# Long nails and beak, sleepy and unwell!



## StMike (Sep 6, 2018)

Hello,

My 9-month old lutino, Chippy, has been ill for at least a couple of months now.

His nails have grown long, as well as his beak, which has small dark discolorations and the bottom part looks white. His cere used to be pink as expected but recently changed to a faded violet colour.

His droppings are watery and yellow-green.

He eats very little, and sleeps most of the day. He is often too weak to jump to a higher perch. He doesn't make a sound unless annoyed by his friend Zebra.

He often sits on the cage floor, leading me to believe he feels like he might die.

I'm hoping to bring him to a vet tomorrow, but I was hoping someone might offer some insight and clues as to what Chippy is afflicted with.

Thank you for your help!

Mike
Toronto, Canada


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## CaptainHowdy (Feb 9, 2010)

This bird really needs to see a vet for confirmation of what s going on.

It could be something like a fungal infection or it could be something like pbfd.

Please get them to an avian vet asap. Meantime keep them isolated, quiet and warm.
If you have any guardian Angel add this to heir water.


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Hi Mike and :welcome: to the forums!

Chippy looks very, very ill indeed. If he's been ill "for a couple of months now", why didn't you take him to the vet sooner? :confused1:

I'm very glad you are taking him to the vet now. There's no way we can diagnose him online through photos, and we are not avian vets, but given his symptoms he could have liver disease or a long term infection, as Amelia said above. 

Please be sure to update us on his condition after you've taken him to the vet. 

Meanwhile, please review all the links and "stickies" on the forums to ensure you are up to date on the very best of budgie care practices. 

If you have questions after doing so, please be sure to ask as we'd love to help! 

Cheers and best wishes :wave:


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## Cody (Sep 5, 2013)

Birds hide illness very well an usually by the time you see symptoms the bird is quite ill and sitting at the bottom of the cage is not a good sign. Please get your bird to the vet right away.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Please ensure you have Chippy seen by an Avian Vet.

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.

Avian Physical Examination

Understanding Avian Laboratory Tests

Please take the time to read through the Site Guidelines, all of the How To Guides, the FAQs, the Budgie Articles and 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.

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If you have any questions after reading through everything, please be sure to ask!

Please be sure to update us with regard to Chippy's condition after your Avian Vet appointment.*


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## RavensGryf (May 8, 2015)

Any update on Chippy? As mentioned, an avian vet would be really the only option to correctly diagnose what the issue is. I hope he gets treated and is well soon .


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## Birdmanca (Jan 24, 2008)

The long nails need to be cut. A bird can catch itself and get injured if the nails are too long. As for your other question, the vet is your best source for the answer. Also ask to watch as your bird has his nails cut. You need to know how to cut nails correctly, as it has to be done often and is not really worth a vet visit to get it done.


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## Elenacam (Jan 12, 2009)

What hapenned??


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