FINCHforum

I have a young Zebra. It looks great. It's eating, drinking, socializing... all seems well. It is an unexpected white from CFW parents. Bright white. Quite beautiful. Last week, it became apparent that this bird has the shakes. Sort of like Parkinsons. It constantly looks like it is going to fall over, or fall off the perch. It doesn't fall over. It doesn't fall off the perch. It's equilibrium seems challenged. When it flies, everything is quite normal.

No other birds (70 birds) are affected. I reiterate, the bird seems quite healthy.

I had been hoping to keep this bird as part of my breeding stock. Now, I'm not so sure.

I wonder if the condition will improve/deteriorate?

Anyone have any thoughts?

Could this be a defect due to inbreeding? Do you cage breed or colony breed? It could also be neurological damage. What is the temperature of the environment? And how old is the bird in question?

I am going to out on a limb here, couple of thoughts....have your birds ever been given Ronex12%....young that are raised by parents that carry a parasites are passed the parasite while the parents feed. If the chicks are strong enough and survive to fledge you may see sings upon fledging or shortly after. the parasites get into the blod stream nd the bird is starved for oxygen...they can shake having trouble breathing. They will continue to eat, drink but usually spend more time in the food bowl. Eventually the bird will try to eat but weaken.

Another thought is the bird could have hit say the cage side and injured itself or caused a brain trauma.

My suggestion is to if the bird is weaned either place the bird in a hospital cage with heat or place a heat lamp on the cage next to a perch so he can warm himself. Observe him.

Are the birds outside, what is the weather there? If the weather is cold or damp lately could he have gotten a chill? You do not list your location, could you add tht please so we can better help you.

- inbreeding isn't a problem (this pair is caged by itself and has been for some time)
- medicating isn't something that happens often, so Ronex12% - no
- they are housed inside. Temperature is 20 celcius to 25 celcius every day. (high/low)

This bird is still black beak. Another week or two before I want to remove it from the parents cage, but stress is slowly building in the cage (normal). The parents are beginning to pick on this group, as another clutch of eggs has been laid. The fledglings sleep in their own nest. These birds are eating on their own, soft food, millet sprays and their regular seed (half a dozen varieties of seed). Cucumber is presented twice a week, but I haven't observed these youngsters eating the greens yet.

I have one other bird, that "isn't thriving", for no apparent reason. It is also young, but fully weaned from its parents. It is caged with a group of 15 other young birds. About 10 young birds are produced a month from my cages.

Birds comes and go. Generally go. The past few months have been busy with 10 new birds that have been brought into the colony. None of the affected birds have housed with the new birds. Eight of the new birds have never been in contact physical contact with the remainder of the birds. They were purchased from one of the finest breeders in the Province (many, many kinds of birds in a very large collection. Many champions - he decided to move away from Zebra's after 30 years). Two young hens, from unknown sources, were placed in my largest breeder cage, after routine segregation.

My suggestion...if the young are fully weaned I would move them to their own cage. By doing so it will give you a chance to observe them and they will be less stressed. The young bird may not be getting enough to eat or is so stressed it is showing physical signs.

I would also put a heat lamp on the baby cage. IMO this would be best if and only if they are weaned. I would not add them to a flight until you are sure there are not any health issues.