# Eddie has a sticky head!



## Kev (Jul 27, 2021)

Hi. Eddie is approx 6 months old and has definitely been through at least one moult at this point. Recently he has developed a very tatty looking head which does not look like normal moult to me. The pic does not do it justice but the feathers of his head are firmly stuck together and stiff like he has dunked his head in glue! (He hasn’t done anything like this as far as I’m aware!)
There is no obvious discharge from nose eyes or ears. Sometimes the ends of the feathers look slightly brown. No sneezing or vomiting. Eddie seems perfectly well otherwise. He’s very tame and interacting normally. I’m a fairly experienced keeper of pet budgies and haven’t seen anything like this before. I’m having limited success in spraying him and when I do manage to get him damp it doesn’t seem to help - in fact he just looks worse!

Any ideas?


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

Although you said you have not noticed sneezing or discharge I see what seems to be discolored feathers right above the nares, can you post another picture showing his full face? Dose he live with other birds?


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## Kev (Jul 27, 2021)

Cody said:


> Although you said you have not noticed sneezing or discharge I see what seems to be discolored feathers right above the nares, can you post another picture showing his full face? Dose he live with other birds?


Thank you for your interest. You’re correct about the feathers above the nares. I’ve been keeping an eye on that and Tbh they have always been a little discoloured like that prior to the sticky head and not any worse atm it seems. If this is the source of the stickiness then it’s not overtly obvious. Tried to get a better pic but he’s a bit camera shy!


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## Kev (Jul 27, 2021)

Oh and not kept with other birds.


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

A sticky head is usually the result of vomiting, in looking at the second picture it looks like some of the new feathers are not opening out of the keratin sheath. Usually when there are discolored feathers above the cere it is an indication of a discharge of some sort unless there is something in the cage that the bird could be rubbing against. What is his diet ?


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Hi there and welcome to the forums!

You’ve come to a great place to learn even more about the best of budgie care practices!

Eddie is so cute but sorry to see he’s in a sticky situation 🧐 If you’re sure there’s no vomiting, etc my next thought is a sticky food or treat he’s rubbing his head on. It looks like he chews on the treat stick a lot, right?

In the future, it’s best not to leave the whole treat stick in the cage like that as he will choose that over his regular food, which isn’t healthy 🤭 Cody has asked some great questions! 

Meanwhile, you’ll find more tips in the forums’ many budgie articles and stickies, including about budgie diets. If you have any questions after reading through things, please be sure to ask as we’d love to help.

Hope to see you around! 👋


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Hi, Welcome to Talk Budgies!

The purpose of this forum is to promote the BEST PRACTICES in the care of budgies for their optimal Health and Well-Being*

*The feathers on your budgie's head definitely don't look normal. How long have they been that way?

Have you taken him to an Avian Vet for a checkup?*

*Avian Vets have special training to determine the cause of symptoms resulting from illness or trauma.
This is important as "regular" vets will often overlook symptoms that are quickly obvious to an Avian Vet.
When you rely on anyone who has not had training in Avian diagnosis and care, you may be delaying effective treatment.
This can prolong suffering that may be avoidable.
The bird will often require a more intense, prolonged treatment with a poorer chance of full recovery than it would have if you seek prompt professional diagnosis and treatment at the first sign of illness.
If there are no Avian Vets near you, please find an Exotic Pet Veterinarian with experience in dealing with small birds.
Having your budgie examined by an Avian Vet allows you to develop a good relationship with the vet in case your bird needs care for an injury or illness in the future.
Additionally, it is always helpful for the vet to have a baseline for your bird to refer to should it need future treatment.*

*Avian Association of Veterinarians*

*Please take the time to read through the Site Guidelines, the FAQs, the Budgie Articles and all of the Stickies located at the top of each section of the forum.
Truly, the very BEST advice anyone can offer you is to take the time to read ALL of the stickies throughout the various Talk Budgie forums as well as the Budgie Articles we have posted.
These are great resources for Talk Budgie members and have a wealth of reliable information which will assist you to learn the best practices in caring for your budgies for their optimal health and well-being.*
*SITE GUIDELINES*
*List of Stickies*
*Posting on the Forums*
*Let's Talk Budgies!*
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*Guidance for Breeding Advice Threads*
*Cage sizes.*
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*A Healthy Diet for your Budgie*
*Quality Seed Mix*
*CuttleBones, Mineral Blocks and Manu Clay Roses*
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*The Truth about GRIT*


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