Java Finch Head Injury- Help!

[BeginningBird]

About two hours ago I discovered my female albino java finch sleeping on a perch in my mixed- species aviary, only problem was her head was covered in blood and she couldn't open her left eye. I panicked slightly, and she barely put up a fight when I nabbed her. I cleaned up most of the blood and by a closer examination her head wasn't bleeding at all, her mouth and nostrils were. I applied pressure for a few minutes and she seemed to perk up, so I put her in a quarantine cage with a perch, clean water, and seed. What else can I do for this injured bird? And how was it caused? She's an albino, so her vision is very poor I was thinking maybe in the night she flew into the side of the cage. I really do hope she makes it, she's part of a bonded pair.

Thank you.

[lovezebs]

BeginningBird

Oh my goodness, that doesn't sound good, poor little girl.
Did you manage to stop the bleeding? Is her eye alright?

If at all possible I would get in touch with your Vet, as bleeding from anywhere on the head is never a good thing.

It's difficult to say what might have happened over night, but at this point you did the right thing to clean her up and place her in a safe place with warmth and supervision.

Please give us updates on how she's doing.

[BeginningBird]

BeginningBird

Oh my goodness, that doesn't sound good, poor little girl.
Did you manage to stop the bleeding? Is her eye alright?

If at all possible I would get in touch with your Vet, as bleeding from anywhere on the head is never a good thing.

It's difficult to say what might have happened over night, but at this point you did the right thing to clean her up and place her in a safe place with warmth and supervision.

Please give us updates on how she's doing.

She has survived! (so far)

I thought she would pass away in the night, but she is going much better today, she can now open her eye about half way and the bleeding has stopped. I've ordered some medication that should arrive tommorrow for her as well. I don't think going to a vet is nessasary unless she refuses to eat/drink.
I don't know what the heck happened to my birds, but this morning I discovered another injured finch, this time a female zebra, with head trauma to a lesser degree. She should be fine but is unable to fly far.
I keep my birds outside so a raccoon or possum must have disturbed them in the night, but it's never happened before!

Thanks for the help! I think they'll be fine.

[lovezebs]

BeginningBird

I would be very concerned about cats, or some wild life that are getting to your birds.

What sort of bars or screen do you have around your cage/aviary?

I had birds with injuries some years ago, which would happen over night. At first I suspected other birds in the flight. Then evidence proved, that it was one of my cats that was stalking them at night, reaching between the bars as they slept and trying to pull them out.

Just something to keep an eye on.

[isobea]

BeginningBird - I am so sorry to hear about your injured birds.
I've been keeping finches in my outdoor aviary since 1989 and about 20 years ago I was suddenly having problems like you - birds getting spooked and injured during the night. It turned out to be a neighbor's cat (and a raccoon a number of years later). I found paw prints after it had rained. I installed a Fido shock fence on the outside of my aviary with the wire running around the bottom at almost ground level and then again about a foot above that. My aviary is partially built into a slope, so then the cat figured out it could jump from the highest point onto the roof. I got carpet tack strips from Home Depot and attached them to the edge of the roof (with the nails facing in). Only one more attack after that.
It sounds pretty mean but I couldn't take the risk of more birds getting injured or killed. Thought I'd tell you because I'm afraid whoever the culprit is, might come back now they know there are birds there.
Good luck,
Iso

[BeginningBird]

BeginningBird

I would be very concerned about cats, or some wild life that are getting to your birds.

What sort of bars or screen do you have around your cage/aviary?

I had birds with injuries some years ago, which would happen over night. At first I suspected other birds in the flight. Then evidence proved, that it was one of my cats that was stalking them at night, reaching between the bars as they slept and trying to pull them out.

Just something to keep an eye on.

I have them in a big ferret cage which I changed up to hold birds, the wire is solid galvanized metal, nothing can reach in and I have it secured under my outdoor porch with Bungie cords so nothing can tip it over either. At the beginning of the year I was having some problems with raccoons messing with my ducks so I must have trapped out around a dozen or so, enough that they didn't bother me after that but I think they've come back. I'll start setting traps again, I suppose.

[lovezebs]

BeginningBird

Good luck.

I hope your injured birds recover, and that there are no more injuries.