Ailments / Conditions /megabacteria.
Some common ailments and conditions that affect budgerigars………………
………………and some suggestions about how to treat them
Disclaimer
PLEASE TAKE NOTE;
Although I have the experience of many decades of breeding budgerigars, and during the course of that time I have successfully helped birds that have lost condition or become afflicted or unwell,
I AM NOT A VETERINARIAN
AND I HAVE NEVER EXAMINED YOUR BIRDS
and you should be aware that any recommendations offered are not intended to take the place or supersede the advice of dedicated avian veterinary professionals.
If you choose to use any suggestions and recommendations I offer, and your bird does not respond or becomes sicker, you MUST seek the advice of a veterinarian.
Your birds are YOUR responsibility.
I will be including information provided by Australian company, “Vetafarm”
All references to “Vetafarm” and Vetafarm products are made with the prior knowledge and consent of Vetafarm.
In a survey of the causes of mortality and morbidity in exhibition budgerigars 1,525 budgies had a post mortem examination,the findings were Megabacteria was the most common disease followed by Trichomoniasis,Enteritis,Pneumonia,Hepatitis and a degenerative disease of the gizzard lining was also common.
Do you know a budgerigar sleeps on one leg,sleeping on two legs with a head under the wing is the first sign something is wrong.
My hospital cage
.
SIMPLE DIARRHOEA - in an otherwise healthy bird can often be cured by keeping the bird warm for a week. Failing this, replace the water with weak tea, which sometimes helps. Place two tea bags in an 8oz. cup of boiling water, let steep for 3 minutes, pour off the first brew, fill the cup again with boiling water, let steep 5 minutes, take out tea bag and let cool. Diarrhoea may be caused by contaminated water in summer, microbes multiply very fast and at the same tine the intestinal tract becomes less resistant to their damage. Fresh water daily in clean vessels is better than sterilizing them by adding chemicals.
One of my babies showing those bright round alert healthy eyes,a sick birds eyes would be oval shaped and often slightly closed
Feeding during treatment for Megabacteria.
The diet for budgies if they are suffering from massive mould (yeast) disease and fungal diseases.
1) Fungal infection (Candida albicans, Candida glabrata and Candida crusei)
2) Megabacteria and its result Going Light Syndrome
The fundamental problem during these diseases (infections) (MB and Candida) is SUGAR. These yeasts are settled in a bird digestive tract and SUGAR is decisive for yeast’s life. It means if a bird eats sugar then this bird is feeding yeasts as well and the yeasts are prospering then very well.
What is the result of this finding? Yes, the birds are not allowed to eat any sort of sugar in any form during these diseases. It is true that the yeasts are not able to handle so called milk sugar (lactose) but unfortunately this sugar cannot be handles by budgies as well.
We know three sorts of sugar: Fruit sugar - Fructose,Grape sugar - Dextrose,Milk sugar - Lactose.
Normally our budgies can eat Fructose and Dextrose. But now if they are ill these sugars are not allowed to be eaten by them.
Therefore we mustn’t serve:Various sticks and crackers (there is honey very often), Mixtures with dextrose ,Bakery products ,Biscuits ,children mush ,Vitamins with sugars or Honey Fruit (fructose)
Vegetable is allowed!
Remember: There is a latent sugar in a lot of seed mixtures – it means that some of mixtures contain sugars. It is difficult to determinate which mixture contains sugar. Therefore consult this problem with producer, avian vet or skilled breeders in your vicinity.
What to serve if our budgie is ill?
Serve only light digestible food because the ill bird suffer from digestive problems as well if they are suffering from Megabacteria, Candida and yeasts or mould generally.
Highly recommended food is half ripe millet but ............ it is very difficult to get half ripe millet (especially in the winter time).
If the bird does not want to accept the normal seed mixture it is very good idea to crush seed mixture with a wooden rolling pin (put the seeds to a bag and crush them with a rolling pin).Unfortunately even this food is not accepted by the ill bird. Therefore there is a sense to serve sprouted seeds in such cases. Here we have to keep a watch of hygiene extremely (mould). We mustn’t serve sprouted seeds for the longer time then four to six hours. Then it is necessary to remove sprouted seeds and serve a fresh food again.
Serving of the thyme food proved good very much. The thyme tea is excellent as a disinfectant. Unfortunately we have the same problem – this tea is not often accepted by ill birds. But we can outwit our budgies – cook the tea and let the thyme grains swell. Then serve these grains and they will be accepted then. Certainly you can use a syringe and apply the thyme tea directly to the beak.
We have another opportunity – cooked food – cook a seed mixture (without any sugar!!!!). We let a seed mixture to soften in the water and then we are boiling it for a few minutes. Pour off water and let the seed mixture to cool down. Certainly it is possible and recommended to combine this boiled seed mixture with the thyme tea.
