Sick finch, going on vacation! Hellllllllllp!

[LauraBird]

Hi,

I have 12 Gouldian finches, 2 society finches, and 2 gouldian chicks in the nest. Yesterday one of my females was so sick she was sitting on the bottom of the cage, one leg through the wire bottom, one wing spread out because she couldn't keep her balance. I took her out (she didn't fuss, another bad sign) and set up a quarantine cage.

While in my hand, I gave her food and water, which she did take from me. She seemed improved after that. I put her in the cage, covered it, put a heat lamp on it, and added food and water on the floor in case she couldn't perch. She stayed on the perch all night.

This morning she seems better, and we've seen her eat by herself. I'm hoping I caught her in time for her to recover.

The problem is we are leaving on a 6 day trip on Thursday (less than 48 hours from now). I know I cannot leave her alone while we are gone, but I am not yet convinced she is well enough to put her back with the other finches without risking them getting sick with whatever she has.

There is an exotic vet I can board her with, but since she's sick, they'd need to examine her first, and she may need to be in their hospital boarding, all of which costs a lot of money. In addition, of course any vet visit and/or boarding is another big stressor, also.

Of course, if I need to do it, I will, but I am hoping I don't.

What advice can you give me? If I put the two societies in with her for company, would that be enough for her? Could a society catch something from a gouldian? I have another day to see more improvement - should I just put her back before we leave?

Thank you so much for your advice! Laura

[Sally]

I'm assuming this hen is not the parent of the Gouldian chicks in the nest. Could she have been egg bound? Of course, without administering liquid calcium, egg binding is often fatal, and she seems to be recovering, but it is still a possibility. Do you have liquid calcium? If not, you can get human liquid calcium (calcium glutonate) at the pharmacy to use for now.

Do you have someone coming in to care for your birds while you are gone? If so, and she doesn't seem any worse tomorrow, I'd be tempted to leave her in a cage by herself until you return. This is a gamble, you are liable to lose her while you are gone, but to be honest, you could lose her at the vet's as well, if she is really sick. Is there a reason that you don't want to leave her in a cage by herself? For six days, she would be fine by herself. A cage with food and water on the bottom, just as you have done, with a small heat lamp at one end of the cage, would let her recover on her own.

I have a very good reliable pet sitter, yet the last time I went out of town, she texted me one day that one of my birds was dead on the floor of its cage when she made her visit, so things can go wrong at any time, through no fault of anyone.

[lovezebs]

LauraBird

I would leave her on her own to recuperate. I hope that there will be someone coming in, to replenish seed and water and keep an eye on things while you're gone.

At this stage, you are doing what you can for her. Leaving her at the Vet, does not guarantee that she will be any better off, than being in familiar surroundings, especially if she appears to be doing better at home. Is it possible that she hurt herself somehow over night?

Elana

[LauraBird]

Thanks for your advice! She is still looking better (and no, she is not one with chicks), still perching and eating and drinking.

At this point I don't have someone coming in to check...We are leaving Thursday morning and coming back Monday or Tuesday. I have enough water and food cups to literally line the entire perimeter of the cages. They may dirty some of the water, but I also have the tall water silos (7!) that will provide a cleaner supply.

I think I will leave her in her own cage for the long weekend - now the males outnumber the females in the bigger cage, so I hope that doesn't create another problem! Two chicks are scheduled to fledge while we are gone, so that'll be interesting to come home to also.

I'm quite worried about all this, but I don't have a friend comfortable enough with birds to be helpful to check in a few times. I get nervous about the heat lamps alone!

