I am in the habit of weighing my bigger birds once a month just to monitor their weight gain or loss so I was curious if it is something that is done much with Finches.
I suppose it would be just too traumatic for them?
Do You Ever Weigh Your Finches?
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FeatherHarp
Do You Ever Weigh Your Finches?
I was just wondering if any of you weigh your Finches as part of monitoring their overall health.....and if so....how do you go about it?
I am in the habit of weighing my bigger birds once a month just to monitor their weight gain or loss so I was curious if it is something that is done much with Finches.
I suppose it would be just too traumatic for them?
I am in the habit of weighing my bigger birds once a month just to monitor their weight gain or loss so I was curious if it is something that is done much with Finches.
I suppose it would be just too traumatic for them?
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rottielover
- Flirty Bird
- Posts: 237
- Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2007 11:41 pm
- Location: St. Louis MO, USA
I actually do weight my finches each time they get a nail trim (I call it maintenance lol).
Anyway, I have an electronic food scale that will weight in grams. I have a few of those small cardboard boxes that pet shops will send you home with, so I place the empty cardboard box on the scale and hit the tare button (this zero's the scale to the weight of the empty cardboard box, meaning that now anything placed inside the cardboard box is what will be displayed).
My Avian vet uses the "paper towel method". He will pickup the finch and roll them up inside a paper towel and place them on the scale, works nicely if you know what your doing (don't wrap too tight!).
Anyway, I only do this about twice a year for most of the birds, more often if there's a "problem bird". I usually do this when moving birds to and from the breeding cages. I figure it minimizes the "trauma" of the move by doing all this other stuff in the same move (triming nails, weight, exam, etc.).
I also highly recommend you get a good small flashlight (AAA battery size works pretty good for me). Every time you pickup your birds to do the nail trim weight routine, give them the once over witht he flashlight. Look at the eye's, they should be "clean and bright". Check the nares (nose holes) they should be clean and clear. Check the "ear holes" (blow gently to move the feathers back), they should also be clean and clear.
What's nice about using the flashlight is that you can see more details and you can use it when trimming the nails to see the "quick".
HTH (hope that helps)
Regards
Anyway, I have an electronic food scale that will weight in grams. I have a few of those small cardboard boxes that pet shops will send you home with, so I place the empty cardboard box on the scale and hit the tare button (this zero's the scale to the weight of the empty cardboard box, meaning that now anything placed inside the cardboard box is what will be displayed).
My Avian vet uses the "paper towel method". He will pickup the finch and roll them up inside a paper towel and place them on the scale, works nicely if you know what your doing (don't wrap too tight!).
Anyway, I only do this about twice a year for most of the birds, more often if there's a "problem bird". I usually do this when moving birds to and from the breeding cages. I figure it minimizes the "trauma" of the move by doing all this other stuff in the same move (triming nails, weight, exam, etc.).
I also highly recommend you get a good small flashlight (AAA battery size works pretty good for me). Every time you pickup your birds to do the nail trim weight routine, give them the once over witht he flashlight. Look at the eye's, they should be "clean and bright". Check the nares (nose holes) they should be clean and clear. Check the "ear holes" (blow gently to move the feathers back), they should also be clean and clear.
What's nice about using the flashlight is that you can see more details and you can use it when trimming the nails to see the "quick".
HTH (hope that helps)
Regards
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FeatherHarp
Rottielover...thanks for the advice. I do have one of those gram scales that you can zero out. I will have to try your bird in the box method.
And thanks for suggesting using a small flashlight to use for wellness checks...I never though of that even though I do have one in my harp bag for changing strings on my harps. It would help a lot since I don't focus well up close...more light will give me a better view of the finch. I will add that item to my birdie doctor bag!
I have seen those LED headband lights....maybe that would work well...then I would have both hands free to handle the bird.
I had to laugh at the "wrapping up the Finch"....it makes a funny picture in my mind...kind of like a "Finch Fajita"...
And thanks for suggesting using a small flashlight to use for wellness checks...I never though of that even though I do have one in my harp bag for changing strings on my harps. It would help a lot since I don't focus well up close...more light will give me a better view of the finch. I will add that item to my birdie doctor bag!
I have seen those LED headband lights....maybe that would work well...then I would have both hands free to handle the bird. I had to laugh at the "wrapping up the Finch"....it makes a funny picture in my mind...kind of like a "Finch Fajita"...
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Fancie Flight
- Sisal Slave
- Posts: 575
- Joined: Tue Feb 05, 2008 3:40 am
- Location: Washington State
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FeatherHarp