FINCHforum

I noticed today that it seems like 2 of my Zebra's have 'dry feet'.... like it looks like they need lotion! Obviously this is not what is going on, but is that normal for their feet to look kind of dry? They are acting, eating, bathing, normally. The hen is even laying eggs at the time (infertile). Thanks for any help! Liz

Most birds dont generally have soft feet.they need them roigh and dry for gripping perches

I don't mean that they are soft vs. hard... they just don't look smooth and extremely orange - they look kind of scaley and have some white flecks (that look like what a person with dry skin would have). When I compare them to my other two Zebra's, their feet are very orange and smooth. I know this doesn't really make much sense, I will try and get a picture.

I know what you mean,are some of the zebras younger? Same or different parents? Which ones have the dry feet?

Could it be scaly mites?
Check out these pictures:
http://ladygouldian.com/node/214

Oh i did not think about scaly mites! Good catch

got a picture - the white one (female) are worse than the male. His are barely 'scaley'.

Not scaley mites - not that bad at all! The pics of the white one are turned out really good and show appropriately what is going on. The male is about a year old and was from a friend. I have no idea on the age of the female. She was from PetSmart and had a deformed foot. They didn't know what to do with her after I pointed it out to them and they let me have her (white one). I think she may be inbred not only b/c of the foot, but b/c her eggs are always infertile (which is fine by me) and they are super tiny and coned shaped.

Oh and I have had them in the same room with the other two Zebra's, they are just in different cages. Cages are side by side, so I would think if it was a bug, they would all have it. It honestly just looks like dry, flakey skin. It does not have bumps and is not 'sticking out'. The scales are even with the rest of her feet.

Could it just be dry air in the winter time or something to do with diet? This is not my area of expertise.

I am hoping that is what someone will say because they really are in excellent health. I am hoping someone will tell me it is normal and I am crazy for wondering! I just want to make sure they don't need something that I am not providing and should be.
Food wise, they get the Katie Forti diet pro-health and the Katie egg enriched diet mixed together. At the fair I purchased a bag of Higgins Vita Seed and started mixing that in yesterday.
It does look better after they bathe... then after a few hours looks dryish again.

You are crazy for wondering.
Lux is my 4year old and his feet are like yhat,lolita is a year and a half and her feet are little dry. My babies have smooth feet.it is wear and tear i would say.
Are you giving cuttlebone and veggies as well?

Yes to veggies and cuttle bone. Just introduced Romaine to the routine. Have not tried giving egg food yet. My finches LOVE cuttlebone and eat it a lot.

Young zebras should have smooth shiny legs and feet, as they age it may get duller. A plain seed diet is not a complete diet. The fortified seed do not give the proper vitamins and nutrition since the seed that is coated is hulled not eaten.

I would add a pellet like Zupreem fruit blends for canaries/finches. Also provide them with some boiled grated eggfood. Try giving them romaine, shaved broccoli tops and grated carrots. Make sure you provide cuttlebone as well. They may be lacking something in their diet.

our FIC has some good information in regards to foods and diet.
http://www.finchinfo.com/diet/index.php

Thanks Cindy - I am looking into egg food now. My finches won't eat the pellets, I might have to try pulling up the seed so that they HAVE to eat the pellet food. I do feed veggies, but have never tried broccoli. I recently added Romaine after talking to Chase. They eat a LOT of cuttlebone. It is their favorite thing in the cage. I am glad to see that the consensus seems to be diet, I can fix that quickly! Do you see any reason that it would be bad to pull the seed mix and try just offering pellets so that they actually eat them? Or should I just put in pellets and sprinkle it lightly with seed mix? Thanks so much for everyone's help!