My parakeet has ruffled feathers and a crusty beak. Is she ill?

Thanks for your question, and thank you for the photo! When we see crusting around the nostrils and on the cere, it can be due to excess keratin/hyperkeratosis, or it may be actual material on the skin itself. If it is excess keratin, often suboptimal nutrition is the culprit. The most common nutrient that is involved in this is a deficiency in vitamin A. If it is material on the skin itself, this is often related to an infectious process, sort of like a runny nose with a cold. Due to this, I would recommend having Kiwi evaluated by a veterinarian. They can perform a physical examination and see if there are any other signs of vitamin deficiencies, and to see if there are any signs consistent with infection. Depending on the findings, they will recommend diagnostic testing and/or treatments that you can elect to pursue. Diets that are mainly seeds are often the culprit for a lack of vitamin A, and by adding pellets or vegetables into the diet this can be addressed. I hope that this gives you a place to start, and I hope that Kiwi feels better soon!

I would separate the birds for a few days with the heat lamp just so your healthier bird doesn't overpreen or stress out your other bird further. It is also a good idea to seek veterinary care in person ASAP to make sure she doesn't have any lasting injuries from the fly paper, stress, or anything used on her feathers, especially since she is showing so many general signs of illness.

Poor little guy! He very possibly has scaly mites. Ideally he should be seen by an avian veterinarian, but there is an over-the-counter product called Avimec that is a drop-on remedy for scaly mites. These mites only live on the body, so you don't have to treat the cage as well, but it would be a good idea to take it apart anyway and give it a good deep cleaning just to be safe. Plenty of soap and hot water and thorough rinsing will work. Good luck with him.

Angel is beautiful, thankfully his cere looks a nice healthy colour. It is not uncommon for the beak to flake a little depending what part of the keratin cycle he is in . As for the crusts, these are most commonly due to a little mite that borrows under the skin. Known as scaly beak, it is caused by knemedicoptes mites. To treat it you need an ivermectin based drop, many vets stock a product called xeno which you apply to the skin. I would weigh him to ensure appropriate dosing. If you are concerned he seems dull or symptoms are worsening you should take him to an avian vet.

By your description, there may be some respiratory issues developing. A respiratory infection is quite serious in birds. Ideally, Cricket should be physically examined by your veterinarian or an experienced avian vet for diagnosis and treatment. In the meantime, keep him warm and as stress free as possible until he sees the doctor.

I'm sorry Lyla isn't feeling well. Lethargy and puffed feathers are very nonspecific signs of illness in birds. But it clumsy be serious as birds don't show signs of illness easily. They try to hide thier illnesses as long as possible. It may be ideal to separate her from the other bird and give her a cage in a warm, quiet, draft free environment. Try to encourage her eating cooked eggs are a high nutrient food that may tempt her. But she probably needs a veterinarian as soon as possible to evaluate what is wrong. It could be anything from a viral infectio, fungal or bacterial cancer or any other illness. Good luck to Lyla.

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.