Nasty lump

[dancinggreenbudgie]

Hi 
This is my budgie Pickle Lily. She is 4 yrs and has this nasty lump between her eye and ear. I last took her to the Avian vet in June, he has now retired unfortunately. Is there anything I can do? At the moment she is happy  but when its imoulting time she scratches like mad. I welcome any suggestions?

 Just H

[starlingqueen]

Did the vet say what it is and what caused it?

[Hezz]

I don't much like the look of that, I am sorry. Especially being so close to her eye. I would have her looked at again if she were my budgie. I have a feeling you are UK based? If so, hopefully you may be able to find an avian vet near you from this list ..........

budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/thread/252/list-avian-vets

[dancinggreenbudgie]

Hi 
Yes i know it's bad . In fact there are seem to be a few smaller lumps around it too. She has also got a lump on  breast ,which is the reason i took her to see Alan Jones (you may know him ) in the first place !
 He said it was fat and told me to put her on a low fat diet. So reduced any millet she was having- which was not alot and introduce canary seed in her everyday food .
 She has probiotics and veggies.
My only thought is that she is happy ,singing and at least the lump is growing outwards(well at least some of it).
 I am in South London.
Thanks
Camille 

[Hezz]

Ah, I did wonder about there being more, smaller, lumps beside the bigger one. Is the lump on her breast similar looking to this?

If these are fatty lumps, and they do look like they could be, try reducing the amount of seed she is eating over all, replacing with sprouted seeds, grasses, more veggies, even pellets, and more exercise too. It can be hard, especially if Pickle Lily is anything like my little tubby hen - stubborn and lazy! Fatty tumours usually are not malignant but the fact that she is fat could well be compromising her health overall, particularly her liver.

[dancinggreenbudgie]

Thanks for that. I will try to reduce the seed. I found her tucking into my sunflower seeds(i was trying to eat these instead of creme eggs?) I suppose these are full of fat!
How do i sprout the seeds and what are pellets and where do i find them?
Actually i wouldn't say she is very lazy she flies around alot of the day and is inquisitive so likes to nose about,?

[Hezz]

I didn't mean Pickle Lily was lazy ......... my own tubby hen is!

Some of the UK forum members will be able to help you more regarding the best place to source pellets - these are a reconstituted food especially made for birds, as opposed to say guinea pig pellets, that is supposed to be low fat but with all the nutrients etc the birds need etc etc. To sprout seed, I simply throw a handful into some potting mix and take it from there, but other members have gotten special kits to do it all properly. Hopefully one or two of them will see this and help you out. birdguhl? skysmum? Anyone else who converted their birds to pellets and are sprouting seed for them??

[birdguhl]

Hi there, dancinggreenbudgie,

Thanks for nudge, Hezz - I have been so busy/zonked (unconscious on sofa) these days I am not keeping up with forum business!

Sorry to hear of Pickle Lily's lumps, but sounds as if she is a happy bud all the same.

One of my budgies (Woody) has/has had fatty liver disease so I am very careful about their diet.

Re sprouted seed, the only seed mine get (apart from occasional millet treat) is germinated/sprouted seed - approx 1/2 teaspoon per bird per day. I have been using JR Farm germinating seed but Zooplus have stopped stocking it, so I have identified this as an another possible source:

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GERMINATION-SEED-950G-COUNTRYWIDE-SOAK-SEED-GERMINATING-FOR-CANARIES-ALL-BIRDS/170803620323?rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D286%26meid%3D4834383969370277690%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D1048%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D181006027705%26

(Although I am thinking of making up my own mix with certified organic as I know I can get organic mung, millet, buckwheat, amarinth, groats and wheat which is what the JR Farm mix is mainly made up of. The ebay one is much more diverse.)

Read about benefits of sprouting seed here: www.landofvos.com/articles/sprouts.html

Although it may sound a faff, I find it very easy and I like having this process as part of my daily routine - I just do it in plastic sieves over ramikin dishes. I use apple cider vinegar to control bacteria and fungi. I soak the seeds overnight, rinse and use ACV in clean water for a few minutes in teh morning. Then rinse a few times over the next 24 hours, then serve to buds. They love them.

Re pellets, I use Harrisons High Potency Super Fine, which you can by from Northern Parrots, Scarletts Parrot Essentials and other places. They were recommended by my vet when Woody got his diagnosis. They now all eat them happily, although conversion took a few weeks. It was easier though as I was already feeding the germinated seeds and I simply ground up the pellets and coated the damp seeds with them so they couldn't avoid the taste. I gradually ground them less and less and within 4 weeks all were eating whole dry pellets. It will take long for some birds though.

See this link for more info about Harrisons pellets: www.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/education/harrisons-videos/

There are a variety of views about pellets in forum members, but I am convinced the pellets are really good for them as the ingredients are organic and undergo minimal processing. I have a bird with Beak & Feather Disease who is very vulnerable and he has been doing great, as have my older rehomed birds.

Hope this helps - do come back with any questions.

[Hezz]

Thanks birdguhl.