If the bird is suffering from flatulence (in the crop and stomach tract) as well then use fennel tea – boil the fennel tea according to the instruction on the casing.
You can buy Thyme and Fennel at the chemist’s. Certainly it is possible and recommended to cook the thyme tea and fennel tea from the fresh herbs directly as well (if you have them at your disposal).
Apple vinegar - as an addition to the water
You can use an apple vinegar addition to the water in the bird’s drinker. Apply this water mixture for three to four weeks – as an optional medical care. Certainly you can ask ....what about dilution proportion? Yes, we can dilute drinking water to apple vinegar in proportion 100 : 4 it means 100ml of water and 4ml of apple vinegar. The reason – PH value is more acid (higher) and this potion farther makes difficult of spreading of bacteria (yeasts) in mucous membrane.
Sugar in a food and sugar in the drinking water.
The various seed mixtures and various additions to the drinking water (various boosters etc.) are absolutely inconvenient for ill budgie nourishment because they contain sugars as I have mentioned before. Therefore use only sugar free alternatives - omit anything what contains sugars (honey additives – crackers, sticks for example).
Remark:
Be careful for homeopathic preparations – some of them (drops) contain sugar or alcohol (fungi transforms alcohol in sugars).
Tincture – does not contain sugar. It is possible to use tinctures as an addition to the drinking water for one or two week period. Dilution: 1: 100.
For effective treatment of Fungal infection and Megabacteria visit an avian vet. The description above has supporting effect only.
Many thanks to my friend Ales for the Megabacteria article.
Degeneration of the cere.
Sometimes we get a deformity of the cere which looks like scaley face and in most cases this is seen in the hens.The cere is the only visual sign of the budgies sex and tied in with the hormones and sex mechanism.If this goes wrong the cere often degenerates into a warped,swollen greyish mess that can look horrid.We can do nothing for this condition,it will not harm the bird so we have no need to worry.
My hospital/propagator cage.
Cellulose.
Budgerigars are great chewers of soft wood and bark especially the hens in breeding condition and this is because the wood fibres are rich in celluluose.If you cannot get Eucalyptus try willow they will love a regular supply and our avairy frames will last longer.
Crop impactation.
The swab is done with *Betadine dilution 1:50 to 1:100 with water to be able to unblock possible crop blockage. I did not know this method but I have to say it works very well. (a little drastic but effective!!!!). It works in this way - the bird is impelled to vomit really very strongly for about half an hour and removes everything from its crop.Then he repeated this treatment once more the next day.
I discussed Iodine Tincture 0,5% with him because of *Thyroid problems (and iodine deficiency)* and its treatment. We agreed that *preventive treatment is one drop of Iodine Tincture 0,5% to a bird drinker once a week* is sufficient
Antibiotics.
Haphazard doctoring by the breeder with Pencillin, Terramycin, Aureomyacin or other antibiotics is harmful. Certain concentration of these agents have to be kept up in the blood stream for a certain length of time. Antibiotics may injure the action of beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract causing ill health.
Overheating.
Excessive heat can produce a budgie with symptoms of open mouthed panting and the wings help well away from it's body as it attempts to cool down.The birds must have shelter from the sun,not sat in front of the living room window,in an avairy without any shade or enclosed in a vehicle with any air circulating.
If your budgerigar is suffering from over heating bathe the birds feet in cold water and mist the feathers until wet.
Moults & Feathers.
Polyoma Virus / French Moult - view this link - http://www.officialbarrieshuttbudgerigars.com/avianpolyomavirus.htm 
Cinnamon Grey green with french moult
I have only had three outbreaks of french moult in all my years of breeding budgerigars and if i did breed a bird of quality i would be tempted to use it in my breeding programme.I believe the clean conditions i keep my birds in helps reduce the chance of french moult occuring. All my nest boxes are soaked in Vanodine or Virkon s at least twice a year,any affected birds would be bathed in the same broad spectrum diinfected,all feed utensils are soaked in Milton and then rinsed,this is done every week.
Polyoma virus in budgies manifests itself as "budgie fledgeling disease." This does not affect the adults but kills the newborns. In a polyoma affected aviary about 20% of infants will be lost. Carriers do not shed the virus at all times so testing is difficult. Probably most budgies do carry it and probably most are immune to the effects due to exposure. However, it will manifest itself in situations of poor nutrition, overbreeding and bad sanitation. Also mixing a large number of budges together that come from different sources seems to activate the virus. Many beginners and novices go all around buying birds and then find themselves with a problem when they start breeding. The most common expression of polyomavirus in budgies is French Moult. This is a disease that affects the feather growth of the chicks. Some recover and are perfectly normal and do not produce French Moult. Others never recover. I do not think that budgies affect other birds with it. I have never heard of it. I think the virus must become species specific. Almost all budgie breeders encounter French moult at some time.
Bleeding.
