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Birds--General/my parakeets nose is swelling up

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Expert: - 12/10/2006


Question
Hi Chrys! See the thing is I'm worried about my budgie.I don't know how or why it happened but his nose sorta swelled up. It looks really bad and I don't know what to do. My other budgie, Baby, it's nose is just fine and is flat. Dude's looks all bubblely and dry. It basically looks like a person's lip when it's all chapped. I don't know what to do. Also I was wondering if their were any signs on how to tell if a budgie is a boy or girl. Some say it depends on the color of their nose but I'm not sure. Dude's nose is like brownish type of color and Baby's is like a bluish purplish light type of color. Thanks for your help!

Answer
Hi, Melissa.  Thanks for posting!

Sounds to me from your description that you have a female (Dude).  A female's cere (area above the beak) is brown/white/tan/beige.  When she's in breeding condition (doesn't mean you should breed her though), her cere will turn dark brown, crusty, and flaky.  I think this is what you're seeing in Dude.  Baby sounds like a male...how old is Baby?  

Chrys  

Birds--General

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Chrys Meatyard

Expertise

I`ve been raising/breeding/handfeeding/selling parrots for over 20 years (parakeets/budgies, cockatiels, 6 subspecies of conures, parrotlets, amazons, lovebirds, etc.). I've been published in "Budgies" and "Cockatiels" offered by Bow Tie Productions, and have written avian articles for publication in England. I can provide advice in raising healthy birds, handfeeding/weaning babies, some health problems (although I'm NOT an avian veterinarian), nail/beak/wing clipping, general husbandry, etc. I also have experience with racing/showing homing pigeons. I cannot diagnose specific illness over this website. If you suspect your bird is ill or if you have an emergency, contact an avian veterinarian or emergency pet clinic ASAP.

Experience

Experience: Over 20 years raising parrots and over 13 years raising pigeons. Organizations: Currently, American Racing Pigeon Union and American Federation of Aviculture. Prior member Miami Valley Bird Club, Southern Ohio Pigeon Association, National Cockatiel Society, Miami Valley Sportsman's Club, others. Publications: Monthly newsletters of bird clubs.

Publications
I've been published in "Budgies" and "Cockatiels" offered by Bow Tie Productions, and have written avian articles for publication in England.

Education/Credentials
American Federation of Aviculture, completed Level I course, Fundamentals of Aviculture. Keeping/breeding parrots and other birds for over 20 years.

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