Budgies !

I need help urgently, what could possibly lift scales like this ???! I've been treating them constantly for months now with ivermectin, not only is the worst birds feet still the same but my other birds despite treatment are ALL starting to raise the scales at the tip of their feet and it's freaking me out. The worst off bird has been to the vets they just thought scaly but again treatment is just not working. They gave her antibiotics after I brought her in because she'd suddenly gotten very droopy wings, very fast breathing and fluffing up... I've been doing that daily but now her breathing has visible clicks and while her energy seemed a bit better... still no change. All her symptoms say mites, is it possibly anything else at all?? Her wings twitch and one other bird does on occasion to. I notice it's always NIGHT time it gets worse. She shouts / yelps and constantly shifting her feet at night and dropping to the bottom of the cage. Then by day she's fine. I'm so lost, contacted an avian far away but he can't get an appointment until 2 weeks... not even a phone call.   Is there any chance you could come up with a few idea of what this will be so I can tell the normal vet and see if there's anything we can do? I don't think she has long or that she will make it to the avian in a few weeks time. All birds are affected. I'm really struggling.   -in regards to scaley all the pictures show a white mange looking condition on the feet... that doesn't seem the case here, their beaks don't seem affected, just cleanly enlargened scales ? Twitching and worsening at night ? No visible mites, not red mites... What on earth could it be? :( still keeping up with vets but, more help the better really. Have you ever seen this before?

Hello.   Sometimes, mites happen secondarily to other conditions eg breathing problems. The breathing difficulty you describe sounds like dyspnoea and is potentially urgent, so you do need to report this to your vet as an emergency.

I am not a psitticine expert, but I do wonder whether the grooming of the feet could be in connection to pain, especially with the dropping to the bottom of the cage.  I also wonder about parasites or infectious diseases, given how widespread across the flock this condition appears to be.   It sounds to me that an exotic vet with an interest in budgies may be worth tracking down - perhaps your own vet would ask for a second opinion on your behalf.   Budgies tend to react to things quite fast, so there may be some level or urgency involved.

A final thought - I dont know where you are based - is to chat to other budgie owners in your area.  If the signs are widespread, they may also have experienced them and be able to reccommend experienced vets.  I hope that something there is useful.