musty smell on Billie

[beth]

Whilst playing with billie this afternoon, we noticed that she had a musty smell on her like shes not had been washed in week. This seems odd because she had a clean out and a good shower spray bath yesterday. She also didn't really want to be played with after a short while, seemed to be in a very grumpy mood.

General health/diet:
Normal behavoiur is that she does seem to sleep a lot, however at times she is lively especially when she has her mirror in the cage. She is currently having a nap since its gone dark. Shes a quiet budgie in general but doesn't miss whats going on, one very nosy birdy!

However we have noticed (maybe due to the colder weather last week with having fire on most of the day for mum) that she seems to be drinking lots of water. She doesn't eat much maybe a small amount staying around 2 or 3 minutes eating tril at most, or millet (when in on the once per month treat). She remains to be a little on the thin side who refuses to eat fruit and veggies. Droppings do seem to reflect the large amount of water she seems to be drinking.

I have found an avian vet nearby and have just ordered one of them transport carriers from zooplus. So I will try to ring the vets once the order has arrived to see if i can get a suitable time to visit. They only open certain hours which could make it difficult.

Also a member of my family came visiting last week and thought she could be feeling a little lonely. However we do not have enough room for a second smaller cage for a new budgie. Well she was with a load of other budgies for the first few months of her life. She also enjoys watching the budgies on the clips on here. Normally chirping back when the clip is finished.

I know there's a lot of information. But what could be causing a musty smell on Billie? Mum and I are starting to wonder if we have had a slightly sickly bird from when we first got her.

[eve]

Dec 10, 2012 16:52:00 GMT beth said:

Whilst playing with billie this afternoon, we noticed that she had a musty smell on her like shes not had been washed in week. This seems odd because she had a clean out and a good shower spray bath yesterday. She also didn't really want to be played with after a short while, seemed to be in a very grumpy mood.

General health/diet:
Normal behavoiur is that she does seem to sleep a lot, however at times she is lively especially when she has her mirror in the cage. She is currently having a nap since its gone dark. Shes a quiet budgie in general but doesn't miss whats going on, one very nosy birdy!

However we have noticed (maybe due to the colder weather last week with having fire on most of the day for mum) that she seems to be drinking lots of water. She doesn't eat much maybe a small amount staying around 2 or 3 minutes eating tril at most, or millet (when in on the once per month treat). She remains to be a little on the thin side who refuses to eat fruit and veggies. Droppings do seem to reflect the large amount of water she seems to be drinking.

I have found an avian vet nearby and have just ordered one of them transport carriers from zooplus. So I will try to ring the vets once the order has arrived to see if i can get a suitable time to visit. They only open certain hours which could make it difficult.

Also a member of my family came visiting last week and thought she could be feeling a little lonely. However we do not have enough room for a second smaller cage for a new budgie. Well she was with a load of other budgies for the first few months of her life. She also enjoys watching the budgies on the clips on here. Normally chirping back when the clip is finished.

I know there's a lot of information. But what could be causing a musty smell on Billie? Mum and I are starting to wonder if we have had a slightly sickly bird from when we first got her.

Oh no........is this another case of Canker?
Beth, read this thread. www.budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=budgiehealth&action=display&thread=4814
And, here: www.budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=budgiehealth&action=display&thread=4779&page=4

See if anything sounds familiar? Even if not, it probably would be good for you to order some Tricho Plus to have on hand.......we've already had one sad story along this line (if she does have Canker).

Better safe than sorry.

[Hezz]

Hi Beth. With the cold weather being around and you have fire going, have you put out extra bowls of water to keep the humidity up in the room? Fires, central heating, air conditioning ...... all dry the air out and an easy way around this is to put shallow bowls of water around the room. I say shallow, because if Billie is a bather, she will likely as not hop in for a bath. You need to make sure the bowls are suitable for her to be able to clamber out of, and the water not too deep.

The dryness in the air could explain both her drinking more and her mustiness as her oils wouldn't be lasting like they usually do.

If you are not fussed on bowls of water, your other solution would be a humidifier. I suggest you try this before making the big leap into assuming Billie is ill. Once you have your carry-cage, by all means get her checked out, but in the meantime try adding a little moisture to the air by the bowls of water and see how she is. You may be pleasantly surprised.

[beth]

We have been trying the water bowl idea (using the bath she doesn't like), she still a little musty but not as bad. She will not come of the cage, very happy sat by her fave toy. The carry-cage came today. So we said to see how she goes over this week and then take her for a check up. However now she has a mirror in, she does seem to be more alert and lively, plus trying to feed and water the bird in the mirror.

[Hezz]

Oh, oh. Maybe Billie is feeling a little lonely ..........

You don't need to stop at just one bowl as that may evaporate rather quickly, but certainly put them around where her cage is. i would try more water bowls and see if her mustiness improves even more.

