Finches from Petsmart

[epriddy]

Ok. I must be honest and say that I purchased my finches from Petsmart. I saw them one day in passing and fell in love. I talked to my father, who has many many parrots and budgies and he recommmended that I purchase from a breeder instead of a store. I spoke with a breeder here in VA but she did not cary the RCCB.
I did birds available online but was scared enough of the whole USPS thing to buy from the store. The 14 day return option was also attractive. I purchased all of the birds at about the same time and they all seem fine. One male is a little puffy and has been since I got him. I caught him one time to take him back to the store but ultimately didn't have the heart to return him. Odd, he's a favorite with the ladies and they follow him everywhere?

I'm keeping it warm, clean, and as stress free as I can manage. He eats, flys around, drinks, no unusual stool, no drainage from the nose, eyes, mouth, etc.

Is this anything that I should be really worried about?

Thanks!

[finchmix22]

A fluffed finch can be a sign of illness, cold, or stress. Watch him, but you should probably separate him from the others in case he has something contagious. I would try putting some Vitamin in the water to start and then if he seems to stay fluffed and there are no drafts or A/C near the cage, he may be sick and in need of a lamp on one side of a small cage to help him keep his body heat. If you have a pic of the bird fluffed and if you notice any other signs of illness, post another message and everyone here will be helpful.

[cindy]

Personally seeing how some o the birds are kept at the local PetSmart I would treat for Parasites and deworm.

You will need either Ronex extra strength 12% or Ronivet S 12%, If you order from another place that has only the 6% it is not strong enough for finches. If you can only get the 6% then double the powder to 1 times the amount of water.

http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/product_ronex12.php

Deworming is done for one day then 7 days later
http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/product_wormaway.php

Inbetween treat with probiotics
http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/product_probiotics.php

I would treat all your birds at the same time
first with Ronex 12% for 7 days
then probiotics for 4
then Deworm
then probiotic for 4 days
the ater 7 days from the first day you dewormed do a deworming again
then probiotics for 4

In the mean time keep a heat source available close to one of the perches for him to sit in.

Usualy with PetSmart if the bird is ill there is a 14 day guarantee/agreement from the time you bought the bird, you can return it for refund or cash. If the birds passes away you need to take the bird to the store along with you paperwork they gave you. They will reund or exchange it for another bird.

Most of the time if you return the bird, it goes back into the quarantine area to be taken care of, if the bird becomes healthy it goes bac out for sale.

[waxbill lover]

Personally seeing how some o the birds are kept at the local PetSmart I would treat for Parasites and deworm.

You will need either Ronex extra strength 12% or Ronivet S 12%, If you order from another place that has only the 6% it is not strong enough for finches. If you can only get the 6% then double the powder to 1 times the amount of water.

http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/product_ronex12.php

Deworming is done for one day then 7 days later
http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/product_wormaway.php

Inbetween treat with probiotics
http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/product_probiotics.php

I would treat all your birds at the same time
first with Ronex 12% for 7 days
then probiotics for 4
then Deworm
then probiotic for 4 days
the ater 7 days from the first day you dewormed do a deworming again
then probiotics for 4

In the mean time keep a heat source available close to one of the perches for him to sit in.

Usualy with PetSmart if the bird is ill there is a 14 day guarantee/agreement from the time you bought the bird, you can return it for refund or cash. If the birds passes away you need to take the bird to the store along with you paperwork they gave you. They will reund or exchange it for another bird.

Most of the time if you return the bird, it goes back into the quarantine area to be taken care of, if the bird becomes healthy it goes bac out for sale.

Not always the case Cindy. I returned 2 society finches to PetSmart (because they were overly aggressive and almost killed one of my orange cheeks in the aviary) and I went back to Petsmart 2 days later for some more seed, and the birds were already back in the front display cages for sale...no quarantine at all. I used to work for Petsmart about 6 yrs ago, and we were always strick about that, but some stores apparently are worse than others...

