Lost 2 females in 2 months?

[trickycrayon]

Hi all, I am new to this forum and to owning finches but am by no means new to owning birds. A couple of months ago, my mother gifted to me two Florida Fancy zebra finches. She'd been keeping them separate from her flock, because the female was exhibiting some health issues- the occasional accumulation of stool around her cloaca, lethargy, puffing out her feathers, etc. It would happen once in a while and then she'd be fine, and the male never showed symptoms. I had her for a month and a half or so before one day I found her on the bottom of the cage. The night before they'd both been fine, happily beeping at each other until the sun went down. The male continued to look just fine.

Last month I was helping my mother at a small bird mart and she gifted me a female (not sure of color morph, but she was overall a dusty grey/brown) who seemed to be fine. Got along with the male, loved taking baths, started nesting when I got them a nest and hay. One day about a week ago, they both looked pretty terrible- puffed out, eyes closed, quiet, lethargic. The next morning, the female was on the cage floor, and the male still looked a bit rough. I checked the female out and saw no signs of the issues the other female had had- no cloaca issues, no weird fecal issues, etc. The next day the male was fine, and he has been since.

This is two females now, with seemingly unrelated issues, who've dropped dead within a two or three month span. My mother asked if the heat was on in case it was gas; I haven't turned the heat on for the winter yet and I don't understand why the male is fine. She did mention that females tend to be the first to go, but I just don't get what's happening. He does seem to be a lot happier when he has a female, but I'm scared to get him one since they don't seem to be long for the world once they get here...I've jokingly named him Jack the Ripper in the meantime. Does anyone have any thoughts? I'm not noticing oddly colored stool or anything. I just can't figure it out. I grew up around birds and I've never had issues like this before, any insight into finches in particular would help.

[tinysparrow]

hi and welcome to the forum! i am sorry for your loss i know how it feels to lose birds that you care about, its really hard.

i wanted to ask you, did your mother breed the birds that passed away? what are her thoughts on what is happening?

[trickycrayon]

She did not breed them; she hasn't been breeding for quite some time. Got them from reputable local bird club members, though.