Budgie chest tumor?

[sabrinna]

I had my budgies’ nails cut yesterday by the local pet store (a small business). The lady there, while cutting the nails, told me that my male parakeet (Daisy, yellow one in attached pictures) has a chest tumor.

Daisy always had a big chest ever since I got him when he was only a couple months old (now he’s 3 and a half). It hasn’t really changed since and I never thought anything of it

What do you think? I know it’s hard to diagnose it even as an avian vet just through sight. Can this lady be right about a tumor?

Note: I am going to get it checked by a vet, but since I don’t yet have a travel cage (it’s coming on it’s way from an order from Amazon) and the vet is very far away I would like to check here first

thank you so much! God forbid he has a tumor and I know I’ll be extremely upset if that was the case, I’d like to know 

[Hezz]

There is nothing in those photos to indicate any growth on the bird's chest. Have you felt his chest yourself? Perhaps it is something that this person could feel rather than see. It actually seems an odd comment to make to someone, coming from a person I'd assume has no vet training.

If I were you I would give Daisy my own health check and if you feel anything odd seek a vet's advice. Do you know that budgies' claws don't actually need clipping unless they have some underlying health issue, such as fatty liver which can cause the nails to over-grow? Unfortunately now that you have started to clip, it is possible that you will need to continue. A good variety of natural perches of different widths and textures should be all that is needed to keep claws controlled.

[sabrinna]

Jul 30, 2020 0:19:26 GMT Hezz said:

There is nothing in those photos to indicate any growth on the bird's chest. Have you felt his chest yourself? Perhaps it is something that this person could feel rather than see. It actually seems an odd comment to make to someone, coming from a person I'd assume has no vet training.

If I were you I would give Daisy my own health check and if you feel anything odd seek a vet's advice. Do you know that budgies' claws don't actually need clipping unless they have some underlying health issue, such as fatty liver which can cause the nails to over-grow? Unfortunately now that you have started to clip, it is possible that you will need to continue. A good variety of natural perches of different widths and textures should be all that is needed to keep claws controlled.

It’s kind of grim, but my husband said she possibly said this so I can “replace” my budgie with a new bird from them so they can make money. I wish I asked her how she knew, but I just asked if there’s any way to help it/stop it from growing and she said no. 
I felt his chest and there doesn’t seem anything wrong with it. The lady said an internal tumor, which again I have no idea how she would know. 

This is the only time I ever got my birds’ nails clipped since Snowy’s nails got caught in my shirt and I didn’t want to take any chances. 

thank you for your help and advice, will do

[Hezz]

This sounds like a terrible person! I'm horrified, to be honest. Rest assured a lay person is not going to know whether Daisy has an internal tumour or not.

Regarding the claws, their claws are there for a reason. I made that same mistake only once, with my very first hen, not realising that hens' claws are naturally a bit sharper than the males' so that they can grip the perch better during mating!! She was getting her claws caught in a dress I often wore. I took the tiniest bit off and after she kept slipping off my shoulder until the tips grew back ... I got rid of the dress.

[sabrinna]

Thank you so much Hezz! I actually feel much more relieved and kind of silly that I believed the lady but I’ll probably get it checked just to play it safe

I didn’t know that thing about a hen’s toenails, no wonder Snowy’s nails always snag my shirt

[Marianne Marlow]

Definitely get it checked by an avian vet.

Also, budgies don't normally need their nails trimmed as long as they have plenty of perches of different sizes - unless they are ill (just saw that Hezz already told you this!)