Darkness around the beak area

[indigo]

Last night when I was getting the lovebirds back in their cage I looked over to Bonnie and noticed her face is dark to the left and down from but right against her beak. Now I have been giving them lots of dark berry/fruits lately, but it still concerned me. I tried to take a closer look, and it looked to be just stained feathers, but I am so so paranoid about it being mites or something similar. I have seen mites (while working for a national chain of pet stores here) and don't wish that on any bird! I will be looking up on this, but if anyone has any recommendations I would be very grateful for your advise. I will be trying to catch her (shes not tame and is scared of hands and people) and let you know if the darknes is just stainage. I think it might be, but I am paranoid.

 

[birdcrazy]

did you try washing it off? I take a q - tip with water on it and gently rub the area I'm still trying to get some gunk off misty but it's getting better all the time she ahd a dark spot on her beak that eventually disapeared and then she had another one that rubbed right off I think it was from eating poo - I know gross but I can't keep her from it and something I read said if it was from healthy birds it might actually help her or something.

 

[indigo]

I am going to try and clean her off (and take a better closer look) but once she has begun to rest a bit (I figure try and catch her when shes a bit tired - makes it a little easier that way). I will let you all know what it turns out to be.

 

[Peta]

If she really won't allow you to do that, try putting a white sheet over the cage, if its mites or something similar you should be able to tell from the sheet. Let us know how you get on.

 

[indigo]

It looks like it is probably just berry juices. I will be looking closer in a bit (have been hugely busy today). Will keep you all updated.

 

[indigo]

Berry stains.

I did the traumatic thing and caught her (got several beak-pinches in the process) and cleaned her beak and feathers up with a q-tip and water and she looks all clean now. I also clipped her wings but did so quickly before she escaped. I will have to make them look purdiful, but it's done. I clipped her because I am going to try and tame her up some. Considering shes really scared of hands (and very nervous of people) she did amazingly. She wiggled a bit once I had her and chomped the wet q-tip a bunch, beak-pinched me and all that, but she didn't bite (not even skin breakage) and that, I think, is really good. Also when she was trying to avoid being caught she 'accidently' landed on my hand, wrist and arm and every time she did, I told her what a good girl she was. That is all I said to her. Oh and I am doing a new thread in the budgie section .... I got some new pictures of her. She is so purdy.

 

[Peta]

Thats great news, Good luck with the training. It does come eventually. Let us know how you get on.