FINCHforum

I bought a new female a week or so ago, and I have her in my bedroom in quarantine right now. I have two male zebras already in my living room. They were bickering like crazy yesterday and today they are both rather puffed up, and the one who was getting picked on is trying to snuggle next to the other male constantly (as I type this he is a huge puffball snuggled next to Firecracker on a perch) and he's sleeping a lot. I had the female on antibiotics because her poop looked off and she is doing great. I don't know if maybe they still caught something from her, as I only have a one bedroom apartment and while they are in separate room they are still not far away. I could put them all on antibiotics... This is very sudden and I don't know what to do. I didn't see any warning signs. I was planning on cleaning the cage very well today but I don't know if I should if he is already stressed out and sick.

I would seperate the males if you can and try giving the puffy one some heat. If he doesn't respond well to heat alone I'd put him on the antibiotics as well. Another option is giving him some Thrive to get his ellectrolites up. If you do not have Thrive you could use Guardian Angel.

Sean

Tomorrow morning I will go see about a heat source for them. I have a lamp with a full spectrum bulb in it for them, but I don't have room for a second lamp, unless it is the clip on type. I don't know if I should just see about a bulb and shine a clip on lamp near his favorite perch, or whether I should see about something else (a ceramic heater, heated perch, or use something else meant for reptiles? ). I will see what of the two products you mentioned I can get my hands on for them for their electrolytes too. I can't really separate them right now, if I do the backup cage will end up somewhere drafty (all the room I have left where I could plunk a cage down is near the sliding glass door). One seems more sick than the other, but they are both puffing up, so it would probably do them both good to get treated.

I like to use a Sylvania 50w red spot light for a source of heat. They give off a good amount of heat and because they are red, I feel comfortable leaving it on day and night for the bird. Plus they are much less expensive than the ceramic bulbs - about $2.60 per bulb.

But I've only been able to find this bulb at Menard's in my area and they don't always have it in stock.

Good to know. I will try to get my hands on one. Thanks!

For those red bulbs, try Tractor Supply or some other farm and garden or feed type store--they are sold there as brooder heat lamps.

I went to a feed store and they suggested that I just use a normal light bulb close to the cage for heat rather than get the brooding heat lamp. I had picked up a red 50w bulb (for $9!) in the reptile section of petsmart, before I read the suggestion on where to get those bulbs Tammy mentioned, and that bulb is in the lamp and is on now. I can also go back for the brooding heat lamp, since this store is very close to my home. I also got something to boost their electrolytes. Fattycakes (the more obviously ill one) was hanging out under the light for a while, and now he's eating the millet I just bought them (OFF the stick, since Firecracker will put the stick on a perch and then defend his "nest" and chase poor Fattycakes around ).

Oh, I hope they're doing better with their additional heat. With fantastic names like those, they need to stick around!

They seem to be doing a bit better. Fattycakes is still sleeping more than normal but when he gets up and moving he acts pretty normal. I was reading up online and I'm almost wondering if he is going into a moult. He is looking rather scraggly; there are a few feathers in the bottom of the cage and I just cleaned it this morning. I read that they tend to sleep more since its stressful, and with the heat he hardly puffs up at all now. I've been home with them all day and haven't seen any fighting or feather plucking, either.

Now, the names. They both came from a bird store near my home and my friend went with me to pick them up. She named Firecracker because he was so unhappy in his cardboard carrier that he was jumping around and/or making noise the WHOLE time he was in there. He never quieted down. He was at least making noise for a good 30 minutes. When he would jump he would move the carrier and almost took a spill off the counter in the store when he got it close to the edge. Fattycakes was named by my husband, because he didn't take the stress of moving as well as Firecracker. He was pretty quiet and a bit puffy for a while before he settled in, and my husband was teasing him because he looked fat. They have such distinct personalities, I love it. I really hope Fattycakes continues to improve. I worry so much because I'm so attached to them.

That is cute how you came up with their names! Ditto on what Hilary said - their names are fantastic - very creative.

Glad to hear they are responding well to the added heat, and ellectrolytes.

Sean

My 2 Javas are molting now and they haven't stopped fighting for the last few days. It happened really suddenly, Riff & Raff would buddy up all the time but now they can't even stay on the same perch together without a riot happening. They have sufficient heat and the cage is at a constant, so the only thing I can think of for the fighting is the molting, they are both healthy and eat well, but they are even fighting over the food trays and bath now. Oh, and a couple of weeks ago they started having crazy periods during the day, Riff started it by flying wildly from perch to perch and flapping his wings at a tremendous speed, then Raff started doing it a few days later, this is my first time to keep Javas at a young age so this behaviour is new to me.

I just had the same problem with my finches. Does she get enough calcium? If not, crush up some eggshells...or buy supplements at a petstore. She could also be cold. Do you live in a hot enviroment? I bought my finches a infra red light, they are LOVING it! Try it with yours. If that doesn't work...I don't know what will!

Yours Truly,
-NorthernFinch

They have enough calcium, they have the grit and the eggshells and the cage is at a constant 26° as is the room where I let them out in. One thing that puzzles me is that Riff is getting really fat and that is the most aggressive bird. I don't yet know if Riff is he/she but I am wondering if Riff is eggbound. It keeps trying to tear things up, but the thing is, Riff is only about 6 months old