# Is merlin overweight?



## nixmerlin (Sep 21, 2014)

So I just weighed merlin and she weighs a whopping 60 grams!!! However I checked her breast bone and she doesn't bulge outwards, her tummy recedes from the bone in what I presume is a healthy way. So I'm confused. Is she just a big bird?! Ive never weighed her before so unfortunately don't have a benchmark!


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## shanebudgie (Feb 5, 2016)

Greetings wow that is big somewhat.can you provide a photo or 2 so our experts can see and be able to assist you on this.what kind of food do you feed her?Blessings and hopefully you can have some answers soon.:albino:


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## nixmerlin (Sep 21, 2014)

Hiya, have attached some recent pics


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## shanebudgie (Feb 5, 2016)

cool thanks.she looks pretty healthy to me.she has very beautiful colors on her.hi merlin cutie.blessings always


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## nixmerlin (Sep 21, 2014)

I hope you're right but I was really surprised when I weighed her!


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## bluewing (Feb 6, 2016)

First off, let me just say how what a beautiful little Merlin you have there 

Second, I have you beat! I just weighed my English budgie, Oya, and she comes in at a whopping 77 grams! hmy::blink:

She has always been a big bird with a lot of plumage. When she molts, she molts hard, dropping probably a good chunk of her weight by feathers alone. 

Your Merlin is an English, right? If so, 60 grams is still okay. I, too, am concerned for my Oya, but 77 grams appears still within range of some English budgies as they can be rather big and fluffy. Even when she was in the 50 - 60 gram range, she was still active and doing her thing. 

I suppose I could limit the millet this month. I kinda lost track and gave them a bit more millet treat in April. My bad!


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## nixmerlin (Sep 21, 2014)

Haha nope she is not an English budgie just a plain old normal one! Hence the impressive weight!!


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Merlin looks good in the pictures and appears quite healthy and happy. 

Double check the keel bone in relation to the breast muscle.

Watch Merlin fly around the room. 
Does she breathe normally upon landing or does she breathe more heavily? 
Is she generally active?

How much seed are you giving her per day? 
A budgie only needs 1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons of seed.
Be sure he has pellets available 24/7 and give her a good variety of healthy vegetables regularly.

Spray millet and honey treat sticks should be limited and only given as special treats.

Have you ever taken her to an Avian Vet for a baseline exam in case she ever becomes ill or injured?
*


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## nixmerlin (Sep 21, 2014)

Hey, have checked the keel bone, that's what I meant by breast bone lol. She isn't overly fatty there. She has a LOT of feathers though. I don't feed her pellets, they aren't common in the UK, and she isn't a great fan of veggies except corn which I limit as it is fatty. 
Doesn't seem tired after flying, I did a few laps with her today and she was fine. 
I don't have an avian vet, our vets are useless with birds and merlin nearly had a heart attack the only time I took her so won't be risking that again


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## Therm (Aug 2, 2015)

If you want to try her on pellets, you can order them from Pets at Home online, and they're about £10 per pack. Mine have still never touched theirs but they never will if they don't have them to try.


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Merlin sounds just fine to me, some birds really are just bigger than others  

The fact that she can fly well and is an active budgie is a good sign :thumbsup: 

Giving her some pellets might be a good idea, Emma's given great advice regarding that.


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## Jedikeet (Feb 3, 2014)

Aww, Merlin is such a pretty and big budgie girl. She looks quite normal and A lot smaller than 60g from the photos


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## Pegg (Jun 7, 2011)

Merlin is very pretty!


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## nixmerlin (Sep 21, 2014)

Thanks everyone for your help and kind words  I will try to reduce her treat foods a bit and monitor her weight more regularly. She has a ton of feathers at the moment so perhaps she is due another big molt soon and will lighten up a bit then!


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## bluewing (Feb 6, 2016)

Wow! You sure she doesn't have some English in her? I could swear by the first two photos that she has a bigger and overall larger body and feathers. My eyes must be wonky :blink:

I suppose that is fine. Luna was American and she had a bigger body and weighed between 45 - 55 grams, fluctuating.

Still, Merlin looks great for her grammage!


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