My budgie is turning pink!

[KJParakeet23]

OK, so today (11-9-09) I noticed that my budgie Azul :budge:
who is three years old,
is turning PINK :eek:!



Can someone tell me why? :o

[Zeena]

What do you mean turning pink? Do you mean the feathers on his face?
Is there a mineral block in the cage, he could be chewing on it which is causing this discolouration ;)
Can you post a picture?

[KJParakeet23]

Thank you so much. I get so worried about this parakeet since her old friend died about a year ago from unknown causes. But anyway, yes, her flight feathers are turning pink, but just the tips and a little farther up. Sorry I can't post a picture. There is a pink block that I put in there for her to scratch her beak on, could she be eating it?:budge:

[LauraBeth]

Yeah, I use to have a pink mineral block and it turned my budgies pink too <3

[stacey101]

the mineral block would cause this :)

[aka.pody]

I agree with the others. If it's not a mineral block there's something else in the cage. Check out anything new you may have put in the cage.

[KrisCee]

Is that dangerous though? Murphy's beautiful white wings are a bit pinkish now because of a perch (don't know what it's called, it's pink and feels like rubber).

[earlybird]

Yes, it sounds like the mineral block is staining her feathers. I have a pink one in with my budgies and sometimes they look like they have blush on their cheeks and foreheads. :D

[KJParakeet23]

Last night I took out the mineral block. Thank you everyone for responding!:wave:

[Zeena]

Last night I took out the mineral block. Thank you everyone for responding!:wave:

You don't have to take out the mineral block. If your hen is using it, it means that she needs it to keep her beak in shape and that is exactly what she is doing :)
I would put it back in. It is normal for them to chew on it, that is what it is for, it is not harmful :)
If you don't want to see her dirty, just spray/mist her and it will take away the pink colourings on her feathers.

[Vickie]

I've seen pics of budgies with purple mineral blocks and they had purple on their faces! My white budgie turned a bit pink one week when she shredded her whole mineral block in a day! I guess she really wanted some minerals. :p

It does stain their feathers, but it is harmless. You don't need to worry. What happens I think as that the budgie gets the color in their mouth, like when we eat candy or drinks with a lot of color. Then they preen their feathers and get the color on their bodies. It is harmless and the mineral block is good for them, so just leave it in. :)

[Memphis T.]

I never knew mineral blocks can be colored...isn't that harmful? I mean those colors could be artificial.

[Zeena]

I never knew mineral blocks can be colored...isn't that harmful? I mean those colors could be artificial.

Most mineral blocks are coloured. They are coloured with artificial colours that are bird-safe: the same ones used to give pellets their colours as well as some seeds :)

[KJParakeet23]

Thanks so much, I'll put it back in right away

[2many]

Most mineral blocks are coloured. They are coloured with artificial colours that are bird-safe: the same ones used to give pellets their colours as well as some seeds :)


On the advice of our avian vet (24+ years experience), I don't use anything with artificial colors. That would include seeds and pellets as well. I have always been reluctant to use those new mineral blocks for that reason, though I do give them the regular cuttlebones. I am guessing they still make regular mineral blocks?

[BubbleBudgie]

I have a calcium perch that's pink and it turned my budgie Hoops into what I call a "pink face"

[A Flock Of Budgies]

I ordered this:

LM Animal Farms Beak Conditioner for Birds with Twist Tie for Cages (Mineral Iodine, 2 oz.)

from this website (http://www.petstore.com/ps_ViewItem.aspx?idProduct=LA90521&child=LA90521).

There is no color in this mineral block.

[ikklehen]

I gave my budgies a nice natural earth minerals block to beak around on and even though it was 'colourless' it had some clay tones to it. So my little Tinkerbell, well, her face was so mucky after she decided to shred it up one day! :eek::D
Sid had a pink tail fron the pink block and they just look funny when they have nailed the carrot wedges and spinach!!
Pink, orange, clay colored and bright green faced budgies I usually have! :laughing1:
Xxx(^v^)xxX