Bump on her Rump...Updated with Pics... 3-29-09

[L in Ontario]

Well I can't believe this but my female Star Finch has exactly what you described here - some ruffled feathers and a bare spot above her rump with a raised 'white head pimple' in the middle about 1/2" above where her tailfeathers start.

I haven't seen her preening but I'm not in the birdroom a whole lot. I just noticed a few days ago her feathers were not as pretty as they have been and I wondered if she was moulting but I don't see any feathers in or around her cage anywhere.

Are Star Finches prone to this?

How is your female Star doing now Finch Fry? Any better? You didn't squeeze the 'pimple', did you? I would imagine that would really really hurt her.

[Finch Fry]

Her mood and activities have not decreased at all. She is happy, eating, chirping, hopping, playing, etc. She is as if nothing is wrong. But her back is semi bare. with that little raised bump. I have her in a hospital cage with permanent heat lamp/light and have her on antibiotics, day 4. Its a mix of doxycycline with a mineral cocktail mix. Her back went from a fire red as if irritated back to pinkish. So to me that is a sign she is getting better. I plan to keep her on antibiotics for 10 days total and then begin a high vitamin and probiotics round of treatment. I have no attempted to "pop" the pimple. She picks at it enough that if its meant to pop, she will pop it.

I was really worried at first. Now after seeing her like this for a week + and she has not deteriorated in health at all, I wonder if its just part of a molt or something. Surely it must be more though, her little "pimple" is kinda wierd looking. I might catch her and examine her but I wont do it till i get some gloves, i dont want anything from her back getting on my hands... if there is anything.

[Hilary]

I believe that normal birds will all have a "pimple" on their rump - you just can't see it when they're feathered up. It's when it looks swollen or discolored that you need to worry and treat.

[L in Ontario]

I was wondering if it was possibly normal. I'll give them (all) some minced carrot for vitamin A in with their eggfood/soaked seed in the morning.

I'll try to get a pic of it tomorrow as well.

Thanks Hilary.

[Finch Fry]

Figured I would post my pictures here the feathers and the rump area. She was just finishing up her quarantine as I got her at a bird mart in Atlanta almost 2 months ago.

Her rump WAS quite irritated. I started her on a round of antibiotics starting Tuesday of this week. She has been on them now for 5 full days. I am going 10 days on her. Then going to start probiotics. I have also altered the egg food diet to include shredded carrots. Her rump is no longer irritated and is in fact pink now, not red. Also, about 1 minute ago, i caught her to look at her butt and it is still pink AND its covered with tiny new feathers. I think she is molting??!!?? Any of the irritation was just from her picking at it. (at least i hope, antibiotics could have taken care of it as well)

So far I have had my baby girl under strict quarantine and in a hospital cage since I noticed this. I will keep logging this issue here.

[Sally]

The fact that her rump is covered with tiny new feathers doesn't necessarily mean she was molting, as feathers will regrow on areas that are bare, so it just may be the replacement feathers coming in. It sounds like Liz's hen may have the same problem as yours, except hers also has an area on the upper right breast that looks messed up. I have to catch up a pair of Stars tomorrow to move them, so I am going to look closely at the hen and see if I can see any difference in mine.