Parakeet tumor?

Question
My female parakeet has had a tumor growing in her rear end area for many months. I took her to a bird vet who took xrays. She said it was Not a blocked rectum or prolapse and not an egg. In fact she did not know what it was. I also have a male parakeet with her. They are very affectionate with each other. I have read about daily diet and the importance of fruits & veggies. I have offered fruits & veggies in every way I can think of and they refuse to eat anything but the seed & mullet. I think I read that poor diet can cause a fatty tumor. I don't know what to do for her. She seems to eat & drink OK but this must be very uncomfortable for her and I hope she's not suffering. Any suggestions?

Answer
If she is hurting, budgies will often hide this to avoid being preyed upon by larger animals.  But if she's eating and drinking, that's a good sign.  I'm a bit surprised that your vet didn't know what it was.  If the vet can't help you, I would find another avian vet in your area.  There is an ask the vet forum here on AllExperts; I would ask one of the vets there for some advice.  I'm 16, so my advice is hardly comparable to an expert veterinarian, and I'd hate to hear that something happened to your bird.

If she does have a fatty tumor, the seed and millet diet probably isn't helping.  You might want to get her in better shape if you think she's up to it.  Try letting her out of her cage to fly around a bit (do this only if she's tame!), and make sure she has toys and things to exercise with.   Millet is a high fat, high carb, high protein food.  You also will want to limit treats.  Some budgies have a very American diet, and won't eat anything that's good for them.  Try mixing herbs (mine love cilantro and spinach) and dried fruits in her food, and gradually getting her used to fruits and veggies.  I know some pet stores also sell a low fat seed mix.  Try this, and see if it helps.

I'm afraid that's all the advice I can offer you for now.  I hope I was of some help.
-Leah