ACK

[kittani79]

Well my finches may not be long for this world .

We are babysitting a cat and forgot to close the door to the bird room -- she hadn't shown a lot of interest, but I guess she discovered them while we were out. Came home to the cage on the floor, and both the gouldians sitting on the floor in the hall. Vash has a big wound on his stomach, I don't expect him to last the night. Milly doesn't look injured but there could be something under those feathers...she's at the very least banged up a bit and in shock.

I took their nesting box and put them in it, in an empty 10g fish tank with a screen top, and a light for warmth. I put a water dish in there, but honestly I think they'll be gone before morning .

Any other ideas? All I could think to do was give them a warm place that felt safe -- hence the nest box -- and the light for warmth...

[Sally]

You've done about all that you can do for the moment. Do you have spray millet that you can just lay on the floor, so if they feel like nibbling? I have cats, too, and they are very sneaky--always act like they don't care about the birds, but I don't trust them. These things do happen, but it doesn't make you feel any better when they do. The cat was not part of your normal routine, and any time I have changes to deal with, I am liable to make a mistake. I'll keep my fingers crossed for your pair. Please keep us posted.

[kittani79]

I put some millet in there a few minutes ago. Milly was also breathing better, and tried to fly off when I picked her up to examine her. She has some of Vash's blood on her but I can't find any actual injuries. I put her down by the dish full of seed and she started eating right away. Vash however is still breathing really hard and from what I can tell has a big injury on his abdomen. I tried putting a drop of water on his beak and he did shake his head like "cut that out"... but wouldn't drink. I put him gently back in the nest box. I don't think he'll make it, but Milly is starting to seem hopeful.

[kittani79]

I feel awful about leaving the door open. I actually thought about it as we were driving away, but shook it off as paranoia. I knew better, since the visiting cat even goes outside at her own home and surely has some hunting experience.... but still. Even though my own cats are used to the menagerie we have and very good with them, I know not to trust a strange cat. I *know* it, and yet still forgot. Bah.

[Sally]

I once left a finch in a hospital cage in my dining room, forgot the cats were in the house, and came home to the cage on the floor and no bird. I was very lucky--after searching everywhere, I found her sitting on the crossbar of a 58gal aquarium, under the hood. She must have been scared to death, must have thought she was sitting above the ocean. That was probably the only place in the room that she was safe, too. Don't be too hard on yourself, we've all done similar things.

[kittani79]

Well Vash died a few minutes ago. Milly is sitting by her millet spray, she's eaten a bit of it, and was preening a little when I took Vash out to bury him. She's a little fluffed but breathing more normally. I am keeping my fingers crossed for her, she has always been a tough little one so maybe she will make it.

I will leave the light on for warmth tonight and turn my thermostat up a bit too.

Man, they were just getting the hang of this egg-sitting thing, too. All seven eggs broken to bits in the nest... not that they are what I'm worried about now... but still, that was a sad sight, Vash dead on top of his crushed eggs.

[kittani79]

And my african grey is uncharacteristically quiet. Either she knows what happened or just senses my mood, but it's weird being in such a quiet house tonight.

Sigh.

[Sally]

Oh, I'm so sorry Vash didn't make it--and all those eggs, too. Milly will probably be OK, just shook up. I think the other bird probably picked up on your emotions. And it is hard to blame the cat, because they have such a instinct to hunt, to them they are doing the natural thing.

[kittani79]

Milly looks much better this morning. I have sent my husband out for antibiotics. She isn't fluffed or anything, just looks a little confused at her current environment. I have these silly scenarios playing in my head where Vash flapped around to distract the cat from her and saved her. He certainly was a protective little thing, would fly right up to your face and cuss you out for looking at them when she was sitting on her nest, so I guess it's possible.

If she makes it (which I am much more hopeful about this morning!), she'll be all alone again. I don't know when I can get her another friend, or if she'll accept another mate.

Milly was one of my rescues -- I work at a pet store, and my manager couldn't figure out why she was going bald. She spent about 4 months in isolation, being given the antibiotics the vet gave us, in a tiny little cage. I got attached to her, and she started to stand right up at the edge of the cage and watch when I came in to feed the animals in there. She seemed like such an intelligent bird, for being so tiny, and I found myself wishing I had the $150 to bring her home. I told my manager, and she gave her to me free since she couldn't sell her without any feathers on her head. I did my research and got her the iodine she needed. 3 months later she was a gorgeous little girl, and I went to a bird fair and found her a handsome guy. About a month ago he built her an awesome nest, and shortly after she laid a clutch of eggs. They never hatched, and I know from the carnage that they probably weren't fertile, but with time I'm sure they'd have gotten it right.

I'm so upset that I forgot to close that door.

I know it's not Sylvee's fault. She's indoor/outdoor where she lives, and she was just doing what cats do. She's used to stalking and hunting, and to her it was just natural. She probably has been mystified by our indoor cats, who sit there and sleep while the tiel sings love songs to their tails and whiskers, and who view the finch feeding time as a sign to run to the kitchen because they are next. I can hear the conversation about the water bowl now... "So guys... what the heck is wrong with you? Don't you know those things are *food*??"

[fairestfinches]

I feel your pain.

Sorry for your loss.

We had a Gouldian male named Jack. He was how we got started in finches. When we were having carpet installed I moved Jack and his cage into our family away from the activity. We had a our outdoor cat come in with the carpet layers, and I didn't see it. The cat ate Jack. I felt so bad about it because he was in my care and I felt like I let him and Michele down. I bought Jack for her for mothers day, and felt just awful about what had happend.

I decided I was going to try and make it right and replace Jack. I went out and bought the supplies to build and aviary and then bought 4 more Goulds. I make this aviary cat proof.

We now have over 200 adult finches and countless juvies.

Sometimes something good results from something bad.

I wish you the best and hope that you aren't too hard on yourself.

Sean

[beccafigs]

I'm very sorry for your loss. You did the best you could for them, and sometimes accidents happen. I agree with Sean, don't beat yourself up too much. I'm glad that Milly is doing better.

[dfcauley]

I feel your pain.

Sorry for your loss.

We had a Gouldian male named Jack. He was how we got started in finches. When we were having carpet installed I moved Jack and his cage into our family away from the activity. We had a our outdoor cat come in with the carpet layers, and I didn't see it. The cat ate Jack. I felt so bad about it because he was in my care and I felt like I let him and Michele down. I bought Jack for her for mothers day, and felt just awful about what had happend.

I decided I was going to try and make it right and replace Jack. I went out and bought the supplies to build and aviary and then bought 4 more Goulds. I make this aviary cat proof.

We now have over 200 adult finches and countless juvies.

Sometimes something good results from something bad.

I wish you the best and hope that you aren't too hard on yourself.

Sean

Sean that is a great story of getting started in finches. I got started when my husband had to go to a hospital in Atlanta for a heart stint. They had a beautiful aviary that I spent more time at then in his room with him.
He came home and built me an aviary and I have been adding to it for a while now. At least now when I am looking at the birds, I am in the same room with him. I can stand at my living room screen door and watch the birds fly around in the sunroom.

[jamezyboo21]

I so sorry for your loss. Are you planning on getting a new mate for Milly?

[kittani79]

I will get her another mate, but she will have to wait until the next bird fair. It's hard to find reasonably priced gouldians around here.

[jamezyboo21]

tell me about it, i found some here and they were selling them for $400 a pair or $200 a piece, thats crazy for normals.