# Does my budgie have an allergy?



## Nannar (Apr 23, 2016)

Hello everyone I have a 9 months old budgie boy. He started to sneeze more often after he ate the millet. He's throwing out mucus while sneezing. Then I figure out he's ripping off his feathers. I am so concerned that he is sick Could you help me with this? Is he sick or allergic to millet?


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## aluz (Jul 24, 2011)

Welcome to the forums! 

The dust and husks on spray millet are very thin and can more easily attach themselves onto the cere and in the process this can directly affect the nostrils and causing your budgie to sneeze.
If he is sneezing mucous, then it would be best to have this addressed by an avian vet specialist.

What do you mean by ripping the feathers, is your budgie violently plucking his own feathers? 
If so, then this issue should also be talked about with the avian vet.

I'm wishing your budgie all the best.


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Hi there and :welcome: to the forums!

I'm sorry to hear your budgie isn't feeling well. As Aluz has said, millet husks and dust can cause budgies to sneeze. Moults, however, also produce dust as the thin keratin sheaths new feathers come in flake off. 

If he's simply preening and feathers come out in his beak, he's not tearing the feathers out, they are coming out due to a moult he is going through. Do you see any pin feathers? 

If he actually is ripping out his feathers, or plucking, then that is a different condition and should be addressed by an avian vet. Because you mention that there is mucous coming from his nostrils when he sneezes, I would take him to the vet anyways, as Aluz has said. 

I hope your budgie feels better! :fingerx: 

Meanwhile, be sure to read through the Budgie Articles and "stickies" on the forums to ensure you're up to date on the best budgie care practices! :thumbsup: 

Cheers and best of luck! :wave:


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## Nannar (Apr 23, 2016)

First thanks a lot for your answers  It wasn't preening I think he was plucking his feathers in an unusual way. But after we cut off giving him millet, he suddenly break up plucking and sneezing mucus. I guess it was because of the millet. Thanks for your advices if this happens again, I will see an avian vet immediately. And I will read other threads about budgie care.


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

That's great  Keep us posted! :wave:


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## RavensGryf (May 8, 2015)

Hi there! Good to hear it sounds like a false alarm! Watch your budgie very closely to make certain that there are no more symptoms. I hope all is well .


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## bluewing (Feb 6, 2016)

I have had millet that just wasn't up to snuff...er, more like snuff in that it can cause sort of an allergic reaction -- sneezing and the occasional projectile mucous 

If you purchase a mediocre brand of millet or are getting large amounts by a supplier and they don't really package or treat it properly then it can have that kind of effect. I use Great Choice millet as it seems better than others I have tried and has a very low to no dust emittance. I have tried other brands from this one and they seemed to sneeze more but also, not care to eat it as much. My budgies are picky eaters and expect royality when it comes to their food stuffs.

If you are limited to good quality, packaged millet then limit what your budgie can have and give it a bit of a bake in the oven to kill any potential contamination. Believe it or not, sometimes millet gets old, has possibly been exposed to fungal spores, and you should try switching it out or using a fresh batch. Anything more than 2 months old and not sealed or packaged properly should be tossed.

For now, remove this source, keeping an eye on your budgie. If you decide to reintroduce millet again, get a fresh batch and perhaps a better quality brand. They will have some sneezing with any millet, but if it is irritating and abrupt and there is continuous and prolonged sneezing and skin irritation (plucking feathers), it's time to chuck that millet in the garbage. And yes, some budgies can have allergies to foods, but it is usually the food source that may be the problem and the reaction secondary to poor quality food or contamination.

Good luck.


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## Nannar (Apr 23, 2016)

You are right I bought the millet from a random pet shop and it wasn't packaged properly I will search a new millet looking more healthy and try that again soon. Thank you so much!


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Hi! :welcome: to Talk Budgies

I'm glad Dor thought to tell you about sub-standard millet and you now know the cause of your budgie's sneezing. :thumbsup:

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