FINCHforum

I had posted this frantic message in another forum and wanted to expand the inquiry to reach more finch lovers, we need more research on our feathered friends illnesses! Anyone with new input or personal experiences please add. http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/comm ... neurologic

Does he just lie in that position on the floor of the cage, or is he moving around, like he was having a seizure? It could be neurological, it could be he has injured himself flying into the cage bars. If it is twirling, there is sometimes improvement seen by treating with Nystatin.

Unfortunately, there is not a lot of research out there on finches. Part of it is economics, one large hookbill can cost as much as a flock of finches, and part of it is that many avian vets don't even see a lot of finch patients. Because of the size of the finch, it isn't always easy to treat them. When a lab once asked my vet to draw blood on a finch, he replied that they had to be kidding.

I hope you can get some answers for your Society.

If it is twirling, there is sometimes improvement seen by treating with Nystatin.

sally where can you get nystatin?

Amy, the only one of our business members listed in the Avian Business Listings that lists Medistatin as one of their products is terrig at www.glamgouldians.com. Or you can do a search at your usual vendor for Medistatin.

Sally wrote: Amy, the only one of our business members listed in the Avian Business Listings that lists Medistatin as one of their products is terrig at http://www.glamgouldians.com. Or you can do a search at your usual vendor for Medistatin.

Thanks Sally

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't medistatin the one that is now water soluble and has to physically make contact to fight fungus?

I had a twirler and tried applying to oil covered spray millet just in case. It didn't do anything in my situation.
Hope it works for you!

Brian, Medistatin is Nystatin, and you're correct - must make contact with the fungus to work. If a systemic infection is at work, there are drugs that can remedy that. I, too, have wondered why Nystatin sometimes works for twirling. It's possible that it's a coincidental remission - or maybe has something to do with the inner ear and somehow the Nystatin makes contact through the throat? The problem is, as Sally said, no one knows what causes twirling and we are left with anecdotal remedies that only work some of the time. So - sometimes fungal - sometimes injury - and that's kind of all we have!

I have seen behaviors like this in wild birds which have hit windows or walls (check youtube - might help) - and can lead to neurological damage which causes physical issues/manifestations like what you're seeing. It might be kinder to put your bird down if there is no visible recovery, of if a vet cannot help with any improvement. Good luck, I hope your bird recovers.

lady gouldian carries it in powder

I wonder where the original poster went

Thank you to all that gave input on my post. Did not get a chance to come back to update until now. Lost laptop, and then trying to remember passwords for all the sites, etc. Not sure if any of you read my post in that tail and feathers site (not sure I like that set up over there) but in order to update about Cepheid, I will need to talk about Crash also. Crash is Cepheid's son. He had the twirling first, recovered, relapsed, recovered and now stays in separate cage with his dad. They have both learned to adjust. Neither can fly well, but am not sure if it is because they don't have access to free flying or because of neuro issues. Crash seems better than his dad, he still sings. Cepheid stopped doing that curling up, as seen in the pic, after I introduced egg shells to the diet on a regular basis. Not sure if it is a coincidence, but he was curling up constantly when stressed, almost involuntarily. After egg shells, he doesn't do it anymore. I did research and shells are full of nutrients, so maybe it was something lacking. Cepheid has not sang in a while, or taken a bath. He does eat his seeds, greens, egg shells, drinks, etc. I supplement his diet in the AM and PM with Earth Best's baby food. Peas and brown rice or corn with butternut squash or a mix of both. HE is stable, does not twirl anymore. Maybe his damage is permanent, but as long as he is not in distress, he will remain with us. If anyone comes accross any research on this, please share. Animals are so resilient and accepting of their limitations, we should only learn to be like them.
Thank you!
ps, no one else has shown these symptoms (the other 12 finches)

Egg shells also have calcium, try giving liquid calcium to them
lou

medistatin is a powder, should lightly oil your seed and sprinkle it on the seed, use it for 10 days. It is a fairly safe med to use.

Lori