Saturday Update: owl finch

[cindy]

I posted this on the topic Undigested Seeds but wanted to share this with you.

The owl is on it's 4th day of probiotics, this morning he was like a different bird. He is flying back and forth, goining in and out of the nest box, eating eggfood. I am seeing little of the puffing up and sitting there. I did read that probiotics makes yeat unable to thrive, it is starved by the probiotics.

I treated everyone with probiotics. I gave everyone new finely ground mineral block, cuttlebone and oyster shell, bago o' bugs, ABBA92 eggfood with greens.

When the medication comes in I will treat him and his mate with Ronivet S and medistatin. Not sure if I should treat the other pair of owls also, they seem fine.
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Afternoon update on my owl.

This is surprising and hopeful. This morning I turned all the cage lights on, my little ill owl finch comes bouncing out of the nest and has been like a different bird all day so far. He has been eating egg food, flying back and forth, hoping in the nest box, spreading his tail and wings. He even bathed in his water (containing probiotics), it was the first time I have seen him bathe in about a week.

He is hopping across the bottom of the cage and singing. I don't remember the last time I heard him sing. I am so hopeful he will pull through whatever he has/had going on.He has more energy than I have seen in a long time. His eyes are bigger and brighter.

Can anyone tell me what the hopping around in the nest box, spreading his tail feathers and wings..is he courting?

[dfcauley]

So glad that he is feeling better. Owls are such adorable little birds.

When mine are courting he will sing up a storm, circle around and around the hen before mounting her. He usually does this first thing in the morning with a piece of nesting materials in his mouth. I can hear him from my kitchen and I know what is happening.

[cindy]

After dinner I was watching both pairs, he is feeling better. He started rearranging the nesting material so I gave them more to build with. He is down there sifting through it, jumping from perch to perch with pieces in his mouth. I put an egg cupp of dried ABBA 92 with greens and ground Roudybush near a top perch both male and female are in it, they almost have the cup empty. He is acting like the other male owl now.

While I am watching that pair the other pair of owls started courting again and mated right in front of me . Nothing would please me more than to have little owls twittering about.

Oh one of my female Gold Breast is sitting tight in a nest and comes out briefly to eat and drink. I am to short to see in the nest so I guess I will wait and see what happens.

I ordered the Ronivet S and Medstatin but if the owl continues at this pace and steadily improves I not sure I want to medicate him. I will just keep the meds on hand if something else pops up.

He has 3 more days of probiotics to go. How often do you treat with probiotics as a preventative for yeast?

[lovemyfinch]

Wonderful to hear that your little owl is doing better.

[L in Ontario]

So wonderful to hear he is so improved! Keep up the great work and congrats!

I would not give him the items on order unless he goes downhill again.

[cindy]

He still has seed in his droppings. I think what is happening is he may have had a yeast infection that was possibly secondary to a protozoal. The probiotics helped the flora in the gut and is getting rid of the yeast. He was definitely feeling better, he was building a nest, dancing.

I examined the other pairs droppings, one of them also has seed in their droppings, not as much but some. Both pairs have gone through all the medications including deworming, amoxitex and probiotics (all got vitalize also).

I am debating whether to treat both pairs with Ronivet S then probiotics again and hold off on the Medistatin unless needed. Both pairs each had a mate that were originally housed together at the breeders. Both pairs are nesting, one mating. Ronivet S is safe during all stages of breeding. I am concerned if they do have something it will be passed to the young.

[CandoAviary]

Glad to hear the improvement. Don't have any idea what is wrong with your little owl but it sounds like you must be doing the right thing. Hope he continues to get better and have chicks

[dfcauley]

I have found that Ronivet always perked up and helped my birds.

[cindy]

Sunday morning update...

I think the little owl spent his energy yesterday. He went to eat the eggfood then fluffed up a bit. I think the probiotics gave him a boost but he seems like he regressed a bit.

I did put an egg cup od 50/50 eggfood and Roudybush up high near him. He is in it a lot, at least he is getting nourishment from that.


We are out, hubby wanted to road bike. He does about 30 mile(short ride!!!) And I can do up 14 to sometimes 20. It poured on my way back, got drenched. Now the sun is out and beautiful...waiting for him to meet me, go home and check the little guy. I am just giving supportive care until meds arrive.

I am wondering if there are any seeds owls can't digest or have difficulty with.