# Black bit on budgie's head??



## till (May 31, 2015)

There's this black patch on my budgie Lemon's head, it's just a little patch and it looks a little bit inky for lack of better description and I was just wondering if this is anything to be concerned about? Here are some pictures:



also i feel like there's some on his stomach too:
(don't mind the red on his beak, he had some strawberry that day and I haven't figured out how to get the stain off yet.)


Sorry for the large pictures, I'm not sure how to resize them. Thanks for any answers!


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## till (May 31, 2015)

I was just wondering if this could be a side effect to moulting?? I've noticed some pin feathers on the back of his head and he HAS been scratching himself a lot. Also, at what age do budgies moult?


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## Penzance (May 17, 2015)

Looks like normal colouring to me. You may find when Lemon gets older and has his first major moult the black will become more defined bars. I believe the big moult comes after 3 months or longer, but he will still shed some feathers and down on a regular basis leading up to this.

He is a handsome boy!


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## aluz (Jul 24, 2011)

First of all your little Lemon is in fact a beautiful budgie girl, there's no doubt in my mind! 
What you see in her forehead is something called flecking, and it's not a health issue at all, some opaline budgies like your Lemon can have those heavier marks on the forehead area, and they will stay even after the first moult that happens at 3 -4 months old.

I see her beak also seems to have a black powder on and as to her tummy, I think maybe she has been playing with that black rock and that explains her appearance.
But to me it is clear she has flecking on her head and that is not caused by the black rock that I assume is a mineral block? I have never seen a black mineral block.


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## till (May 31, 2015)

Thanks for all your quick replies and for reassuring me that Lemon is healthy!

aluz, your reply made me go WHAT???? the whole time. I had no idea he/she was a girl!! Based on his/her personality and cere colour, I was convinced he/she was a boy... I guess I'll have to think otherwise for now. Also, I had no idea Lemon was opaline, I'd always assumed it was just normal. Thanks for the information! Haha, I don't really know much about my own budgie, at the pet shop I just chose the most active budgie without really thinking it through. Oh, well on the package it said iodine block I think and I just assumed it was the same thing. It came in a packet like this http://s6.postimg.org/dck19ho81/Budgie_Iodine_Block.jpg (I just found that on google images). I don't really get the difference between mineral, idoine and cuttlebone block.


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## Budget baby (Jan 1, 2013)

Hello, Aluz is a very experienced Budgie owner who is brilliant at sexing budgies.
So you have a lovely Lemon Girl. 
Iodine is essential for good thyroid health, To me The cuttle bone is the most important one and being a hen she definitely should have access to one at all times. This helps with Calcium which is used up when producing eggs and when the budgie is in condition.
A hen can still lay eggs with out having a male budgie around.
The mineral block is more or less used as a boost for essential minerals. If your budgie is eating a balanced diet that has green vegies, a small amount of fruit, pellets, crumbles and seeds and grasses then she should be fine. Cuttlebone yes!


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## till (May 31, 2015)

Thanks for the explanation! ahh, the thought of Lemon, who I previously thought was a boy, laying eggs is weird. Okay, I'll definitely buy a cuttle bone block as soon as I can. Also, does anyone know how I can get rid of the strawberry and iodine block/mineral/whatever stains? I've tried giving her a spray bottle shower but it has absolutely no effect. She's not tame enough for me to take her out and give her a bath, should I place a water dish inside the cage for her to bathe herself?


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## Budget baby (Jan 1, 2013)

Some budgies don't like to have a bath, some love it. You can try placing a few wet lettuce laves on the bottom of the cage they love to have a roll around and a nibble at the same time. Or you can try a bath. I hold my guy in my hand under the tap, but he is hand raised and loves being next to me.
The staining will disappear with time the more she rubs and preens, get some nice shredding toys for her or have a look at the Do it yourself section here on how to make some.


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Lemon is a beautiful Texas Clearbody, I love her coloring! And I agree completely with Aluz (as usual ). 

Cathy has given good advice for bathing, and I would only say that some budgies fall for none of this and prefer to splash around in their water bowls sometimes 

Essentially, it's up to her


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## till (May 31, 2015)

Thanks for all the information! I've added them all to my Lemon Information list. Haha, the lettuce leaves just ended up covered with poop but I made her some shredder toys and I'm sure she can clean herself soon enough, especially with all that preening coming with her moulting!! Once again, thank you everybody for answering all my questions and more!


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## Penzance (May 17, 2015)

I think I'm right in saying that the lettuce should be romaine lettuce - I have been told before (and quite aggressively on another forum) that all lettuce will end up scouring their rear end if they eat it. Would be very interested if there are alternate opinions to that! At the time I looked at a lot of sources (following the attack on me when I was told no lettuce is suitable) including some avian vet sites and the consensus was that romaine is the one to use. I was actually so upset by that episode I have never given my budgies lettuce since, but romaine lettuce IS on my shopping list this weekend.

So Lemon is a girl - and a wonderfully beautiful little hen too!


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