A growth or lump on preening gland?

[sarahj]

Hello!
I have read quite a bit both on here and other sites about similar things, but I’m still a bit unsure and confused.
My budgie Bertie has a smooth looking lump near or on his preening gland. It can only be seen when he lifts his feathers up to preen and it doesn’t seem to be causing him any pain but it looks big enough to be intrusive. I’m not sure wether it’s an impacted gland, a vitamin A deficiency, a tumour or what! And obviously the vets are only dealing with emergencies at the moment and I don’t know if this could be an emergency!
I could add a photo I managed to get if I can figure out how to do that... haha.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[Hezz]

Adding photos:
budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/thread/17937/uploading-photos-2

Remember that a budgie preening gland is its own little smooth lump. A photo should help clear this up.

[helenmat]

Yes we definitely need to see a picture.

[sarahj]

Thank you so much for the info on how to post a picture! I feel a bit silly as it was so easy 🤦‍♀️ And I will feel even more silly if the lump is actually just the gland, I’ve only noticed it recently so I assumed it was a new lump!
Here is a photo, thanks for the help!

[Marianne Marlow]

I think that might just be the preen gland. I saw JoJo's once and it just looked like a little pink bean.

What do you think Hezz helenmat ?

[Marianne Marlow]

sarahj I don't often see the bird's preening gland because they have to be in that position for me to notice.

[Hezz]

Probably just the preening gland itself, but I'd like to see another photo with the feathers parted away from it. Do you have someone who can help you with that?

[sarahj]

Sorry for the late reply! Bertie doesn’t like being handled so these are the best photos I managed to get through his little screams which were breaking my heart. I hope they’re clear enough to see. It was difficult parting the feathers there, and there did seem to be a little red patch next to the lump as you can kind of see in the first photo. Thanks again!

[Hezz]

That does look to be rather large for a preening gland, and a bit too yellow coloured, but all birds are different. It may be a small cyst, like a feather cyst, maybe a blocked gland but it looks a little too uniform for that to me. And it doesn't look tumour-like, in my mind. At this stage I'd keep a close eye on it until you can get him seen by a vet, if it starts to grow or changes shape/colour. I wouldn't say it was an emergency, but do you have a good vet that you could email the photos through to, to get another opinion?

I hope Bertie has forgiven you for upsetting his dignity.

[sarahj]

Oh thank you so much for your advice! I will definitely keep an eye on it, and like I said before he doesn’t seem to be in any pain, but if anything changes I will be in touch with a vet ASAP, and in the mean time see if I can email those photos to the vet as well. I’m hoping it is just a slightly weird preening gland, which would suit him because Bertie is a weird little bird, bless him! And he has forgiven me, he gave up and gave me a little kiss/nibble after I put him down and apologised profusely!

[helenmat]

Hello, sorry Ive not been around. The preen gland is usually pink not yellow. If you touch it does it feel oily, it should. If it doesn't it is most likely blocked. You can bathe it with some warm water on a cotton ball and gently press on it. It might encourage the gland to open a little. My vet told me to do that when my bird had a blocked gland. I wouldn't leave it too long though if it is blocked it could become impacted which would cause further complications.