# Red/Brown stains on budgies side and tail



## MascaraRabbit (Jun 6, 2015)

Hello everyone!

I'm very new here and have a few concerns regarding my little girl budgie, Ivy. Recently she has shown signs of scaly leg mites so I was given Ivermectin to treat it. However, I'm now noticing that shes got little brown/red staining on her feathers everywhere. I've washed her (which didn't seem to lighten the stains in the slightest) and I have looked to see if they are possibly red mites? But I don't see red or black little dots on the white sheet in the mornings when I lift it from her cage. Have any of you experienced this? Is this something I should be worried about? Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

She is eating well, and she is lively and playful. :budge::budgie:


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Hi and :welcome: to Talk Budgies!

Unfortunately, I can't really give you a good guess as to what the spotting or "staining" on her feathers might be.
Hopefully, one of the other members will have an easier time seeing it than I.

I'm assuming you got the ivermectin treatment for her from your Avian Vet. If so, I'd call the office and ask if they know what might be causing the discoloration of her feathers.

Feather discoloration can be a sign of a nutritional deficiency. What type diet are you feeding her?
This link will give you information regarding an excellent diet for your budgie:

Our Budgies Diet - Cute Little Birdies Aviary

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## Penzance (May 17, 2015)

Would love to see a full pic of Ivy - her green colouring is stunning!


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Hi and welcome :wave: to Talk Budgies! FaeryBee has given great advice--some of the brownish bars on her tail could be "stress bars" that occur during periods of extreme stress for budgies. It's very possible that her sickness and treatment caused her extra stress. 
Discoloration of the feathers due to medicinal treatment is also a plausible cause. 

Ivy is a gorgeous shade of green! 
Glad to have you with us, hope your little one feels better and keep us posted! Feel free to ask about anything you're unsure of  
:welcome:


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## MascaraRabbit (Jun 6, 2015)

Thank you for such a warm welcoming, and the reply! I know it cant be from the ivermectin treatment because I just started treating her yesterday with it. I don't have any avian vets near me but went to a normal one and he really didn't know what it was. Just told me to bathe her. I have bathed her and she isn't dirty. Poor things been poked at and stared at so much these past few days. Feel awful for her. She has a mineral block and cuttlebone in her cage, although I never see her really eating it.... she more likes to rip them apart and coat my entire room with its dust! Hehe, I love that little monkey. 

I JUST changed her diet recently due to my understanding that a seed based diet is not the best diet. SO, I have now introduced her to a pellet diet. Called "ZuPreem. Natural added vitamins and minerals" She hates it thus far, and refuses to eat it. I do offer some seeds at night so that she doesn't starve herself to death. Here's a few pictures of my beautiful baby.... oh, and she has two male friends who are not affected with her condition. ALTHOUGH, I'll admit... they arent picky eaters and will eat just about anything I hand them. 


One again, thank you SO much for your reply! Perhaps I should buy supplements to put in her water...:budgie:


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

She looks like an absolute treasure!! Wow, I am stunned by these photos of your girl  
Obviously, she is very curious, playful, and quite mischievous! 

As for pellets, I transitioned my little girl onto pellets by gradually integrating them into her seeds. 
Although she didn't eat any pellets initially after she ate all the seeds, it was mainly just to get her used to the idea that the pellets existed. The first day it was about 1 teaspoon of pellets to 5 of seeds, after one or two days of this, 2 teaspoons of pellets to 4 of seeds, etc. Eventually, she'd finish off all the seeds in the bowl within a few hours, and would be begging for more, but I would make sure to not give in to her begging.

Budgies can go without food for 2 days, so don't worry about her not eating. Once she starts eating them, you can tell when this happens because their poop changes colors.  Then I would completely cut seeds for a week or two so she becomes accustomed to a mainly pellet diet, and after that period of time, I integrate seeds back in. It's now at a steady ratio of 20-25% seed and 75-80% pellets 
Good luck with the transition, and you should also give her lots of veggies! It takes some birds _forever_ to try a bite, but they're very good for budgies and will also improve her diet.

Ivy is absolutely adorable!


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## marya (Apr 14, 2013)

*d: Red/Brown stains on budgies side and tail*

She is such a beautiful colour.A really stunning little girl.


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## MascaraRabbit (Jun 6, 2015)

Starling Wings, Thank you SO much for your advice ! You know, I feared she wasn't associating the pellets with being actual food because it is so foreign to her. Perhaps mixing it with her food will introduce it to her in a not so forceful sort of way(as she is quite stubborn and things must be done on her terms). The bird store advised me to just go cold turkey and give her the pellets and no seeds. However I did read horror stories online where peoples budgies starved themselves to death. I find your approach more sound and have just put a few teaspoons of seed in her bowl for her... and she has you to thank for it ! 

And yes, I have noticed a change in poops in all of my budgies since the change. Its more watery in fact. Not as green and a little more brownish. Although for the first few hours I saw more urates than anything. I figured they're probably stressed and bothered with so many new changes. Since Ivy had the scaly leg all of them had to be treated with ivermectin and have their cages scrubbed (even my conures). They also have been introduced to a new food too, so I can imagine how they might be a little stressed. As soon as I am confident that Ivy is feeling better, I'll introduce her to her new lovely cage mate that I recently adopted for her... Milo


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

You're quite welcome, I'm glad it helped!!