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I tend to advise using flour/ cornflour in an emergency to stop bleeding. Damaged blood feathers are best pulled out if flour doesn't stop them bleeding but best to see a vet within 24hrs as it is a common trigger for feather-plucking. They usually need a painkiller. Obviously, blood feathers shouldn't be pulled out willy-nilly as this can damage re-growth.
I lost a super cinnamon light green cock this year who was suffering from a mild enterities,i gave him plenty of care and heat but neglected to check his intake of water,he became dehydrated and went blind.
Egg binding occurs when a hen who is forming an egg in her uterus does not have enough calcium to finish forming the egg shell.The shell does not become hard enough to push out,which causes the hen extreme stress and risk.
To prevent egg binding it is very important to have a cuttlebone and mineral block available in the breeding cage.It is important to regulary check if the cuttlefish bone and mineral block have been used up,if so they need to be replaced immediately.Always have oyster shell grit available,this is also a good calcium source and if necessary you may need to supply a calcium supplement like calcivite.This problem seems to be the result of breeding with young or obese hens,do not breed with fat hens and take care when using hens below twelve months old
Insect control - view this link-http://www.officialbarrieshuttbudgerigars.com/mites.htm
A treatment for undesirable insects
Scaly Face.
Scaly face is an unsightly condition which affects mainly budgerigars ,it can cause permanent malformation of the beak if not treated immediately after being recognised.The condition is caused by mites that burrow into the birds cere,feet and legs and although highly infectious it is easy to get rid off.The scaly incrustation when it appears can be cured in 7/10 days.I believe the best treatment is IVERMECTIN 0.1% applied to the skin on the back of the neck,painless yet so affective.Scaly face is very irritaiting and due to the birds scratching the feet and legs will also be infected.Do wash and disinfect the cage , perches and feed containers.The mites can be passed onto other birds in the same cage/Aviary who spend a lot of time feeding each other beak to beak and wiping their beaks on communal perches.
TRIPLE C (FOR ORNAMENTAL BIRDS AND FISH)
Water Soluble Antibiotic for fish and ornamental birds. Suitable for first line treatment of a range of disease in fish and birds. Chlortetracycline is an antibiotic that is effective against organisms commonly causing diarrhoea and respiratory diseases.
Megabacteria - view this link - http://www.officialbarrieshuttbudgerigars.com/megabacteria.htm
I have just purchased Megabac s from vetafarm as a addition to my first aid box.
Metal poisoning in birds - view this link -http://www.officialbarrieshuttbudgerigars.com/heavymetalpoisoning.htm
In forty eight years of breeding i have never had a bird diagnosed with metal poisoning i have been near deafened though with my sons heavy metal music .
How can so few birds in my birdroom discard so many feathers and why do i leave a trail of them through my house? How many times am i asked what is wrong with my budgie,his tail has dropped out,i can see pink on his head,he can't fly,he's got a feather disease all of these are just a natural moult.As the old feathers fall out new ones are pushing through the skin in a pointed sheath which then splits and falls off as the feather expands and grows,the bird then preens to remove the sheath dust to avoid irritation.I believe the small feathers moult lightly in the spring when the temperatures begin to rise and moult heavily in the autumn in preparation for the cold weather ahead. Now is the time to offer a tonic seed and a few vitamins.
IVERMECTIN AND WATER
We see many people diluting Ivermectin sheep, cattle, and horse products with water and this is not recommended by the developer of Ivermectin, Merial. The following note is self explanatory.
IVOMEC sheep liquid is formulated as an emulsion with the Ivermectin dissolved in a solvent and this solution then held emulsified in water by a delicate balancing act with various additives including surfactants. Once you add more water to the mix you then change the balance and at some stage the emulsion will collapse and the Ivermectin will crash out. How much dilution causes this... don't know but it will happen. We have a concentrate product called Jetamec which is formulated to take more significant dilution but it is registered only as a jetting fluid for sheep.As far as pour ons and injections are concerned - they are all solvent with no water - any dilution with water is ill-advised.
SALMONELLA
The disease normally is restricted to young birds who will look miserable,listless and weak,they huddle together,some are stunted and die quickly.If some recover they can be carriers for up to one year, their droppings if ingested can contaminate other birds.A vet must be available for advice to confirm the disease which responds well to FURAZOLIDONE .
Feather plucking
This is a habit which is often the hen removing the down from young chicks from the heads and bodies,the degrees of severity can be from a few down feathers to stripping the wings and head of feathers and flesh,not to be confused with attacked to get grown chicks out of the nest.The guilty bird should be removed and younger chicks fostered,older chicks from about twenty five days old can be placed in a gazunder on the cage floor where the remaining adult will feed them.
I remember,just,many years ago a product painted onto childrens nails to stop them biting them,this was called bitter aloes and we painted it onto any plucked areas of the birds and because of the bitter taste it stopped the adults plucking.I will add this to my first aid box.
