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please help: concerned for gouldian hen

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 8:37 pm
by tinysparrow
one of my gouldian hens isn't doing very well tonight, and i'm worried about her. i noticed during the day that she had been sleeping all day. when i came upstairs about 20 min ago to check on her, she was still asleep. i watched her for a bit, and i noticed that she started making regurgitation movements with her head and neck (like when a parrot goes to feed their babies, moving it from side to side). i became very worried when a bunch of liquid came shooting out of her beak, which i assume was vomit (it was clear, like water) :oops: she wasn't puffed up, but her wings were down low at her sides.

i moved her to a hospital cage and gave her a drop of calcium to her beak about 10 min ago, in case it is a calcium deprivation. she has a heat lamp in the cage, and i covered it with a wet towel for humidity. what else can i do for her? what could this be?

she is perched in the hospital cage now, her eyes are closed but she is under the heat lamp, thank God.

Re: please help: concerned for gouldian hen

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 9:26 pm
by PrettyBird
Hopefully its nothing serious!

Have a look at this link from ladygouldianfinch.com.
could she have some of these symptoms?
http://www.finchniche.com/features_canker.php

I know when my female gouldian was low on calcium last year, she was fluffed and on the bottom of the cage, and slept alot. She didnt vomit, as you stated yours did.
For her I gave a drop of liquid calcium every 4 hrs, and shes recovered fine.

Hopefully others will see this post and offer some advice

Re: please help: concerned for gouldian hen

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 9:31 pm
by Jasmin
I wish I had something to say that might help you, but I don't :(
Wishing her a speedy recovery though.

Re: please help: concerned for gouldian hen

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 9:33 pm
by tinysparrow
thanks dee, i have the first medication listed, ronivet-s 12%. should i should give this to her?

Re: please help: concerned for gouldian hen

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 10:44 pm
by lyzzyjayne
I would definately give it to her Amy. This is what my new Finches had and I've been giving them meds prescribed by the vet by mouth twice a day,which is awful,beacuse I have to catch them. :( I am going to order some Ronivet for future use,now that I know about it. :) I'll bet your girl gets well right away. :)

Re: please help: concerned for gouldian hen

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 11:43 pm
by tinysparrow
Thanks for the help guys :) I made up the ronivet and put it in the fridge so I will give it to her first thing tomorrow morning. I hope she will be ok.

Should I treat my entire flock just in case?

Re: please help: concerned for gouldian hen

Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2012 7:56 pm
by 30 Seconds to Bob
Hope she's doing better, Amy. Another thing you can try for possible internal parasites is a few drops of organic apple cider vinegar in the water every now and then. Bob

Re: please help: concerned for gouldian hen

Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2012 9:36 pm
by tinysparrow
30 Seconds to Bob wrote: Hope she's doing better, Amy. Another thing you can try for possible internal parasites is a few drops of organic apple cider vinegar in the water every now and then. Bob
thanks for sending the happy thoughts bob :) i will try the apple cider vinegar in the future for sure. she is doing well, she is still in her hospital cage. she seems to be less wobbly on the perch and i haven't seen her vomit in the times that i checked on her today. i hope that she will be ok.

i adopted her along with her siblings and her parents from a woman who couldn't take care of them anymore due to her disability. i have had them for about 7 or 8 months now. they were all scary skinny when i got them, as i think she was only feeding them a bit of seed and water. i am very happy they have put on some weight since they have been with me. their feathers look a lot shinier and they are generally looking a lot better. i hope this little one will pull through and be ok.

Re: please help: concerned for gouldian hen

Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2012 10:34 pm
by lyzzyjayne
Be sure to keep us posted. :)

Re: please help: concerned for gouldian hen

Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 5:07 pm
by tinysparrow
my hen is looking a lot better today :) she is a lot brighter and more responsive. she has also been awake every time that i have gone to check on her. i hope that she will make a full recovery [-o<

Re: please help: concerned for gouldian hen

Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 5:12 pm
by skyjump100
Good luck Amy, sounds like she is doing very well indeed!!!! I've also learnt some new tips for healthy birds as well :D

Re: please help: concerned for gouldian hen

Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 5:16 pm
by tinysparrow
here she is in her little hospital cage, looking a lot better :)

Re: please help: concerned for gouldian hen

Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 5:21 pm
by skyjump100
She is looking great and inquisitive. She is lucky to have you caring for her :)

Re: please help: concerned for gouldian hen

Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 5:30 pm
by tinysparrow
skyjump100 wrote: She is looking great and inquisitive. She is lucky to have you caring for her :)
thanks :) i hope that she will be ok!

Re: please help: concerned for gouldian hen

Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 10:04 pm
by 30 Seconds to Bob
Glad she seems to be doing better, Amy! She really doesn't look bad in the pictures. Maybe just a little "off" that day. Bob