AboutLeah Expertise I can answer questions relating to feeding, setting up cages, behavior, sexing, and many other subjects. I don't have much experience with breeding, but I can try to help.
Experience I've raised budgies for over ten years, and have hand raised several of them.
Expert: Leah Date: 7/21/2008 Subject: Budgies losing feather near beak
Question QUESTION: Hi
I have notice that my budgie is losing feather near the top of his beak. Could this mean he is not well.
ANSWER: It could be a sign of illness, or it could be a skin condition or mites. Has he been rubbing at the area using perches or anything? Is he losing feathers anywhere else?
Let me know a bit more, and I'll try to help clear things up for you!
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: No. He is not losing feather any where else but I have seen him rub his head on his perches once.
Answer It sounds to me like he may have either mites or lice. Try putting a sheet (white works best) over the cage tonight. In the morning, check for specks. Mite usually show up as red little specks.
Mites and lice are really easy to get rid of, though very annoying to the poor bird. You can get a powder from an avian vet, which works very well and isn't too expensive (well, in today's economy, nothing is too cheap). I wouldn't recommend over the counter remedies; they're notoriously unreliable, and can cause health problems, even liver cancer and leukemia in some cases!