Bumblefoot:
This is a common chronic infection in the feet of birds, most commonly found in waterfowl and birds of prey. It usually follows persistent injury from unsuitable perching or flooring, coupled with secondary infection. The severity of infection and damage is graded: mild cases may be treated with antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and improvements to hygiene and housing; while advanced cases may need extensive and repeated surgery, or even euthanasia.As I noticed we have the problems with Iodine Deficiency from time to time. Iodine is used almost exclusively by the thyroid gland. If our budgies do not have iodine in some form then they can start to suffer from Thyroid Hyperplasia or Dysplasia. Clinical signs of Iodine Deficiency such as thyroid disease or goitre is laboured breathing with squeaking noises.
What to do against Iodine Deficiency? It is not so difficult and we can use this preventive method if the diet of our budgies does not contain some another source of iodine:
Apply this method once a week:
refill your budgie drinker with fresh water and let fall one drop of Iodine tincture 0,5% to water. . Then serve this drinker with water and Iodine to your birds.
What we need? - a drinker, Iodine tincture, a syringe
Fill a syringe with a little Iodine tincture
Fill drinker with fresh water and let fall one drop of Iodine tincture into water
Mix it and serve it.
I hope we will never meet Iodine Deficiency any more.
Sleeping habits.
sleeping with one leg tucked up among it's feathers is a good sign that all is well with the bird ,a healthy bird has no need to grasp the perch in order to hold on a relex action curls the toes around the perch automatically as soon as the birds weight comes down on the foot. If your bird sleeps on two legs it is not 100% fit,so look for the cause and treat it.Most budgies sleep with their heads under the wing as some of us do with our blankets.
Eating droppings.
When droppings become totally dry after about ten days in the case of the budgerigar the vitamin B12 becomes active and are a rich supply of the vitamin essential for growth,our birds know this their ancestors have eaten it for thousands of years but he has yet to learn we clean our cages more often than ten days apart
Too many or the wrong kind of medicine as well as insecticides inproperly used ,may cause illness in budgerigars.
Apple cider vinegar is a solution of acidic acid produced by fermentation of apples. Apple Cider Vinegar contains cholesterol-reducing pectin and the perfect balance of 19 minerals, including potassium, phosphorus, chlorine, sodium, magnesium, calcium, sulfur, iron, fluorine and silicon.
The cider is made from apples and then turned into vinegar where acetic bacteria convert the alcohol in the cider to acetic acid.
Benefits - contains bacteria which is unfriendly to infectious microorganisms ,improves stamina ,increases resistance to disease ,protects against food poisoning ,aids in digestion ,aid in a variety of disease including arthritis ,regulates blood pressure and maintains the correct pH in the body
Applications - a cleaning agent that will reduce mildew, germs and odour ,a disinfectant for cleaning cages ,a washing product,cleansing agent when sprouting seeds ,1/4 tsp sprinkled over fresh food will function as an immune enhancer
Top End/Beaks & Claws.
Sweating.
Caused by draughts.
Sweating around the head is a result of a head cold and moisture is being exuded from the eyes or ears,this if neglected could turn nasty.Now is the time for warmth,isolation and a hot toddy(whisky) which will soon cure your budgerigar.A neglected head cold can result in catarrh and must be treated,the first sympton is a running nose,and then the mucus becomes thicker and begins to clog the nostrils which results in the bird breathing laboriously through the mouth .As the infection develops sinuses become involved and the bird is now in pain.Treat the nostrils with warm camphorated oil,apply over both nostrils twice daily for one week,take care not to block the nostrils up and keep the bird isolated and warm.
Overgrown Beak.
Why some birds have overgrown beaks may be down to an incorrect diet or as i believe it is just a state of unbalance in the glandular system.We must supply plenty of cuttlefish bone,iodine blocks and oyster shell grit and a supply of clean willow twigs would encourage chewing and increase natural wastage of the beak.
Beak Trimming.
I never encourage trimming of the beak unless it is really necessary,two reasons once you start cutting beaks and claws they then grow faster and it can be a danger to the bird if blood vessels are cut.
If you have to trim beaks or claws do follow the guidelines on the dedicated page on my site-
http://www.officialbarrieshuttbudgerigars.com/beaknailclipping.htm
Avian Gastric Yeast a new name for
Megabacteria.
The older breeders in the hobby
will have many a sorrowful tale to tell about the “going light” disease. Going
light when a bird’s weight begins to fall until the keel bone is sharp to the
touch may not be A G Y and only an avian vet can confirm this.
If you have confirmation of AGY in
your birds then I would suggest following Brian Stockdale’s advice. Offer F10SC
at the rate of 1 ml to 1 litre of water given for three consecutive days once
weekly.
Do not use any F10SC when you have
young in the nest or hens are due to lay.