Budgie Sick?

[memac]

I have a female budgie who is almost ten years old. She is an only budgie and always has been. Over the past several months she has developed a swollen area around the vent. The only things I can find on the forums about this is egg binding but I would not think that to be the case since she has never layed an egg in her life. Why would she start now? She shows no other signs of illness. She is a very sociable and happy bird. She does not get out of her cage much these days as my children are getting older and don't have the time to let her out. Her droppings are mostly normal. She has the odd day of runny droppings but always has had those over the past 9+ years since we got her. She does not seem to be picking at the vent area, or even seem to notice the swelling, but I notice it. Any ideas?

[dlaura]

Hi memac and welcome to PetLovers. As far as your budgie, I have read that keets develop tumors in this area and these tumors are sometimes suspected to be eggbinding. On another site I frequent this happened to a member and her budgie was only 1 year old. It didn't really seem to bother her budgie either and since the budgie was not in any pain they just allowed her to live out her life. The only way to know for sure is to take your budgie to an avian vet.

[krazy4birds]

I agree with Diane, but if it is egg binding one way to help would be to hold her over a warm steam, such as heating a pan of water to very hot then while holding your bird drape a towel over the steam with you and your bird under the towel. Sometimes this softens the area enough to let an egg slip out.....that is if there is an egg. Good luck!