FINCHforum

I keep many breeds of birds but several months ago I had 7 young zebras in a large cage and noticed one had a lump which got bigger and bigger and looked full of blood every now and then it would get knocked and bleed which reduced its size but then it would increase in size again but it did not stop the bird from living a normal life but after about 4 months I found it dead in the cage, just put this down to an odd incident.

About a month ago I found another zebra in my large outdoor aviary with the same thing so I put her in a cage and have been monitoring her she looks fine but has a moments of being quite and sleepy then she perks up again she often picks the top off her spot which reduces it then it grows again just like the other zebra but neither of these birds have ever been together or breed by same parents so cannot see any connection, this morning when tending to my outdoor aviary I spotted another bird with same lump so have put her with the other one.

I know I have plenty of zebras but would like to try and save these but do not know what to do because I live in Devon and we do not have any vets who specialise and the local vets want £30 just to look at the bird which I feel is rather over the top.

I do have photos and wondered if I can work out how to post them did anyone have any ideas ?

Hi Jan,

Not sure what that is but it definitely seems contagious! I have just posted a similar question with regards to a Gouldian with a rump growth. I have not yet examined it and it is still feathered but I am wondering I should now quarantine mine from the others.

Hope somebody is able to give you an answer.

Ian

No idea from this corner of the world but I'd suggest a trip to the vet - especially if it seems to be contagious!

Not sure it is contagious because one of the zebras has never been in contact or even within 50 yards of the other two.

Think I may be able to attach photo here goes

That's the same photo as in a previous posting above. Might you have a pic of the other bird affected?

Sorry this is the other birds lump

I'm not a vet but it looks like a tumor. Dogs and cats can get these tumors that look like that when they erupt.

6finchfriends wrote:I'm not a vet but it looks like a tumor. Dogs and cats can get these tumors that look like that when they erupt.

They do? You mean it's like a cyst or a boil?

Well, it's a tumor. it grows and if not taken off will grow and break open. Eventually it sucks all the energy out of the animal, and in this case a tiny bird, and it dies. Like any animal with a tumor. I've seen dogs with these and they look like that when they aren't treated and break open. Like a big open sore. I'm not 100% sure because I'm not a vet but I honestly don't know what else it would be. Since it's happening to more than one bird I would think it might be something they are eating or just a weak genetic strain? I can't say but I might recomend taking it to a vet or looking tumors up on the internet? so sorry for the little one.

Thank you for your help yes it does look like a tumour or cyst and it could well be genetic with the last two but the first bird that sadly died was not related to the two with the problem now so cannot understand what is happening.

Unfortunately where I live the vets know less than you or I and are not really interested in little birds so I am at a loss as to what I can do but thank you for your support it is good to just be able to have other people who are interested to share the problem with.

here is a site that shows some bird tumors. Some are huge and don't look like your little one but there are a few that look very similar. I'm so sorry...
http://www.avianweb.com/fattumours.html

Could be parasitic infection. If these birds are in an outdoor aviary something could be burrowing under skin and causing the growth. You could try Ivermectin (Iverlux ). The best thing would be to have it biopsied. Are there any veterinary colleges that might take interest in a small bird and be willing to diagnose/treat it? Good luck with your little ones!

I had a zebra with the same thing as the top photo...no clue the cause & no avian veterinarians in my area to ask. So what's the consensus? A cyst? Tumor? Cancerous tumor or something benign like a lipoma?

my uncle has a zebra with a lump on it too! Don't know what it is, but he is with about 10 other zebras and no other bird has it

Update as previously stated my first zebra with bloody lump died then I found a second and third in my outside aviary I isolated them together and after many months the lumps disappeared and they look perfect no sign what so ever so I put a male in with them and in no time they laid eggs and the bloody lump returned in one of the females so whether it has anything to do with what happens to them when they lay eggs I do not know will just hope it goes again and see what happens.