This is when I wish for a staycation. Laura

[finchmix22]

LauraBird
What a dilemma! She may have gotten picked on or injured by the other finches, if she was in the mixed cage. On her own, she can recover, most likely, as long as she has plenty of fresh water, seed and a place to perch. You might put her hospital cage where she can see and hear the other finches, but if she seems not quite herself when you need to leave, then let her have a vacation to recover while you're away. I pray she improves and the other finches don't cause problems, fighting over the hens, which is a possibility. Is there plenty of greenery for hiding if there is chasing going on? Make sure the bath water is not under perches, so it will stay cleaner longer. Whenever I go away for 3 days or so, I put extra food and water tubes, but the baths they get the morning I leave and as soon as I return, unless I can get a friend to offer them fresh bath water once a day. The heat lamp makes me nervous too because it can fall or she can get too hot, so make sure she can get away from the heat if she needs to or she can perch under the heat bulb. Or, you can put her in a small bathroom and shut the A/C vents and cover half the cage with a hand towel while you are gone.
Keep us updated when you return!

[LauraBird]

Thank you for the support! I am going to leave her in her hospital cage (it's 24" x 36" so she's got lots of room) - she's been doing better but the last two times I took the blanket off her she made a sort of jerking motion, which I hadn't noticed before. It stopped after a few seconds, but of course any new behavior is a concern.

Putting her in a small room without A/C is a good idea, although she would really be isolated...I could put her outside the office doors (where the other cage is) so she could see and hear everyone else, but she'd be in the large foyer. Decisions decisions!

She has her own seed, finch food/complete meal, charcoal/eggshells, etc., 2 water silos and 3 other water bowls. She'd barely made a dent in a water silo for the last 2 1/2 days, so I know she's covered for drinking water....hopefully she can use the others for her baths and not dirty them too much...

It's hard because sometimes there is nothing to do but wait....I hate being away (can't really cancel a roadtrip to my father's wedding), but I guess when we return we'll know...eesh.

Thanks again, Laura

[lovezebs]

LauraBird

Well good luck and hope for the best. Hopefully she'll improve even more in the next twenty four hours, and will be back to normal by the time you come back.

Elana

[LauraBird]

Oh my goodness things are getting worse. I'm up at 2 am and hear a little noise out of the big cage. I think how cute a little squeaking and then realize I'm talking about the birds not the mice. So there another female was, making squeaking sounds when she breathed. I have put her in with the other sick finch (who never made that sound, by the way), and now I'm completely worried about the rest of the flock...I cannot believe this is happening the day we have to leave. I don't know if I should bring the big group to the vet for observation or just....I am at a loss.

[lovezebs]

LauraBird

Oh dear, this is not good.
Sounds like it might be a respiratory infection of some sort. The vet might be your only option, where they can all be treated with antibiotics.

I feel for you and for your poor birds. This could not come at worst time.

Elana

[Sally]

I agree with Elana, just rotten bad luck! You only have two options at this point. Leave the latest sick hen in with the other one and hope for the best, or board them both at the vet. Neither option is great, you are caught between a rock and a hard place.

[LauraBird]

Thanks for the kind words. I do have the two hens together with a heat lamp, lots of food variety and water. I know my options are limited...I just fear coming home to a flock of dead birds.

These finches are my first experience with pet birds and I have thoroughly enjoyed them. I've actually had success breeding them and so have carefully selected color varieties.

I will let you know how everyone is when we get home.

[lovezebs]

LauraBird

I really hope that you will come back to a flock of live birds, and that all will be well.

Elana

[LauraBird]

Hello! It's a good report! I had prepared for at least one dead bird, but everyone was alive when we got home! One of the chicks has fledged, and the other is poking his head out, so anytime now!

So now the next question is...how long do I wait to put the two hospitalized birds back with the flock? They are eating and drinking fine, but of course I don't want to reintroduce them too early.

Should I wait 30 days to make sure they're healthy? I assume it's ok to leave the 2 females alone that long? Of course, that would give me two extra males in the big cage not counting the 2 chicks.

Thanks for all your ideas and support! Laura.

[LauraBird]

I spoke too soon. I just found Sven, my beautiful silver boy, on the bottom of the cage. He is in the big cage, so I will have to watch everyone in there, and keep the two in isolation quarantined longer.

[lovezebs]

LauraBird

There is obviously something going through your flock, a virus of some sort.

Glad to hear that everyone was alive when you got home.

I would still contact your vet, and check for some upper respiratory problems.

Good luck.

Elana