Expert: Kyle Lohr - 2/18/2010

Question
I was given a parakeet a few mos ago and I from time to time I have noticed a yellow discharge coming from one of its nostrils. He sometimes spreads the yellow into the feathers on top of his head. I used a warm cloth and wiped it out of his feathers and it was gone for a few weeks. Now the discharge is back again. He has no other symptoms.  He eats, chirps, grooms, and seems fine other than this discharge.  He eats seeds only.  Could it be his diet? One time when he had the yellow, I gave him a bath. He seemed ok with it.  There are no aviary vets in the area.  Petsmart sells ornacycline and ornacyn plus to treat illnesses but I don't know if he's sick since he acts fine, just looks a little bad on the top of his head.  Please help!  Thanks.

Answer
If he is acting happy and otherwise healthy, there is probably nothing wrong. Look for moments when hes fluffed is feathers and looks out of it. Look for eye discharge as well. I would definitely improve his diet. Start putting some veggies in the cage with him as well as the seeds. Put some millet in also. Try broccoli first, my keets LOVE broccoli.

Hope I Helped and if the yellow discharge gets ANY worse, take him to an avian vet asap. By adopting him you promised him the same good life you yourself have, and by not taking him to a vet, is denying him that equality.