Brodie’s cere changing colour

[starrymist]

Hi all,
I hope you’re all faring as well as possible in these strange & scary times.  I’m sorry I’ve not been around much recently.  
In recent weeks Brodie’s cere has gradually been changing colour, it’s gone from blue to more brown. He’s absolutely fine in himself, chirpy, extremely active etc, it’s just this that’s concerning me. It started in the centre bit & has spread to each side with only his nostrils lighter.   Should I be worried?  He’s 7 years old now.  

[starrymist]

These last 2 are from a couple of weeks ago (he’d had carrot!), you can see the area of brown is less.

[ffiscool]

I don’t see much of a change but others later will be on am sure. He’s so photogenic

[starrymist]

He is a handsome fellow but I’m biased!

[tweetiepiesmom]

He is a handsome guy and poses so beautifully! I'll be interested in what the experts say - is this just an age related thing or does the cere stay deep blue as the boys age?

[starrymist]

I’ve only had 2 budgies before Brodie but they lived to 11 & almost 15 years old but neither had any significant change in their cere colour.

[Marianne Marlow]

This happened with Hector's cere as he got older, I don't know what it was.
Hector lived until almost 11 years.

[Hezz]

I've noticed this with a couple of my older boys. My feeling is that it is nothing more than a decrease in hormones as they age. Particularly if they don't have a partner to keep their hormonal levels up.

Also, the boys can go in and out of breeding condition just like the hens.

[birdguhl]

Hi Starrymist Agree with Hezz here. Charlie (14) has a bit of brown on his cere.

[starrymist]

Thanks all (& waves to birdguhl, a name I think I remember from my early days here! As well as Marianne & Hezz obviously!).
I’m just a bit concerned as I read it could be a sign of testicular cancer...... He is his normal, happy, cheeky, bell & penguin obsessed self though which is reassuring.

[Hezz]

The cere goes crusty brown, just like a hen in breeding condition, if there is a testicular problem. Brodie's is still nice and smooth.

[starrymist]

Jul 5, 2020 20:08:29 GMT Hezz said:

The cere goes crusty brown, just like a hen in breeding condition, if there is a testicular problem. Brodie's is still nice and smooth.

Oh, that’s reassuring to know, thanks Hezz!

[starrymist]

A little update: Brodie’s cere was getting worse & the vet said bring him in for a check up so my Mum took him yesterday. The vet says the brown is dead skin cells which have accumulated rather than coming off like normal, likely due to the warmer, drier weather (also, in my own home I used to have dishes of water out, evaporating but because of Covid 19 I’ve had to move back in with my parents & the dishes of water haven’t been happening). She also said the weather has affected a few birds’ moults recently that she’s seen, causing them to have incomplete moults.
Anyway, the ‘treatment’ is rubbing coconut oil on his cere & giving him a ‘sauna’, a bowl of steaming water next to his cage, under a towel. [If anyone else wants to try this she said boil the water TWICE.]
She also pronounced Brodie “very healthy but little bit plump” (which I knew)! Poor Brodie is, however still somewhat stunned from his visit & the various indignities he suffered, there’s a little cloud over him still!

[starrymist]

wardey, here it is.

[wardey]

Jul 14, 2020 11:48:14 GMT starrymist said:

wardey, here it is.

Thanks a million! I think I’ll try the sauna thing, he’s been brilliant nibbling on dandelion leaves today and a bit of apple so going to try address the dryness in the air. Definitely think it could be to do with the radiator so will see how he fares down in Co Kerry with the different air ☺️