feather problems

[Kim]

i have a budgie who has lost most of its feathers, mostly down its back and its flight feathers and tail feathers,
i think it is a genetic problem with its parents, they have had one like it in every clutch, the parents arent related,
does any one know what it could be ?

[starlingqueen]

Possibly French moult.

[BudgiesBuddy]

That's sad. Looks like FM.

I will ask Barrie to have a look.

[Hezz]

Looks like a severe case of FM to my amateurs view.

[milliej]

ouch poor little thing! I'm no expert but you may find this helpful www.avianweb.com/frenchmolt.html

Or at the risk of 'too much information' syndrome! If you google 'French moult' there's a lot of info out there.

[birdguhl]

Poor little love! The wing feathers almost look spotted. Is this how normal feathers look with this condition or is it a mutation or could it be part of the condition, I wonder.

[skysmum]

This looks more like, Beak and Feather Disease to me . One of the signs is also the mottled large eyed feathers.

[stace]

Oct 17, 2013 22:50:32 GMT skysmum said:

This looks more like, Beak and Feather Disease to me . One of the signs is also the mottled large eyed feathers.

I think you're right. Beak and Feather Disease looks more on the money.

[kikkinu]

i have something similar with one of my buds, and he's getting that on his tummy and back of his neck. And he's been awfully quiet. but there seems to be no real way of treating it.

[Kim]

is there any way of curing french moult or beak and feather disease?

[barrieshutt]

sadly PB&FD
highly contagious , all the cages , nest boxes and contents need too be washed out in a solution of F10SC mixed at 8 ml per 1 litre of water , stop breeding for several weeks

[BudgiesBuddy]

Thank you Barrie

[Kim]

thanks barrie, what should i do with the infected budgie ?

[birdguhl]

Am in no way equivalent to Barrie, but:

To be sure that it is PBFD you would have to do a test. If you search through posts by Captain Howdy you will get info about how to do this. I got it done through my vet.

I have a bird with confirmed beak and feather disease living alongside my three others. He is well otherwise and very happy, and although the others are at risk from developing as they have been exposed to the virus, no problems so far and it is not certain that they will. Presumably you have other birds with this one already? If so, they are in the same position.

An infected bird will shed virus particles continuously and in a domestic environment at least there is no way of eradicating them. If you wanted to remove the infected bird and you have the kind of set up you could clean thoroughly as Barrie suggests you might be able to eradicate it, but I have read that particles can survive for up to 5 years in the environment. (Given that they survive so long it seems likely that any bird that has been in a pet shop is likely to have been exposed to this, and goodness knows what else.)

As I understand it - mostly from www.birds-online.de/gesundheit/gesgefieder/pbfd_en.htm birds with PBFD are at risk of dying from secondary infections and other things as teh virus makes them vulnerable. But they can live happily for a good long time. Some even regrow enough feathers to fly. My little one is very lively and cheerful.

Keep us posted on how things go.

[ffiscool]

re the PBFD, as it can live that long, it presumably could develop anytime?