|
|
Post by sarah*glittergirl2212 on Mar 20, 2012 21:04:37 GMT
One of my baby budgies (Marley) is moulting currently. He's 3 months old, and him and both his siblings are moulting as you'd expect at this age. BUT.... Marley just doesn't know when to stop, he has a bald patch on his head now and a very red area on the front of his head too. Can anyone tell me why, what I can do to stop him and anything else you may know which is relevant. Thanks in advance for your help. Attachments:
|
|
Oct 8, 2011 20:57:03 GMT
Bonesy
Normal Violet
Posts: 198
|
Post by Bonesy on Mar 20, 2012 21:47:34 GMT
As mentioned when you rang, just give him another Iver dose, keep him bathed/misted and make sure he's not having an allergic reaction to anything. Some birds have an awful first few moults where they moult out too many at once and it irritates the skin, and because it's exposed it dries out and gets worse. He never used to mind being handled so try rubbing a little aqueous or Vaseline on the big bald patch it might help soothe it long enough for him to quit rubbing it. He's looking good besides the moult, hope you're all well!  Soph. |
|
|
|
Post by sarah*glittergirl2212 on Mar 20, 2012 22:02:21 GMT
Besides the moult he's absolutely brilliant, they all are! Bird bath will be in the cage in the morning. I hope he's not allergic to anything because they love their veggies, and over the last week they've probably had 4 different things- it will be hard to work out which is to blame. I hope it is only the moult and all will be well. Thanks for your advice, I'm hoping a few more members will have come across this and also have some good advice to add to yours.
|
|
|
|
Post by Hezz on Mar 21, 2012 1:02:46 GMT
I too hope it is just a bad moult, Sarah. Poor Marley! I could only offer the same advice Soph has. Get him eating some eggfood to keep his protein levels up, is about all else I can offer. I remember Sparky's first moult with me (not his baby moult) went on for ever but it was obviously spread out enough for him not to lose too many at once. Would some aloe help him leave his head alone?? It should do being a soother. Nat posted a reply to another thread just now about using aloe to help sooth the skin of a plucker. It is safe for budgies too, if he decides to try it. |
|
|
|
Post by sarah*glittergirl2212 on Mar 21, 2012 7:57:03 GMT
Ok great thankyou! I'll go to the health food shop and buy some aloe for him. He seems absolutely fine in himself which I'm very pleased about, it's just the patch you can see and a sore looking area above the cere where there are lots of pin feathers not opened yet.
|
|
|
|
Post by sarah*glittergirl2212 on Mar 21, 2012 11:23:57 GMT
In daylight it has been much easier to see a bit more of what's going on with his head feathers. The red colouration looks like a couple of the pin feathers are full of blood, but he isn't bleeding... The blood fills the bottom two thirds of the feather approximately, but it's not every feather. When he has them laid flat against his head it's not even noticeable. You can only see the redness when his feathers are "out" or "up" or whatever! Bearing in mind that the feathers look like they contain blood I'm now reluctant to touch them with regard to applying aloe or vaseline to his skin in case I injure him and cause him to bleed freely or at least give him pain. He seems absolutely happy and active, playful, curious, everything he normally is. How worried should I be about this moult?
|
|
|
|
Post by Hezz on Mar 22, 2012 1:04:01 GMT
Don't! Is my advice. I noticed one of these blood-filled feathers on Smudge after her going through numerous moults, but it was a normal thing, I just hadn't noticed it to that extent before. You can get some aloe spray that may give him some relief, but otherwise Sarah, just the normal misting with tepid water should help relieve the itching too. But probably keeping the eggfood (or hard-boiled eggs) up to him and baths/misting should be enough to see him through. |
|
|
|
Post by stace on Mar 22, 2012 4:55:16 GMT
There's some stuff we get here called Moulting Aid. You can also give that a go if you can get something like it. I'd keep some styptic powder or similar on hand as well, just in case you get some sort of blood feather disaster if he start rubbing his head too much.
If you do notice him looking under the weather at all, do the sick bird routine and keep him warm.
My bird had his worst ever moult at around 3- 4months. It was really bad just above his cere with blood in the shafts and awful red raw skin showing through. He was also very down in the dumps, but he got through okay.
Also, just because they have a hard moult once, doesn't mean it will always be so. My bird has never had a terrible moult since that first episode.
|
|
|
|
Post by sarah*glittergirl2212 on Mar 22, 2012 12:11:56 GMT
Thanks everyone , this is all very reassuring. Today he isn't even paying that much attention to his head feathers, he's far too busy swinging tarzan style, with only partial success I might add!! How often can I let them have egg food without overdoing it on the protein? Sorry to seem such a "flapper" I'm not even a first time budgie mum, but I have just never seen a moult like it!!
|
|
|
|
Post by Hezz on Mar 23, 2012 1:45:54 GMT
He will eat what he needs, I feel. Just supply it, and let him decide. While he is moulting I don't think you can give him too much.
|
|
|
|
Post by sarah*glittergirl2212 on Mar 23, 2012 10:01:17 GMT
Thanks Hezz
|
|
|
|
Post by Hezz on Mar 23, 2012 10:09:07 GMT
You're welcome. |
|
