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Constipated and moulting budgie
http://australianpoultryforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=75&t=12013		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Petite Poulet [ Mon Jul 04, 2011 6:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Constipated and moulting budgie
This is William Henry Gates, commonly known as Bill, affectionately known as Boof.

He was rescused from an overcrowded cage from an irresponsible breeder. His vent was very dirty, and I knew that I should not have bought him, but I couldn't leave him there in the filth. Bill is four years old and immitates canaries, chickens, roosters ducks, parrots,crows and cockatiels. Bill has always suffered from constipation, and is now is having trouble passing big poop balls and is also recently constantly moulting. He is not balding or feather picking but seems depressed.

Bill has fresh water daily, Thrill budgie seed, millet, a calicum/vitamin perch, iodine block, cuttlefish, fine shell grit and seed treat block. He likes to eat silverbeet, baby spinach and seeded rye grass. He is wormed and sprayed for mites regularly and also his cage is cleaned weekly, there are natural perches and toys in there. He flies daily and socialises with the cockatiel hen who lives separately. His cage is North facing and he gets the sun in winter.

Can someone anyone please offer advice in regards to the constipation and moulting.

Thank you
Petite Poulet
Author:  Sebducks [ Mon Jul 04, 2011 7:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Constipated and moulting budgie
Hi there, how long have you had him? Moulting is normal at different times of year and isn't a problem unless there are bare picked patches that look red or sore. If he has gone from company (whether good or bad) to no company this can and does cause them to pick at themselves, even though you are offering him the full monty regarding to human contact and birdy treats. there really is no substitute for a bird friend for a bird from an avairy situation.

You can try a small drop of olive oil in his beak and another massaged around his vent to help combat the constipation, you could also try switching from silver beet to a bit of lettuce which commonly causes runny poo instead of constipation so I would suggest monitoring it quite closely to make sure you don't end up going the other way too. Make sure he's not nibbling other things around the house that could cause the constipation such as paper or bread.
Author:  Petite Poulet [ Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Constipated and moulting budgie
Thank you, Sebducks,

We have had Bill for 4 years now, he was a teenage bird and the cockatiel 2 months before him. I had hand raised my previous Danish Pied budgie from a chick and she was very clever and opened her cage door and flew onto the neighbour's property. I was hoping they would find her, and return her, but one of their cats brought her lifeless body and left it on our door step. I rescued my cockatiel Georgie from another irresponsible breeder, she was the runt of the clutch sitting at the bottom of the cage and being pecked by the others. The breeder said that she was younger and from a different clutch that is why she was smaller. Being my first cockatiel I had no experience and felt sorry for her. When we brought her home she fell of her perch and we noticed she had extra toes, I just couldn't return her. She lives in a modified cage as she has problems perching. She and Bill get along well together when out, but live separately as Bill is a bit aggressive towards the cockatiel as she is a bit too friendly.

Bill seems to have been moulting non stop since I got my chooks six months ago. The chooks like to sit outside the back door and my rooster crows at them. Is he stressed and jealous with them being there? Birds are very sensitive and intelligent.

I will try the olive oil and lettuce. I don't think he is eating any paper or bread, just the cockatiel's seed and treats, we don't even feed the chooks bread.

[smilie=thanks.gif]
Petite Poulet
Author:  Sebducks [ Tue Jul 05, 2011 10:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Constipated and moulting budgie
Hi, the reason I said paper is if he's out he might be sneaking the odd nibble of a note book or catalogue, just a thought. I wonder if a moulting tonic might work for him? Or you could try putting a curtain over the back door for a few months to see if he stops this behaviour, if he does then I guess you can contribute it to the chooks, cheeky budgie!
Author:  Petite Poulet [ Tue Jul 05, 2011 10:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Constipated and moulting budgie
Thanks again, Sebducks,

I will try the moulting tonic. Bill is such a pretty budgie I would hate him to go bald! I gave him the olive oil this morning as he was in discomfort and I had to dodge a large flying poop ball.

[smilie=thanks.gif]
Petite Poulet
Author:  Stockman [ Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Constipated and moulting budgie
I had budgies many years ago even some show types and the club recommended some cod oil on their seed in winter to stop eggs binding and constipation its was only a few drops in their seed bowl twice a week
Author:  Petite Poulet [ Sun Jul 10, 2011 6:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Constipated and moulting budgie
Thank you, Stockman.

I will try the Cod Liver Oil too!
Author:  parvo [ Mon Jul 11, 2011 12:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Constipated and moulting budgie
Constant moulting is common in birds that have other underlying illnesses or suffer malnutrition and is particularly common in budgies.
They usually just seem to be covered in pin feathers especially around the head but don't actually go bald.
The moulting aid may well help provide trace minerals and amino acids needed for good feather growth. Some regular direct sunlight may also help.

The constipation issue may be due to excessive feathers around the vent which is not uncommon in show budgies. Try plucking the feathers out. If this doesn't help then the problem may well be internal- something displacing the cloaca or last part of the bowel making it difficult for him to pass his droppings normally.

In my experience this again is quite common in budgies, particularly show budgies. Unfortunately, they are not exactly bred with longevity in mind!! The oils etc won't really help in these cases but there's no harm in trying.

Keep feeding the varied diet, try the moulting aid & Good luck!
Author:  Petite Poulet [ Mon Jul 11, 2011 5:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Constipated and moulting budgie
Thank you, Parvo.

Do you think that Bill is a "show" budgie? He has a lovely big boofy head.

The cockatiel and budgie's cages both are North facing, and have full length windows, so they get the winter's sun, not that we get very much of that in these parts during the winter. The constipation has always been a problem as he expels giant poop balls and are always dislodged in the morning. Bill's moulting has only been an issue since last summer and he has been finding more difficult to move these.

I did the olive oil and he didn't touch the lettuce, I guess then that it is old age :(

Thank you kindly
Petite Poulet
Author:  parvo [ Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Constipated and moulting budgie
All the budgies you see with "boof" heads are from show-budgie stock. The wild type birds have very small heads.
Even though your birds are kept facing north, the window will filter out the UV light which they need to manufacture vitamin D3.
Therefore, it would be helpful if you could give them some direct, unfiltered sunlight if you can, even if it is only for 30 minutes twice a week.
You can of course also feed a vitamin supplement which contains vitamin D3. There are lots of those on the market.
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