concerned about gouldian--air sac mites? something else?
Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2013 9:09 am
Hi everyone,
I am a bit concerned about Clover, one of my Goulds. For the past few days, she has been a bit puffy (off and on, but generally more puffed up than my other Gould). Sometimes she will suddenly fluff her feathers and then immediately de-fluff them, almost like she is giving herself a good shake. Also, her tail is bobbing. Since she is not displaying other symptoms of air sac mites (breathing through mouth, clicking), I thought at first that maybe she was just a bit cold, so I installed a heat lamp (in addition to the thermal perch that was already in the cage). But she doesn't seem particularly inclined to sit near it. Her appetite seems normal (she is currently chowing down on some fresh boiled egg, and she just ate some seed), and I just watched her drink water as normal. She is capable of flying about the cage and landing on perches, so it doesn't seem as though her balance is off, and she doesn't seem to be spending much of any time at the bottom. But I can't shake the feeling that something is not quite right with her. She seems a bit lower energy than my other Gould. I caught her resting with her eyes closed on a perch a little while ago, although she didn't stay like that for long. Generally her beak is closed. Her chirp sounds normal. Vent looks normal. So I go back and forth about whether she may be a bit under the weather, or if I am just being paranoid. But she is not nearly as active as my other Gould (who is also a female, no male goulds in the cage).
I went ahead and ordered an air sac mite kit from lady gouldian finch, as I figured it would be best to have it on hand regardless, just in case. I did not treat the Goulds for air sac mites when I got them. So...should I go ahead and treat her (and, I suppose, everyone in the cage with her) when the kit gets here? Should I wait and see if she starts to display any clear symptoms of...anything?
I am a bit concerned about Clover, one of my Goulds. For the past few days, she has been a bit puffy (off and on, but generally more puffed up than my other Gould). Sometimes she will suddenly fluff her feathers and then immediately de-fluff them, almost like she is giving herself a good shake. Also, her tail is bobbing. Since she is not displaying other symptoms of air sac mites (breathing through mouth, clicking), I thought at first that maybe she was just a bit cold, so I installed a heat lamp (in addition to the thermal perch that was already in the cage). But she doesn't seem particularly inclined to sit near it. Her appetite seems normal (she is currently chowing down on some fresh boiled egg, and she just ate some seed), and I just watched her drink water as normal. She is capable of flying about the cage and landing on perches, so it doesn't seem as though her balance is off, and she doesn't seem to be spending much of any time at the bottom. But I can't shake the feeling that something is not quite right with her. She seems a bit lower energy than my other Gould. I caught her resting with her eyes closed on a perch a little while ago, although she didn't stay like that for long. Generally her beak is closed. Her chirp sounds normal. Vent looks normal. So I go back and forth about whether she may be a bit under the weather, or if I am just being paranoid. But she is not nearly as active as my other Gould (who is also a female, no male goulds in the cage).
I went ahead and ordered an air sac mite kit from lady gouldian finch, as I figured it would be best to have it on hand regardless, just in case. I did not treat the Goulds for air sac mites when I got them. So...should I go ahead and treat her (and, I suppose, everyone in the cage with her) when the kit gets here? Should I wait and see if she starts to display any clear symptoms of...anything?