FINCHforum

Today I arrived home after 4 days awaywith one of my lavender finches looking sick.

She (?) seemed to be sleeping more on the perch around the other waxbills. i noticed drooping wings and being fluffed up. looking closely, there seem to be missing feathers on the back/ rump area.

i noticed it picking at its behind/ rump area followed by its tail feathers bobbing up and down sometimes.i also noticed it squirt out liquid (diarrhea?) poo? Still flies down to eat and drink so I left millet spray and water. I caught her easily and did not feel a lump on her belly. Her vent seemed dry to me ( i am not an expert) but she is missing feathers on her back and abdomen area and her tail feathers are not well kept. She still loves to huddle with the other waxbills and gets preened but goes to sleep on the perches.

I dont know what's wrong. none of my other waxbills are sick or behaving sick. i had lost a cordon blue finch about 3 weeks ago-he was fluffed up, resting mostly x1-2 days and then one night rested in a nest (unusual), not eating much. He passed away that morning.

Thoughts and advise please.

Big sigh. i am thinking that i should begin treating with some antibiotics or probiotics for the whole cage since everyone had been exposed for the past 4 days. More sigh...

The first thing to do is give her heat. Could she be eggbound? Are there males in the cage? The feather issue reminds me of a finch who had a preening gland problem. The vet had me apply warm compresses three times a day! Whew, that was tough. She may need to be quarantined too. Do you treat the flock for ASM, worms, coccidiosis? Can you post a pic?

here's a couple of pics. went into isolation cage last night...

Poor thing

I've had terrible luck with lavender waxbills in particular. They seem to be so delicate health-wise. Unfortunately don't have any advice to offer but wanted to send wishes for a speedy recovery.

Keep us posted!

That looks like the blocked preening gland, just like my Spice finch went through. You need to make warm, not hot, compresses with a wash cloth and hold the compress on the gland for about five minutes. I know the finch will hate this, but the warmth is soothing and may calm her some. Also, this happens due to lack of Vitamin A, so give her a supplement and shredded carrots or other Vitamin A rich veggies. She may need an antibiotic too, as the glands get infected when blocked. My vet prescribed Enrofloxacin .01cc by beak for 7 days. Good Luck!

Have you been able to treat your lavender? I was thinking about her and how uncomfortable she looked.

Deborah
Thanks for the concern. I was worried sick while I was at work all day today. She was in an isolation cage before I left to work, felt cool to touch so I moved the lamp to where she was, left water and millet spray right beside her.

It doesn't help that I am away from home on 24 hr call and will be back home tomorrow.

Kids have been doing nurse duty making an electrolyte mix, offering water to our little one. I have asked the kids to apply warm compresses to the area. When she's resting they apply a warm paper towel on top of her tail area and underneath the spot where she sleeps.

This evening they reported that she has been moving around more and is playing hard to get/catch and eating more millet spray. Might be a good thing but hands off after one more warm compress application and we will let her rest comfortably under some heat thru the night.

I get home by noon tomorrow and I will inspect her closely. Fingers crossed and prayers for a restful nigt for her...

Ed

I'll try and get her some antibiotics when I get home tomorrow.

Congratulate your children on helping the poor little lavender!! That is great to have the family involved and learning to care for God's creatures. Continue the warm compresses and keep doing what you've been doing and she should improve in a couple weeks. The antibiotics will help too, but make sure you give her some probiotic after the week of antibiotics, so her gut flora is restored.

I can't post the picture they sent me from my home but she ( poor Betsy) looks better. She's tucked in for the night. Probiotics- wil do.

Thank you thank you thank you!!

You are very welcome! I'm glad she is improving.

ok, so i come home this morning and Betsy ( we think she's a she) seems to be better...i see her hopping around on the bottom of the cage, eating some millet seed...

i change the water, give her some soft eggs, and prepared a warm compress. lifted her up and this is what i find:

sorry for the bad photo but its a yellowish/pale oval swelling on her lower abdomen by her cloaca. is she eggbound???? first experience for this so wasnt sure but the mass was soft and not hard.




.


i apply the compress for about 5-10 minutes, stroking her head. she felt comfortable, even closed her eyes while i was handling her... i returned her to the cage... and within 10-15 seconds, i see her with her wings drooped and tail up in the air. i see this...



not an egg but a big amount of poop.

is she eggbound or constipated or the egg blocking her opening? almost in panic mode here...

i dont have any liquid calcium so i called the pharmacy and asked for some liquid calcium- do i use calcium chloride? calcium carbonate? and what dose? thanks for your help!

You can't give her a human calcium as the dose would be too strong. Do you have a vet who could mix you some calcium gluconate? I have some from my vet for these situations. It could be she is eggbound, but she is so swollen and raw looking that she probably has an infection too. Wrap her cage in a wet towel, around the sides or put her in a bathroom with the shower running on hot to give her humidity. That can help them pass the egg. A heat lamp of lightbulb on one side of the cage to keep her warm (but a space she can move too if she is too hot) Her dropping looks like an egg may have broken inside and that can be fatal. Again, the antibiotics are important now. I would really take her to an avian vet. There are a few members on the forum in Georgia. Maybe they know of a vet near where you live.

See my comment on your other post.

Ed,
I contacted a FF member who lives in Georgia for a referral to an avian vet. Hopefully, he will get back with me soon.