[rylanmoore678]

So basically, Lexa has a small brown scab-looking mass above her cere. I noticed it a while ago, but I shrugged it off. It hasn’t gone away, and possibly even has gotten bigger, and now I am worried. It doesn’t seem to be bothering her; she is as lively as ever, and she’s never scratching it or rubbing her head against anything. However, I have noticed that she is not pooping and she is not eating her food. She will eat when I’m training with her, but not when she’s in her cage (I’ve never really had trouble with this before) Her poops are very watery and small. She only poops when I take her out of the cage, usually because she is frightened. But other than that she isn't pooping. (This is probably from her not eating). I am concerned that she possibly has mites? I’d say her beak looks normal, Her skin is normal as well. Her feathers don’t look great, but she’s molting so she has a lot of pin feathers. Her vent looks pretty swollen, but there doesn't seem to be anything stuck in it.

I would consult my Avian vet, but she recently got in a car accident (the weather here is TERRIBLE, all of the roads are very icy! I’m surprised I haven’t got in an accident at this point!) and is unable to go to work for the next few weeks.

Please if you have any idea what’s going on, tell me! If I need to find a new vet I will!

Feel free to ask any questions!

Thank you so much!!

NOTE: Here is a photo. Since this photo was taken, here cere has turned a shade of red. I do not have an updated photo.

 

[tielbob]

Please get her to another avian vet right away. If she is not eating much she will lose weight fast and die from lack of nutrition or underlying illness. Do you have a gram scale to weigh your birds? They're inexpensive and can help you spot problems quickly in the future if you routinely monitor their weight.

The picture looks to me like there may be discharge from the nostrils such as when there is a respiratory infection, but feather dander or dry winter air can be irritating and cause this or the redness you see - a distinction a vet needs to make so that treatment is given if needed. For now she might act normal but this is common with sick tiels since they are prey animals and try to behave normally until it becomes impossible to do so any longer and decline is apparent - but by then it might be too late for successful treatment.

I sympathize with your difficulties in getting her examined - I've found that bird problems often occur close to the weekend when vets are all closed or on snow days (driving here in city suburbs is terrible in bad weather), but I wouldn't wait any longer to have her checked out.


edit: Does she have a favorite food you can offer her to get her eating something nutritious in the present emergency? My birds generally love millet spray - they will usually eat it even if they happen to be ill and won't eat much of their regular food.