Boris doesn't sound too well ....

[rose]

My friend's budgie Boris is having problems. She's just written to me:

"Poor Boris has not been a happy boy - he doesn't show any obvious signs of moulting. He has had poor flight for about 2 weeks now, with crash landings and for the last few days he has been lethargic, ruffled and sitting a lot with his toys on the bottom of his cage.
We took him to the vets this evening, who said he looks in good condition, but that he may have mites ( which we suspected). We have read up that the spot on treatment for mites can prove fatal for the bird, so we do not wish to go down that road yet! The vet is looking into alternative treatments for him - we just wonder if you or your friends may have any suggestions, which will be gratefully received!"

I don't like the sound of those crash landings ...

Does anyone have any suggestions or advice I could pass on?

All help gratefully received!

[ffiscool]

I am not sure of any connection with mites and Boris' issues. But I used ivermectin. It's easy to apply and the spot on liquid, it's one drop each week, for 3 weeks. Am sure it's only a problem if wrong dose used

[rose]

Many thanks, ffiscool - I'll pass the information on! I'd never heard of 'crash landings' being connected with mites myself, but I'm no expert on these things ...

[stace]

Ivermectin at the right concentration made for small birds is safe. It's 0.1% ( that's zero point one, NOT one point zero!) You just use one drop on the parted feathers on the back of the neck, once a week for 3 weeks.

[Hezz]

I can't see that mites and crash landings have any place together, either. Unless he is soooooo very badly infested with mites, and this would have to be pretty damn obvious even to an unobservant vet, to the extent that they were bleeding him to the point of anaemia - lack of enough red blood cells to carry around the necessary oxygen and other goodies to the rest of the body. I have to say this would be extreme. Unfortunately I don't have any good suggestions to pass on, Rose, except to maybe get their little bird to an avian vet for a proper going over, possibly including X-rays.

[rose]

Nov 21, 2013 23:03:09 GMT stace said:

Ivermectin at the right concentration made for small birds is safe. It's 0.1% ( that's zero point one, NOT one point zero!) You just use one drop on the parted feathers on the back of the neck, once a week for 3 weeks.

Thanks Stace!

[rose]

Nov 22, 2013 7:41:44 GMT Hezz said:

I can't see that mites and crash landings have any place together, either. Unless he is soooooo very badly infested with mites, and this would have to be pretty damn obvious even to an unobservant vet, to the extent that they were bleeding him to the point of anaemia - lack of enough red blood cells to carry around the necessary oxygen and other goodies to the rest of the body. I have to say this would be extreme. Unfortunately I don't have any good suggestions to pass on, Rose, except to maybe get their little bird to an avian vet for a proper going over, possibly including X-rays.

Thanks for that, Hezz - certainly confirms my thinking. I don't think she can probably afford an avian vet (and the nearest one is probably quite some way away) but I'm certainly going to suggest it, poor little Boris.

[Hezz]

Yes, poor little Boris. To go downhill so quickly ......