My parakeet has a growing blister on its beak. What should I do?

Some crusting can happen when a bird is ready to mate, but that looks a bit more than that -- It is possible your bird has a respiratory issue going on, a fungal infection taking hold in the nostrils, or another type of infection/illness. It would be best to bring him to a vet to have the area flushed out and treatment started for any underlying infection. Separating him to a hospital cage that is kept warm and with easy access to food and water may also help to prevent the spread of any illness and to keep Ocean comfortable if your other parakeet is picking on him until you can be seen by your vet. You can also use a warm washcloth to try and remove any debris to make him more comfortable.

Hi Alexa, From the picture, I suspect Kuka has a ruptured air sac (lung) and air is leaking under the skin. In some cases, they can resolve but Kuka may need to have the air removed with a needle. At this time, as long as she is eating, drinking, and breathing well, try not to worry. If you notice the bulge growing larger, Kuka develops respiratory distress or stops eating please reach out to us and we will do our best to help. Otherwise, I would plan to get her to a veterinarian Monday.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It's difficult to say what this can be without seeing a photo. However, this sounds like it may be a distended crop, the portion of the esophagus that pouches out and stores food. Sometimes, in the case of certain infections, this area can not empty properly. This causes food to get stuck and cause the crop to get larger and even protrude through the skin. This requires veterinary attention as it can prevent normal digestion from occurring. This can also be a mass or abscess, which may require surgery to remove or drain as well as antibiotics, which are prescribed by a veterinarian. I recommend that you have Petey assessed by a vet who either specializes in or sees avian patients as soon as possible. I hope this helps!

It's hard to tell from the photo, but it could be a spot with new feathers coming in. If the area begins to bleed, worsens, swells or a cyst/blister forms in place of a feather, or it is bothersome to Kiwi, having a vet take a look in person is best. Otherwise, just keeping an eye on the spot for now if Kiwi is otherwise doing well and healthy is best.

Unfortunately from your photos I can't tell very clearly what is going on with the beak. If the beaks are overgrowing or impeding the chicks' ability to eat or drink, then I would have a vet take a look and trim the beaks down so that they can grow back into a more normal shape. If there is a growth, swelling, or discharge, it could indicate an issue such as an infection or underlying problem which should be treated by a vet. If the babies are otherwise healthy, eating, growing and there is no discharge, etc, then just keeping an eye on the beaks may be fine, but if they continue to grow oddly or become problemsome to your birds, having a vet look is always best.

Thanks for reaching out about Charlie. Oral growths are not uncommon in budgies, and are usually inflammatory. Removal through a mild surgical procedure is recommended. If left alone, these lesions can become infected or be bitten and bleed profusely. A veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

You can monitor Cloud for additional symptoms (lethargy, loss of appetite, bleeding, etc) or you can have him examined by your veterinarian or an experienced avian vet. If you can post an image with a new question, we may be able to provide more specific advice.