of me when I tried to get him to step up. Eventually he stepped up fine, but he's definitely acting weirder and weirder everyday and I can't pinpoint a cause. I have a theory that he feels insecure and scared around us now that he knows his primary mode of transportation is gone, but I'm not sure. I worry that his smaller wing feathers will start to fall out (or he will destroy them if that's what he has been doing, I can't tell) after all of his flight feathers have. Right now, I don't know what to do but it's very difficult to see Percy like this; very antisocial and nervous (but still active within his cage).
I am attaching pictures from today, so you can see the way the feathers have been sticking out.
Has anyone else experienced this? Any kind of advice would be appreciated
My budgie, Percy, who is almost 7 years old has been losing his flight feathers for the past month. It started with one misplaced feather, that seemed to hang weirdly off his wing, which we expected was just a one time thing. It affected his flying a bit but once it fell out, we assumed he would be back to normal. We were wrong, since that day, his flight feathers have been sticking out weirdly and falling out (sometimes the whole feather sometimes a bit is broken off). At this point, his right wing pretty much looks clipped (except instead of a clean cut, the area where the feathers are broken looks very disheveled, you can only really see this when he stretches his wings out). The only flight feathers left on his left wing are all sitting out of place (so I know they will eventually fall out). Before all of this, Percy would always fly around the room to his various play areas, and always fly to the kitchen and land on our heads. Ever since his feathers have started coming out of place and falling out, he barely leaves his cage. The only time he comes out now, is to look for food and eat food if we put it out there. He can barely fly now; he flies like a clipped bird and won't play outside of his cage. He also seems more afraid of us, when typically he had been extremely tame and playful.
About 2 weeks ago, when the problem wasn't as bad as it is now, we took Percy to the vet. The vet gave him a physical examination and ruled out mites or parasites. He still eats and drinks normally, sings and talks, his poop looks normal and he seemed generally happy so the vet suggested we keep an eye on him and if it got worse or didn't show signs of improvements in a few weeks to come back for further testing. I am planning on scheduling a vet appointment tomorrow.
Currently, he seems to be going through a molt, but the problem began before he started to molt. Also, in all the molts he's had through his seven years of life, they've never happened like this. I am concerned that he is somehow doing this to himself, as he seems to preen pretty aggressively and nibble on his feathers. I can't tell if this is in response to the problem, or causing it. He hasn't had any changes to his environment or added stress before the problem began. As a result of the feather problem, I have been feeding him a bit differently and healthier with hopes that it would help. I'm even trying again to convert him again to pellets, and mixing pellet mash into his chop which he eats.
Today, Percy seemed very nervous and skittish; he suddenly flew to a random spot on the floor and seemed very scared of me when I tried to get him to step up. Eventually he stepped up fine, but he's definitely acting weirder and weirder everyday and I can't pinpoint a cause. I have a theory that he feels insecure and scared around us now that he knows his primary mode of transportation is gone, but I'm not sure. I worry that his smaller wing feathers will start to fall out (or he will destroy them if that's what he has been doing, I can't tell) after all of his flight feathers have. Right now, I don't know what to do but it's very difficult to see Percy like this; very antisocial and nervous (but still active within his cage).
I am attaching pictures from today, so you can see the way the feathers have been sticking out.
Has anyone else experienced this? Any kind of advice would be appreciated