My budgie has discolored feathers near his ear, but acts normal. What to do?

Without a photo it would be hard to say what is going on, but if the ear is visible, has discharge or looks like it's seeping, or Sparky is plucking feathers from it, I would bring him to your vet ASAP. They can check for infections that may need cleaning and antibiotics or other medications to treat. Until you can get to your vet, keeping the area clean and dry, keeping Sparky or any other birds from picking at it, and keeping him in a warm hospital cage with access to food and water may help.

You are correct in that the images appear to show an apparently healthy budgie. An exam with your veterinarian or an experienced avian veterinarian would be recommended to diagnose any illness or injury. At the very least, Penny will get a clean bill of health. Clean and sanitize the cage, bowls, perches and toys. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Use paper towels on the cage bottom and change them daily. Offer a commercial pelleted diet supplemented with a small amount of a fortified seed mix and fresh greens and vegetables. Cooked foods, such as rice, beans and plain pastas, can also be offered in small amounts.

Hi there, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Snowy may have an eye infection or allergies affecting her eye. The discoloration around the eye is probably from the excessive tearing. Since you are unable to take him to the vet try flushing the eye with a sterile saline solution and using a humidifier in the room to help in case it is allergies. Best of luck. Let us know if you have any further questions.

It could be that the feathers just got bent as they were growing in, however if you are noticing other changes, or are concerned about Coqui's overall health, it is always best to schedule a veterinary exam. They can perform routine bloodwork to check for any nutritional issues and illnesses such as PBFB if you are concerned, or even check for more common problems such as parasites or skin infections, and at least give you some peace of mind regarding it. If he checks out healthy, it could just be a prolonged molt or result of simply being him. Continuing to provide a balanced diet (it seems like you already are), providing plenty of enriching toys to prevent boredom plucking.

Hi, and thanks for your question. Although a picture of it would help to determine the underlying cause more specifically, that is likely to be due to a mild to moderate conjunctivitis, probably secondary to an infection. A check up would be needed as appropriate treatment would include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory eye drops. Corneal injuries must be ruled out as well. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Thanks for your question about The Little, and thank you for the photos - they are very helpful! The fraying at the edges of the feathers can be due to him overgrooming, but it may also be due to the feathers being on the body too long (basically a molting interval that is too long). When that happens, the feather can lose some of its strength and can be damaged more easily. These conditions are often a result of stress or nutrition. In budgies, the most common nutritional deficiency that results in this is a lack of vitamin A, which is typically found with seed diets. Ideally, budgies would eat a combination of at least 50% pellets, and the remaining 50% can be made of produce and a small amount of seeds. Vitamin A deficiency can also result in the skin being dry and flaky, and it can also look irritated or red. This may be contributing to the changes that you are seeing on the face and feet as well. Alternatively, there are some parasites that affect feathers and skin, however if this is the case you have caught it early. I would recommend considering a diet change if applicable, and a wellness evaluation for The Little with your veterinarian to get a thorough physical examination performed. I hope that gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thanks for reaching out about Budgie and including photos. This could be a feather cyst, other inflammation or infection. A veterinary visit should be scheduled to assess. Monitor Budgie for any indication of discomfort or pain, monitor appetite. Try applying a warm compress to see if can shrink mass. Good luck.