Conference 7.286::pet_birds

    Did your birds happen to come from someone in Keene, NH.  i bought
    a female earlier this year that has the same problem.  I've been
    keeping an eye on it as I was concerned it may have been mites,
    however she seems to be fine, nothing has spread on her or to her
    cage mate.  It is difficult to make vet appointments due to work
    schedules but I will be taking both birds in for routine check ups
    while I'm on vacation.  Let me know if you find out anything about
    your bird.
    thanks
    MaryAnne

    The budgies came from a home in Milford N.H.
    
    Another of my budgies had scaly mites when I bought her a year ago and
    the mites infested her feet and the skin on the sides of the beak, but
    not the cere. I treated here with a mite spray and it cleared up.
    If it appears to spread I will try it again.    
         
    Doug                                             

    I just had some more help over the tube. She suggested that it probably
    is a parasite and that I apply my pyretherin with a Q-tip followed
    with corn or olive oil. Be sure not to cover the breathing holes
    though. The oil all by itself may be enough, but I will use both
    to be sure. The oil will help to soften up the cere.
    
    To find out if the mites are there you cover the cage with a white
    sheet at night. In the morning you may find them on the sheet. I
    have heard that the Mite Protectors they sell in pet store are
    hazardous to the birds.
    
    It was also suggested that I put the birds on Tetracycline for three
    days to help with the stress.

    Doug

    
    
    Okay, so all you folks are pretty well informed and I'm new to all
    this, but...
    
    Our budgie had the very same thing.  I was very concerned about
    it because I couldn't tell the difference between scaly mite and
    a normal cere.   For young birds it's easy, it should be fleshy.
    My problem was Larr (the bugie) was mature.  I went to alot of books
    to see what a *normal* cere was for a mature budgie.  There were
    many pictures of budgies with a scale, or maybe flakey, ceres.
    
    Because I was considering a partner for Larr, I went to the vet
    for a check up.  The vet said it wasn't scaley mite.  The vet had
    me mist Larr every morning.  The cere has cleared up.  I guess he
    wasn't getting enough moister.
    
    So first get a cheap bottle that will make a mist.  Fill it with
    warm water and mist him/here every morning.
    
    Rick.   
    

    Well better late than never ...... I had adopted two budgies and
    one had a deformed cere.  Fearing that it was mites I immediately
    took him to the vet.  Well thirty bucks later the prognosis was
    that this bird either has beak mites or a liver disease.  The vet
    gave him an oral medication and said that if the cere did not 
    return to normal that he definitely had a liver disease.  Well the
    cere looks the same way and it has been a while so I guess it is
    his liver.  I hope this helps.
    
    
    

    I applied the oil with pyretherin once and then the oil alone once
    more. I also misted her a few times. All of the build-up has now
    come off. I don't beleive it was mites just  some sort of build-up,
    maybe food or water and vitamins.
        
    Doug