[finchmix22]

I started my finchoholic addiction at PetSmart too. I bought Society's, Spice, OCW, rccb and GS. They were from different stores in our area. Over the last year, I have noticed some of the stores take better care of the finches than others. The care depends on the employees and the manager's knowledge of finches. The staff at the one closest to my house, readily listen and accept my input, but at other stores, they ignore me and respond with "We'll take care of it." So, if you develop a relationship with the staff at PetSmart or any other petstore, the care given to the finches, parrokeets, etc. will improve. My local PetSmart knows me b name and face. They know I breed finches and I started at their store. They often ask me what I'm buying and how the finches are doing and I make rounds at their bird area. If I see someone looking sick, fluffed, long nails, etc. I tell the staff and the bird is taken care of immediately. I also educated the manager of the birds department about the ways to treat the finches without sending them to a vet. The vet in house does not specialize in avian vet medicine. They were eager to learn and I noticed a change in the finches activity level and health appearance. JMO

[Chichireeo]

Deborah it's great you helped those finches at the store.

I didn't like the way some birds looked at petsmart. But then, where do they come from? Don't they come from the same breeders who are likely selling finches elsewhere? I think maybe the birds get sick while living at Petsmart.

[cindy]

PetSmart has it's own breeding facilities, they are not allowed to buy from anyone else lie smaller stores can.

Deborah, I do the same....the cleaner store manager has known me for years. I have given him websites to have his employees read, lkie efinch.com. I even helped to sex some birds and give a quick lesson on how to. My husband just watched me, thining "she's in her elements now!"

Some of the PetSmarts near us have had several managers, one the birds always look sickly. I mentioned it to the manager of the other store so he could talk with management. It is nice when the stores want to work with you for the well being of the animals and birds.

[epriddy]

Wow, thanks for all of the responses.

I was able to snag a quick pic just now, though it's not that clear.

Puffy is the one on the far left.

I've been to a number of Petsmarts in the Richmond Area and frequent the one where everything always looks great in the bird and aquarium. I talk to the manager there regularly.

[6finchfriends]

I'm not an expert but I know you can get a bird exhibiting illness/stress from breeders as well as pet stores. When birds go to a new home they can suffer from stress and will puff up. It's hard on birds to move into a new environment. If I were you I would give them an electrolyte supplement and some heat. If he doesn't feel better before the return is no longer good i would take him back and choose another. You might want to put some artificial vegetation in the cage so they might feel a little more secure? They're very pretty so good luck with them.

[cindy]

Trish when a bird gets stressed like in a move, crowded conditions or breeding, especially if they come from less than favorable conditions they can start showing signs of illness like parasites, viral issues, etc.

Keep the bird warm and I would still treat for parasites and deworming.

[finchmix22]

I agree with Cindy. I lost several finches (the ones from PetSmart in the beginning) and at that time I did not treat for anything. I wish I'd known then what I know now, as I could have saved those finches. There is a learning curve and we do our best to keep our birds healthy. Sometimes, prevention is better than treatment after they're sick.

[6finchfriends]

Deborah and Cindy~You're right of course. Any birds you get should go through a quarantine even if they are the only birds you have. I didn't because I mistakenly thought you only had to put birds in quarantine if you had other birds. I don't know where I got that idea but it was the wrong idea and I was very lucky not to have my birds get sick from something. And if some day you get other birds, you'll know your 5 RCCB's are healthy because you've already treated them.

[epriddy]

Thank you all for these very helpful replies.

I checked my receipt and my return window for Puffy has expired.

I will visit the websites provided and start them on that cycle asap.

Thanks again!
Elissa

[epriddy]

The flight cage that I ordered is coming today and I hope that being moved to a less crowded area will help with their stress, although they seem more and more settled in everyday. I also moved their cage to another room in a corner with window on either side. They can look out the windows and I think that's entertaining for them.

I did also pick up some silk flowers as suggested and put them in the corners of the cage that I have now. They do seem to like them as they surround their one used nest (a coffee pot filter) and their favorite stick perch.

Thanks again!!

[epriddy]

Hello! I just wanted to post a quick note that after being here with me everyone is doing really well

Actually, I feel like they look better and better day by day. More sleek, very alert, very in tune with each other.

I live alone and am gone during business hours and am in grad school two nights a week so they definately have their alone time. when i get home they don't run away or play shy but cock their heads to the side as if to say hello (and where are my mealworms) and then resume being little busy social bees.

They really have been a great addition to my household. I have a comfy chair in that room that I often sit in and just watch them. I put a huge privacy flower to the cage to the side so I can't see them in there but they don't seem to mind being watched and sometimes coo'd too.

The only thing i'm sort of disappointed in is this short lifespan prediction. I envy my dad who knows that his parrots will live at least as long as he does!