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  A budgie's nose The nose is located above the upper beak. No feathers cover this area of a budgie's face. Cere (2) is the scientific name for the waxlike skin that covers the area above the beak. Male budgies of most colour varieties have blue ceres, female birds brown ones. Close to the middle of the left and right part of the cere there is a nostril (3) on each side. Due to the sex-referred colour of the cere it is regarded as a secondary sex characteristic of the budgies.

 

 

 

 

Hyperkeratosis Healthy birds show a flat and smooth (males) or a bit rough (females in breeding condition) cere. If a hen's cere becomes too crusty, vets call this phenomenon a hyperkeratosis (see photo on the right). In some cases such excrescences have to be medically treated by a vet.

Injuries of the cere or the nosec an occur due to different causes. In most cases they can be dangerous and it is necessary to immediately treat them with iron chloride or something comparable to save the bird from bleeding to death.

 

 

Link tip: Do you want to discuss with experts and other bird owners about your bird's health? Then please feel free to visit the English forum external link of Welli.net. Of course you will meet me there, too. My nickname is "Feenseeschwalbe".

 
 
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