Aug 10, 2021 22:45:53 GMT
birdies
Brand New Budgie
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Post by birdies on Aug 10, 2021 23:02:42 GMT
Marshmallow is almost 5 years old. He's eating normally (fruit/veggies/seeds/snacks/millet), singing his butt off right now, and acting normally. All my birds have access to beak trimmers/calcium blocks/mineral blocks, but Marshmallow doesn't really use them much, so his beak's a lil' long. I'm concerned about that lil' pink-ish dot on his wing. Noticed it a few days ago, thought it might be a feather coming in, but it's starting to look like it's not. When I run my finger over it, it doesn't move, feels a bit hard, but I didn't press on it or anything. If need be, I can take more photos. Reddit's saying it may be a feather cyst. Thoughts?
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Post by ffiscool on Aug 10, 2021 23:20:15 GMT
Hi and welcome. I’m not sure about these things but I’d say very feasible. Others will be on here who can offer thoughts etc does it seem to bother him?
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Aug 10, 2021 22:45:53 GMT
birdies
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 11
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Post by birdies on Aug 10, 2021 23:45:24 GMT
Hi and welcome. I’m not sure about these things but I’d say very feasible. Others will be on here who can offer thoughts etc does it seem to bother him? Hi, thank you. He's paid it absolutely no mind, completely ignoring it, even while preening. My other budgies either haven't noticed it or are outright ignoring it as well.
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Post by Hezz on Aug 11, 2021 0:10:07 GMT
It certainly looks like a feather cyst to me. Beaks don’t normally over-grow unless there is some underlying health issue, usually liver related, even if the bird doesn’t use the means provided such as mineral blocks etc.
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Aug 10, 2021 22:45:53 GMT
birdies
Brand New Budgie
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Post by birdies on Aug 11, 2021 0:52:02 GMT
It certainly looks like a feather cyst to me. Beaks don’t normally over-grow unless there is some underlying health issue, usually liver related, even if the bird doesn’t use the means provided such as mineral blocks etc. How dangerous are these feather cysts? Do I need to book an emergency visit or would it be okay to book one 2-3w down the line when the local vets have openings available? I did hear about budgies being prone to liver problems because of seed diets and the like, but I do make sure he eats his fruits n' veggies regularly..
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Post by tweetiepiesmom on Aug 11, 2021 1:08:02 GMT
My opinion - if he were mine I wouldn't wait 2-3 weeks. Maybe your vet an squeeze him in sooner. It is in a place where I'd worry he might bump it and cause it to break and possibly bleed. If you decide to wait, have some corn starch/flour readily available in case it bleeds.
Do you weigh him regularly? I would advise you start doing that. You might start adding a high quality pellet to his seed dish to get him to eat less seeds. Many people in the US think Harrison's Adult Lifetime Super Fine is very good. A rule of thumb that I've read is 25% of the budgie diet should be seeds. His beak is a bit long. Your vet should be able to trim that.
Good luck!
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Aug 10, 2021 22:45:53 GMT
birdies
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 11
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Post by birdies on Aug 11, 2021 4:11:00 GMT
My opinion - if he were mine I wouldn't wait 2-3 weeks. Maybe your vet an squeeze him in sooner. It is in a place where I'd worry he might bump it and cause it to break and possibly bleed. If you decide to wait, have some corn starch/flour readily available in case it bleeds. Do you weigh him regularly? I would advise you start doing that. You might start adding a high quality pellet to his seed dish to get him to eat less seeds. Many people in the US think Harrison's Adult Lifetime Super Fine is very good. A rule of thumb that I've read is 25% of the budgie diet should be seeds. His beak is a bit long. Your vet should be able to trim that. Good luck! I got in touch with the nearest avian vet (over 1h away by car), and they'll be letting me know if they can squeeze me in for the 23rd as that's as soon as they might be able to if someone cancels. Although I don't weigh him regularly (on a scale), I'm surprisingly good at detecting changes in my birds' weights. Marshmallow's weight's been stable ever since I got him in early 2017 (except for this one time he was sick last year, but he fully recovered). I currently mix Wild Harvest Advanced Nutrition Parakeet (which has plenty of pellets) into my birds' seed mix, but all my birds end up leaving them out. They eat all the seeds/oatmeal/whatever is there in that mix, but leave the pellets. Any idea on how to ... convince them to try? I'll look into getting the one you suggested.