[stace]

Just be aware that a change in the smell of your bird could mean they are not preening properly. And not preening properly can often indicate some kind of health problem.

It's one of the first things I noticed as my bird started to get unwell. He started to smell like old butter. Very slight changes of smell is the kind of thing that only those with very tame pet birds notice if you're bopping noses or holding them close on your fingers.

It's not like canker for example, where they start to smell very obviously fishy even from a distance.

[outnumbered]

Dec 14, 2012 3:10:52 GMT stace said:

Just be aware that a change in the smell of your bird could mean they are not preening properly. And not preening properly can often indicate some kind of health problem.

It's one of the first things I noticed as my bird started to get unwell. He started to smell like old butter. Very slight changes of smell is the kind of thing that only those with very tame pet birds notice if you're bopping noses or holding them close on your fingers.

It's not like canker for example, where they start to smell very obviously fishy even from a distance.

I really cannot comment on Billie, but it looks like the more experienced members have given you good advice. I can tell you that as Stace has said canker stinks, it is like off fish and they look wet as if they have just had a bath. The first time i took him to a vet he was in a shoe box and when I opened it me and the vet were like the smell was overwelming. You will notice it if you handle him daily. In my case my daughter noticed Kiwi had brownish stains on him and I thought he had just fell in his water bowl- Lilly always chased him at night time. An hour later it was gone and I thought it was water and had just dried but later realised he had cleaned himself and it was vomit and he was sick. I didn't handle them because they are together and not tame so I don't really know what canker is like in the early stages. The fact that you have noticed something before he is really sick is a good sign as you are now keeping an eye on him Please order Tricho plus anyway. I have found now found out that even some Avian vets don't use it

[beth]

Thanks, I will have to sort out the vets next week. I have noticed that she had some poop stuck to her feathers a short while ago. Shes been very sleepy this evening but has been eating plenty of seed. However she seems a little bored than anything else. Its not a fishy smell, the smell is hard to describe, but Stace could be on to something there.

[Hezz]

This is very true regarding the preening. Have you seen her preening herself recently? It may pay to spend a day or two taking notice of whether she does or not. May also be worth catching her up and checking her preening gland and make sure it looks normal. let us know how the vet visit goes, and good luck.

[beth]

Due to the family having that dreaded nasty lurgy we haven't managed to get her to the vets yet. Oddly she seems to have stopped smelling since the weather has got a little warmer. However since I have been on my school holidays, I have noticed that in a morning shes a little active madam, come afternoon shes tired and sleepy. We have had to go ssshhhhh at her to stop screaming and shouting oh and her cere has gone a very light brown. So I am guessing she might be slighty in season.

Will at some point get her to the vets. Also been told about a small animal hospital nearby, in case we cant get in at the avian vets.

[Hezz]

Most budgies are much more active in the mornings, have quiet/sleep time during the afternoon and then often a zip about just before dark.

And yes, it does sound as though Billie is in breeding condition. :-)

[beth]

Well I haven't managed to get her into that avian vets, the opening times just don't work out with my working hours. So its either back to the vets we went to with our last budgie Jamie or go to the local small animal hospital/vets closer to home. Dad thinks maybe go to the last vets but I am unsure about them after all they didn't think there was much up with him and only give him minimal treatment. Oh and to top it off mums had some drops put in her eyes so she cant see very well for treatment today (not that billie could get in today)

I have noticed that her poops are very varied between tiny droppings to large clumped ones. This is in the last day. She seems ok in herself. Shes just dropped off for her 4pm nap.

[beth]

Decided to ring that avian vets, could take her today with my working hours. However I got passed from one phone number to another. Struggled to get hold of the usual vets so rang that other vets, not avian specialist but would be happy to look at her this afternoon.

Not sure what will happen but will update you later on.

[beth]

Update, the vet (general practice) had a good look at her without stressing her out too much. They said shes a little underweight and suggested to swap her that Harrison bird food and a sprig of milliet as treats, since trill and millet do not seem to put the weight on. Must admit she look a little on the think side. She may have a little infection and gave us some baytril to see if she gets better. If not to go back and to do further tests. They suggested that the new fire may have upset her system a little and sent it out of balance (went out of the room and back in again.)

Also asked how we got her, talked all about it. Said not to get another budgie from them, but to maybe after shes recovered from this to look at getting billie a friend.

Will wait and see what happens. Not impressed by the food advice though.

[Hezz]

Is the Harrisons' a pellet, Beth? Not a lot of people on here have good things to say about pellets, if it is a pellet-type food.

If were me with a bird needing a fatten-up, I would try her on boiled eggs - increase her protein intake, and stick to the seeds.

I completely agree with waiting until Billie is full health before thinking of getting another, though.