# Funny Looking Belly



## Goldenwing (Oct 4, 2017)

I recently noticed the Peridot's belly looks strange to me. I held him gently and felt it and it feels like his keel bone is really sticking out. I am not sure if I should be concerned. Here is a picture that shows it sticking out:









I am not sure if this is a concern or connected but he also seems ravenously hungry a lot. I feed him his 2 tsp of seed mix each day and occasionally let him have some millet. So far I have been unsuccessful in getting him to eat pellets or veggies, though I have only been trying for a couple weeks, so that is not surprising. He sits on his seed bowl and pecks at it even when he has eaten all the seeds.

Should I be worried or is all of this normal? Am I just being a worried budgie mamma?


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

I can't see the keel bone in the picture but usually the feathers cover it enough that you can only really tell by feeling it. Have you been able to weigh him to see if he is underweight?


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Periodot does look somewhat underweight in the picture. My budgie, Shelby, who looked like Periodot, was underweight as well which is why I say that.

Have you tried mixing very finely chopped veggies with some hard boiled egg?

You can also try sprinkling a few kernels of sweet corn with garlic powder (not salt!) to see if that will entice him to try them.

Has Periodot been seen by an Avian Vet yet for a well-birdie checkup?

If he won't eat anything else, then increase his seed by 1/2 teaspoon per day to at least get some nutrients into him.

Have you tried sprouting the seeds - that would be more nutritious and he might like them that way!*


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## Goldenwing (Oct 4, 2017)

Thanks for the advice, Cody and FaeryBee! I had planned to take him to the vet next week for his well-birdie check up. In the mean time, I will try some of the things that you suggest.


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## justmoira (Aug 29, 2014)

One of the ways I get Sweetie to try new foods is to make a big fuss over it and eat some of it myself in front of him. Recently he tried apple because I ate a slice going 'MMmmmmmmmmmmm YUM YUM!! SO yummy, Sweetie wants some? Mmmmmmmm' and he decided to try it, haha.


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