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Oct 6, 2011 7:41:27 GMT
Marianne Marlow
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Post by Marianne Marlow on Aug 11, 2021 11:10:46 GMT
I also think it's a feather cyst. My dearly departed Custard had a massive one for a few months back in 2016, but it shrank on it's own. Custard also had regular beak trims because it overgrew, he had a liver condition. If it's not too gruesome to show you, this is how big the growth got. Of course, they do not all grow to this size. Some of us use milk thistle for our budgies in their water to help with liver conditions, the natures answer alcohol free one is a good one. Dill is also meant to be good for the liver.
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Post by Hezz on Aug 12, 2021 1:01:47 GMT
Feather cysts are not an emergency, but if it does grow in a hurry be prepared for the fact that it may burst 💥 Some do go away on their own, some of these also return over time; some need to be cleaned out and treated as an open wound, but they are not in themselves life-threatening.
Just as not all seed-eaters develop fatty liver disease, it isn’t only seed-eaters who can be susceptible. There are a number of herbal remedies that can really help in keeping the liver functioning well, such as milk thistle, dandelion (roots, leaves and flowers) just as an example.
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Aug 10, 2021 22:45:53 GMT
birdies
Brand New Budgie
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Post by birdies on Aug 12, 2021 1:54:11 GMT
I also think it's a feather cyst. My dearly departed Custard had a massive one for a few months back in 2016, but it shrank on it's own. Custard also had regular beak trims because it overgrew, he had a liver condition. If it's not too gruesome to show you, this is how big the growth got. Of course, they do not all grow to this size. Some of us use milk thistle for our budgies in their water to help with liver conditions, the natures answer alcohol free one is a good one. Dill is also meant to be good for the liver. I'm so sorry about Custard... I'm sure he was absolutely adored. Do you just... grind milk thistle juice into their water? Or does it come bottled or something? We usually have loads of dill, so I'll start adding that into their veggie salad the next time we buy some.
I've scheduled an appointment for Aug24. The vet took a look at an entire album of photos I sent and said it's not an emergency and that he should be fine until then.
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Aug 10, 2021 22:45:53 GMT
birdies
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 11
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Post by birdies on Aug 12, 2021 2:11:18 GMT
Feather cysts are not an emergency, but if it does grow in a hurry be prepared for the fact that it may burst 💥 Some do go away on their own, some of these also return over time; some need to be cleaned out and treated as an open wound, but they are not in themselves life-threatening. Just as not all seed-eaters develop fatty liver disease, it isn’t only seed-eaters who can be susceptible. There are a number of herbal remedies that can really help in keeping the liver functioning well, such as milk thistle, dandelion (roots, leaves and flowers) just as an example. So I heard that in the event a bird begins to bleed profusely one should use flour/corn starch/soap. Are any/all of these viable? I'm glad to hear they're not life-threatening. They look scary as it is.
Is there a place I can read more about these herbal remedies? I'd love to make them available not just to Marshmallow, but to others as well, just as a precautionary thing. Maybe they'll like them.
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Post by Hezz on Aug 12, 2021 5:27:32 GMT
Marianne gave you the name of the milk thistle extract that most of us feel works the best - Nature’s Answer. It comes as alcohol free drops. Dill and dandelions can be fed fresh, whatever they want to eat.
For bleeds, cornflour or cayenne pepper are good to have on hand, soap (cake only) is good for claws trimmed too close, especially with a bird who is inclined to panic - their heart-rate goes through the roof so they lose blood that much more quickly. If you panic so will they.
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Oct 6, 2011 7:41:27 GMT
Marianne Marlow
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George, Daisy, Iris, Billy, Peter, Chipper, Dinku, Barney, Ayla and Rocky
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Post by Marianne Marlow on Aug 12, 2021 8:02:31 GMT
Thank you birdies, yes Custard was adored. He lived another 3 years after this incident and was with us for 6 years, we do not know his real age as someone found him outside a year before.
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Post by tweetiepiesmom on Aug 12, 2021 14:39:12 GMT
Good that your vet got back to you and said it wasn't an emergency. That's such a relief for you - we all worry so when we see something unusual with our budgies. I looked online and the Nature's Answer milk thistle is available in the US and you can get it from Amazon (I guess everything really can be had from Amazon).
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Oct 6, 2011 7:41:27 GMT
Marianne Marlow
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George, Daisy, Iris, Billy, Peter, Chipper, Dinku, Barney, Ayla and Rocky
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Post by Marianne Marlow on Aug 17, 2021 10:02:57 GMT
How is Marshmallow? Has the lump got any bigger?
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