My Society Finch is way too quiet.

[suebmoe]

Hi folks,
My society finch, Pete, has been quiet since yesterday. I was able to get her to chirp at a video of other society finches yesterday, but today, she's been very quiet, but for a few little peeps. Usual morning behavior for Pete is to be quite lively and chirpy all morning, but today she's very quiet and mostly sitting on the same perch. She occasionally goes to get a little millet or food.

This morning, she went back into her nest after being out for awhile - also unusual.

Her chest area (which, on a chicken, I recall is where the stomach is, though I don't know if finch anatomy is the same) seems a little bigger than usual, though I can't tell for sure. She just isn't acting right.

My husband tried to catch her so that we could segregate her, but was unsuccessful in doing so, and we were concerned about the other two (zebra finches) escaping in the process. So she's still in there with the other two birds.

I'm worried. I like Pete a lot and I don't want to lose her. Any thoughts?

Thanks for your advice!

[Sally]

One possibility, if she is going back in the nest, is that she is getting broody/laying eggs. Can you see inside the nest? Does she have a mate in this cage?

[suebmoe]

I wondered about that, Sally. There's no mate in the cage, specifically, but there are two zebra finches, one of whom turned out to be male.

There are no eggs in the nest at this time. She only went back in once this morning. Since then, she's been sitting quietly. She's currently eating a bit.

[lovezebs]

suebmoe

Can you place a warm light (a lamp with a 40w or 60w bulb), close to the perch where she likes to sit. Birds seem to find both the light and especially the heat very comforting when they're feeling under the weather ).

I would also offer some mashed hard boiled egg, with crushed egg shells on the side.

Good luck.

[suebmoe]

She's gone back in the nest. She just might be broody.

[suebmoe]

Aw, you guys, I'm distraught. My little Pete seemed like she was doing better. Her chirping came back some, but she sounded a little hoarse to me. Today I thought, "I think she's coming back."

But a little while ago, I heard some unusual flapping (the cage was right behind me) and I turned around and Pete was in the bath flapping around - she couldn't get out. I quickly reached in and scooped her out and put a heat lamp on the cage, but a few moments later, she died.

I feel horrible, just horrible. I can't believe I lost Pete. And I feel like it's my fault. I used the same bath that the person who gave me had, and now I think it was too deep. I don't know. She's always stood on the edge of the bath and dipped her tail and head in...but I didn't think she could get stuck in it. I feel terribly guilty and sad. Poor Pete. I can't believe this happened.

[Sally]

suebmoe I'm so sorry you lost Pete, but please do not feel like it was your fault. First of all, if this was the same type bath her former owner used, then she would have been used to it. Even if the bath was too deep, she should have been OK once you scooped her out. It sounds like she might have been having a seizure, in which case it is just coincidental that it happened in the bath. So often, we have no idea why our birds die. They hide illness so well that often by the time we realize they are sick, they are already too far gone to save.

[suebmoe]

Thank you, Sally. In retrospect, I think there were more signs than I realized, in my naïveté. For example, while my parakeets have all manner of junk outside their cage, the finches tend to have just the food and millet shells. It's very rare that they have feathers. But in the last few days, there were lots of feathers on the floor when I swept.

Also, the last two days, the two zebra finches acted differently with Pete. Yesterday afternoon, I found all three of them snuggling in their "Forage Adventure Box" that I made them, and for the last two nights, the two finches have flanked Pete, one on each side. I wonder now if they knew what was up, knew she was dying, and didn't want her to feel alone or unsafe.

I'm so sad that Pete's gone. I really, really liked her.

The finches, Eliza and PeneloHe, have a new Forage Adventure Box and a new, shallower bath now. They seem okay. A little quiet, but okay.

[lovezebs]

suebmoe

I'm sorry about Pete.
Who knows what was going on with her. It could have been so many different things.

Don't beat yourself up over the bath. I have often scooped birds out of the bath water, and when they dry up, they're fine, so I don't think that was the cause of her death.

Regarding the feathers laying around the cage. It is entirely possible that one or all of your birds are molting, and has no bearing on anything.

As in regards to your Budgies having feathers around the cage 'all the time', that is not normal. You shouldn't find feathers around all the time. An odd feather here and there is fine, but unless your birds are molting, there shouldn't be a whole bunch of them year round.

[suebmoe]

Thanks, Elana!

My budgies are just super messy. I looked up there, and while there is the errant feather here and there, it's mostly food and stuff. They're messy and they hate us, but they are super-healthy. LOL

[Mae]

I'm so sorry about Pete

[zebsoc]

I'm sorry you lost Pete.

My new canary had an accident in the bath and I felt really bad but it's the same bath I've used for all birds with no problem. I think she has health problems and that is why.

I am wondering if the zebras were picking on her. It's breeding season and you mentioned the zebras were a mating pair.
Zebras don't usually sit cuddled by bird that isn't their mate and their flanking her could have been intimidating her.
I tried my lone zebra female with my 4 society finches because she lost her mate but when spring came and the weather warmed she became overly aggressive with the society even tho she had no mate.
Also society like to cuddle up and zebras get annoyed by that when their not a mate sometimes.
We live and learn, birds are not as easy as I had thought they were with their different personalities and social needs and Especially during breeding season.
Could have been lots of things but the bird bath sounds like it was just due to her health problems / she was likely already very weak/dying otherwise she would have been fine with her standard bath.

[peewee]

I'm so sorry about Pete.

I think she didn't have the strength to get up when her feathers were wet. When any of my pets were really sick, they couldn't do the things they'd normally do.

I choose to believe that your other birds were caring for Pete. I have a little runt baby and she would always cuddle up to her siblings. When they were patient, they'd cuddle up with her and I could tell she was happy and cozy being flanked on a branch.

You'll always remember your special Pete, but try to remember the happy and healthy times.