Air in crop of adult female gouldian???

[Phutch]

I have a female gouldian that I found on the floor of my aviary about a week ago. She was cold and had labored breathing. After I warmed her up, she started acting hungry and hopping around the hospital cage, biting the sides, trying to get out. She did have some clicking sounds with her breath. I treated her with Scatt. Three days later, no changes, I treated her again.
I did notice that her feathers looked separated and odd so I caught her and saw that she has air pockets where her crop would be. It went away. She's still very tired and a little clicky, so I haven't out her out again yet. Then today, I see that she looks hunch backed again, so I catch her and both sides are full of air. They are about as big as the end of my pinky. What's going on? She otherwise acts fine and feisty, eating fine. I'm waiting on antibiotics in the mail. She's been on a vitamin supplement with heat. Don't know what to do next...
Thanks for the help.

[lovezebs]

Phutch

First of all, let me caution you about treating with SCATT at such close intervalls. SCATT, should be used once, then again 21 days later.


Please read the following:

https://ladygouldianfinch.com/features_airsacmites.php

You will note what can happen if too many mites are killed off all at once...

[/****"Death may occur
Unfortunately, treatment is not always as rewarding as we would like for it to be. Some heavily air-sac mite infested birds can die two to seven days after treatment due to asphyxiation, resulting from the accumulation of dead mites obstructing the air ways".****

As to the air bubbles, to me it sounds like crop statis, or possibly some form of infection in the crop...

The next article might be helpful:
https://www.beautyofbirds.com/candida.html

[debbie276]

Could it possibly be a rupturned air sac?
You can search "ruptured air sac" here and can get several results that may be helpful to you.
Best of luck

[lovezebs]

debbie276 Phutch

Debbie you're a genius!
I think you just hit the nail on the head. I have never seen a bird with this issue, and it never even crossed my mind

Here's a write up about it:

https://wagwalking.com/bird/condition/air-sac-rupture

[Phutch]

Yes! Thank you Debbie! It does all add up. I think she had a scare in the night. She's missing some feathers from the top of her head from hitting the top of the aviary, I think, and I found her in the morning.
The weird thing though about the air pockets is they're coming and going. Reading the symptoms and treatments for a ruptured air sac, I don't see anything about that. They're gone again today, but she seems tired. Still eating and feisty.

[lovezebs]

Phutch

How is your girl doing?

Did you ever figure out what was going on with her?

[Phutch]

Well, I'm still confused! I have punctured the bubbles two times and they just keep refilling. I can't find if I should just keep doing it until they stop coming back or what. One time, I picked her up to old it and while I was holding her, they went down. So strange. She is otherwise totally fine and just wearing herself out trying to get out of the small cage.
Unfortunately last night something must have spooked them outside again and a different bird parished. Since that only left one bird outside, I brought her in to keep the other company. I guess I'll just keep her inside and watch continue this process until they stop coming back.

[lovezebs]

Phutch

Sorry to hear about your lost bird.

Did you ever figure out what's going on outside at night? Too bad you can't put a camera on the aviary to see what's sneaking around it in the wee hours.

Regarding your little bubble girl... I honestly don't know. I have never had a bird present with this problem. I've only read about it in the article which I shared with you, after Debbie276 mentioned it in her post.