dmusican@acadia.prime.com (Diane S. Musicant) (11/17/89)
I have two budgies (age ?), sex (both female?) which I purchased about three months ago. About a month ago, they began moulting. This included some of the tail and wing feathers which I assume is normal. About a week ago, I noticed that one of them had lost so many, that she cannot fly. The right wing is noticeably shorter than the left (it looks as if it has been clipped) and what used to be a 2-3 inch tail is now a 1 inch stub. I cannot imagine that this is a normal condition of moulting, but I am no expert. She looks healthy (clear eyes, droppings look ok) and acts perfectly normal other than not being able to fly. I give them daily vitamins in their food and water.The cage is away from cold drafts, but is near the heater vent (forced hot air). The house is usually kept at about 62 degrees F at night (With the cage usually covered). As far as I can tell, the two birds do not fight, but if they do, the other one (healthy one) is definitely the dominant one and would win. Does this ring a bell to any of you long time bird owners? What can I do, what did I do wrong, etc. Thanks in advance, Diane Musicant
ooblick@intercon.com (Mikki Barry) (11/20/89)
In article <200@cvbnet.Prime.COM> dmusican@acadia.prime.com (Diane S. Musicant) writes: >About a week ago, I noticed that one of them had lost so many, that >she cannot fly. The right wing is noticeably shorter than the left >(it looks as if it has been clipped) and what used to be a 2-3 inch >tail is now a 1 inch stub. I cannot imagine that this is a normal You're right! This is NOT normal. Your budgie may be experiencing what is called "french molt". It's caused by an infection. It's nothing you might have "done". Or, the other bird may be chewing. Are they of opposite sexes? If so, the dominant bird may be exibiting breeding behavior which sometimes includes plucking the mate. They sometimes even do this when both birds are of the same sex. A third possibility is that the bird is chewing or plucking its own feathers. This can be purely psychological, a parasite, or nutritional. The only way to really be sure is to take both birds to an avian vet for a trichrome fecal analysis and a culture and sensitivity test. Be prepared for an expense of $50-$100 depending on the vet. If you don't want to spend this much, try separating the birds for awhile and adding petamine or vionate to the food and nekton vitamins to the water. While the bird's feathers are trying to grow back in, you'll have to be sure to keep the temperature warm enough without drafts because the bird won't be able to regulate its temperature properly without enough feathers. Mikki Barry