Ahh! What a beautiful cobalt goldenface II little baby!  I'm in love with your little ones, they're absolutely precious! I bet you can't wait for quarantine to be over and see them meet  

Please do keep us posted! And a few more pictures wouldn't go amiss when you get the chance


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*I've fallen in love with little Milo!! 
I would happily "budgie-nap" that adorable little sweetheart in a New York minute given half a chance.
:spy: eep: :behindsofa: :undwech:

Please remember you should quarantine the new bird(s) for 4-6 weeks.
Quarantine means housing your new bird in a different cage in a different room as far away as possible from the room your current bird(s) is in for a period of 4-6 weeks.

Budgies mask symptoms when they are ill. Symptoms may not show up for over two weeks. Often you will not even realize your bird is not well. Many budgie illnesses are airborne which is why you need to quarantine your new bird in a completely different room.

http://talkbudgies.com/your-budgies-health/102714-quarantine-really-important.html*


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## Penzance (May 17, 2015)

Ivy is absolutely georgous! And Milo a very handsome young man! I can understand your enthusiasm for them both!


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## MascaraRabbit (Jun 6, 2015)

Thanks much for the quarantine tips FaeryBee! They are actually all in separate cages in different areas of my home. I have 3 budgies at the moment. Two males and a female. Little Beau Pete, Ivy, and my newest addition... Milo. Beau Pete and Ivy have met as Ive had Ivy for a little over 4 months now. Little Beau for over a year now. As for my Milo? I brought him home May28th  So a little over a week ago. I got Milo for Ivy, as I feel she needs a cage mate. I'll see if they like each other in about a month. Beau Pete stays in my downstairs living room by himself, because Ivy wasn't a huge fan of him. :dunno:
It's ok though as there is someone always downstairs and giving him love and attention. 


Everyone... I present to you... Little Beau Pete! ( he is also a FANTASTIC talker!) "Are you a parakeet?" and " BEETLEJUICE!" being amongst his most favorite things to say. Apart from "Sweet baby bird" and " Let me love you!!"


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*:wow:
All the pictures you've shown us are great!
Little Beau Pete is a darling name  and he is quite the charmer.
Ivy is beautiful (just in case I neglected to say so earlier)
and....
you ALREADY know how I feel about Baby Milo!!! :jumping:

Thanks for sharing their pictures with us.
I'll be looking forward to getting to know you, seeing more pictures and hearing stories about your three little ones in the days to come. *


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## Jonah (Feb 3, 2013)

Those are some sweet little bird's....thank's for sharing....


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## MascaraRabbit (Jun 6, 2015)

Thank you ! And thank you all for the replies. I was SO worried and stressed that it was red mites and that I'd have to call in an exterminator and worry about pesticides. Because really, I've never seen these sorts of stains or markings on feathers. She had them when I got her and I figured it was old blood due to them trimming her feathers wrong. Though dismissed that idea after the MANY baths she has received since. She hasn't moulted yet, so I suppose I will see how that turns out when she does. 

And thanks for such compliments. They are really all very pretty. BUT I think if you met Milo you would just go nuts. Hes hilarious and ALWAYS getting into something and wanting to play. I was so surprised to see how tame he got and how quickly he learned to step up. I'm half tempted to keep him to myself and never give him to Ivy! Curious to know if I can teach him to talk as well  (Since hes such a quick learner and constantly demonstrates that he needs interaction and stimulation.) 


Once again thank you all so much for your replies. You have no idea how much relief its given me. Ivy and the bunch are receiving the best food, cage space, and toys possible. So I am hoping that with her next moult, she will have no more stains or spotting.


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Aww, Beau Pete is such a darling! He looks like my little girl Mallorn: 









All of them are such charmers, you have the most beautiful flock. I'm sure Ivy will be clear of any marred feathers after a moult!

Thank you so much for introducing them


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## MascaraRabbit (Jun 6, 2015)

StarlingWings said:


> Aww, Beau Pete is such a darling! He looks like my little girl Mallorn:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Gah, shes so cute ! She DOES look like my Little Beau <3 Just tinier ! And thank you so much. They are all so fun and interesting. Milo is the trouble maker ( if you hear a noise or a crash or see a mess... you can count on Milo being the one behind it all), Beau Pete is ALWAYS saying something new and cute and wanting cuddles... and then theres my ivy. Shes always wanting food! Haha, and loves preening me. Shes ALWAYS playing with my hair. I joke and say that thats exactly how I'm positive shes a girl. She is ALWAYS wanting to play with my hair and nibble on my neck and ears. 

I adore my little babies. I have had the opportunity to own many different kinds of birds, but none have been able to move me like the budgies. Their spunk and sass just amazes me. I currently have two conures as well. A Jenday named Captain Hook, and a Green Cheek name Dalai. While I love them dearly... nothing comes close to the bonds I've made with my little keets.


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