FINCHforum

Hello everyone,
I hope you don't mind me asking a question but I need alittle help.
I got this little girl about 2 weeks ago and have her quarinteened with a few others that I bought at the same time. Everyone else seems fine but over the weekend I noticed her rubbing her head alot. I noticed that she also had caused a few of the feathers on that side of her head to be somewhat matted. Last night I caught her and washed her head with warm water and a qtip and got all the stuff out of her feathers. I also moved her into a smaller cage by herself. Today she looks better but she is still rubbing the eye alot. I am attaching some pictures if anyone has any ideas what it is or what to do to help please let me know. I have not treated it with anything yet, wanted your opinion before I tried anything.

Thanks
Karen

I am so sorry, I could have sworn the first picture I posted was 106 not 006 please find the right picture attached. I hope!!!

Karen, I would keep it very clean like you have been, and call laraine at www.ladygouldianfinch.com She is very helpful and could possibally make some suggestions, for now it doesnt look very swollen...I assume you have a heat light on for her?

Please someone, anyone give me your sugestions?? Not that Heather isn't someone, actually she is pretty special when it comes to someones, BUT she already told me that on the phone. Anyone else got any ideas?


Karen

Actually, that is one of the few things I WOULD risk a trip to the vet for. It could be conjuctivitis and possibly require some medicated eyedrops. The correct dosage is something a vet would have to determine and administer especially if antibiotics are involved. I'd call a few and see who would give you the best price for what is most likely a simple procedure. When little birds are seriously ill, I tend not to opt for the vet visit due to added stress. Heat and OTC antibiotics. JMO. Bob

I probably would isolate her with heat and use eye drops to see if she didn't just irritate her eye on something. If it starts to swell or gets runny at all I would find a vet. Like Bob said it could be conjunctivitis and you want to stop that from spreading to the other birds.
good luck

kheather wrote: Karen, I would keep it very clean like you have been, and call laraine at http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com She is very helpful and could possibally make some suggestions, for now it doesnt look very swollen...I assume you have a heat light on for her?

Just a minor correction..
Laraine's site is http://www.ladygouldian.com

ladygouldianfinch.com is Joanne

I called Laraine this morning and she was extremely helpful. She told me that what I had done so far was perfect. I had moved her to a smaller hospital cage. Then I removed the perches from the cage she was in and scrubbed them down with bleach water then I microwaved them dry. Let them cool and put them back in the cage. I also did that to one of the perches in the hospital cage, tomorrow I will put that perch in and take the other out and clean it, then repeat until she has stopped rubbing her head.
She then told me to use an antibiotic ointment like polysporine on a qtip and put it on the upper and lower lid of the eye, where she is rubbing so much.
Also to get Colloidal Silver and hold the bird on her side, drop one drop of the colloidal silver on the eye and let it sit for one min then return her to the cage, do that three times a day for 4 or 5 days. If this does not clear up the problem or it starts to swell then I need to administer amoxacillian.
She does not think she has conjunctivitis, she said she thinks it is more of an irritation or possibly the start of a sinus infection, hence the amoxacillian in a few days if the other stuff doesn't improve her eye.
Thanks for all the info and help.

Karen

Sounds like a good plan, hopefully it will clear up quickly and be no need for antibiotics!!

Best of luck for a speedy recovery

i hope that she will get better soon!