Help! Injured Spice Finch

[linlarrimore]

Hello, I need your help please! I have a pair of 2 y/o Spice Finches, they're great. So, I was trying to catch the female last night to cut her very long nails and she put up quite a fight. I got her out of the cage, but she began wiggling in my hands then made a wretched noise. She was underneath the towel so I couldn't see what happened, but I wasn't squeezing. She then escaped and fell to the ground, unable to fly. She was panting and obviously in a panic. When I picked her up she coughed and blood came up! It was not a lot of blood, but...it was bizarre. I held her in the towel and she lied there, motionless, blinking very slowly. I assumed she was dying and in pain. I pressed my thumb to her neck, to put her out of her misery and at that moment she sprung to life and escaped from me again!
She has not coughed up anymore blood since but she cannot fly. She has no protrusions of bone or anything obviously out of position. I do think it's a wing problem because she won't use them, just hops and climbs. The only thing I noticed is that the wings are not lying flat on her back, they are raised a little, especially the left.

I spent the night calling around to several vet ERs, none could help (Sunday evening). I really don't have the money right now either ($200 just for the visit) She has no protrusions of bone or anything obviously out of position. I do think it's a wing problem because she won't use them, just hops and climbs.

I quickly set up a hospital cage for her. She is eating eggfood with seed and oyster shell, and I put some millet and cuttlebone in there for good measure. I also made the electrolyte mix for her. I put a very low perch, and she hops up on it. I've got a little heater in there for her, too.

How long should I keep her in the hospital cage?
Where should I keep her while she's there? I kept in dark room where she could hear him but not see him, because she gets too excited and starts climbing around, getting caught. But I worried the isolation will stress them out even more?

ANY advice would be greatly appreciated, I'm new at this. Thank you so much!!!

[Sally]

She may have injured her wings during her struggle. I'd keep her quiet in the hospital cage and wait and see how she does tomorrow. You say you have a heater in the cage. Is it like a rock reptile heater? Just be sure it is not something that she could burn herself on. I like to use a heat lamp outside the cage, which can be as simple as a gooseneck desk lamp with a 60w bulb, pointed at one end of a perch. Make sure there is room in the cage for the bird to move away from the heat if it gets too warm.

[linlarrimore]

I'm actually just using a small room heater to keep the room at about 80-85 degrees, is this okay? It's not blowing on her. Her hospital cage is a 12" cage and I'm worried she wouldn't be able to escape the heat from the bulb.

Today: She is very energetic and seems like her usual self, but she won't even try to fly...Her left wing is injured. I felt along the wing, and the large bone did not appear broken thankfully, but the wing rests slightly raised.

Can a finch recover and fly again after an injured wing?
Also, How long should I keep her in the hospital? I know its very distressing for them. If it is unlikely she will fly again, I want to just modify their home cage and get her back to her mate asap...

[Sally]

The concentrated heat from a bulb is best, but in a small cage, you do have to be careful that the bird is not forced to sit in the heat, like it or not. That temp is quite warm, so I would think it would be OK. I would leave her in the hospital cage for now, she's only been in it for a day. Unless she or her mate start to hurt themselves in a panic to get back together, they will be fine to be separated for a while. Whenever I've had a sick or injured bird, they don't seem to mind being separated at all, and they can concentrate on getting better instead of worrying about other birds.

[linlarrimore]

Ok, I don't feel so guilty about it now thanks

She can hear him sing from where she is too

[gsjohnson]

I'm new here, but I have been in and out of the Finch hobby for the last 40 years. Been lurking here for quite a while.

But onto your issue, I don't use towels when handling my finches because it is very difficult to know what kind of pressure you're applying your when gripping them. I always disinfect my hands before handling them. Hope this helps you in the future.

[DanteD716]

Glad you joined. I wouldn't say she broke anything. Maybe pulled a muscle in the struggle to get away? The blood, maybe she puked or something as a defense? Not sure, but I would leave her in there for atleast a week or so to heal.

[linlarrimore]

Update: Thanks for all the help everyone. After a week and half, she is still not flying I'm thinking nerve or muscle damage? The wing seems paralyzed or something, she can not lift it and it rests slightly out of place.

However, I have modified her cage so she can hop all over and a few washcloths beneath the lining to cushion her frequent falls. She is as energetic as ever. I'm very impressed, she is a real tough birdie.

[debbie276]

Happy your able to make her more comfortable with her disability.
Best of luck

[Zebrafincher]

Birds can adapt fairly well to being unable to fly. I have a flightless male star finch, Fruit, who broke his wing at 1 yr old. He's six now, and gets around in a modified cage with thick branches for him to perch on. He has a mirror which he loves, seed grass to hide behind, and is in a cage next to another star finch, and a canary, and peeps to them all the time.

[Zebrafincher]

Birds can adapt fairly well to being unable to fly. I have a flightless male star finch, Fruit, who broke his wing at 1 yr old. He's six now, and gets around in a modified cage with thick branches for him to perch on. He has a mirror which he loves, seed grass to hide behind, and is in a cage next to another star finch, and a canary, and peeps to them all the time.