FINCHforum

Is this normal behavior for a cordon bleu to wipe its beak against a perch? How often is done in order to be considered abnormal??

It's normal, especially after eating. I would be worried if it was constant or if it occurred in conjunction with something like coughing or sneezing.

Thanks for answering my stupid questions. I am going to look for a book on finches tomorrow and educate myself more. I also ordered food pellets instead of seed. I was told that I should give her a dewormer just in case, so I will go to the bird store tomorrow to look for that, as well as to warn them that something might be amiss with their birds.

is it a he and does it have a mate because if it does its could be a courting thing

I think this is a female and the one that died Thursday was a male. I just cannot tell for sure. She did the beak thing yesterday while she was alone in the cage. She was also chirping and singing, which she has never done before.

Perhaps the beak wiping is just something she is doing to relieve the stress of losing her mate.

My pair of CB's rarely sing. But I bet if they were separated they would be talking to each other. Your hen is calling for her mate.

That is so very sad. Since I have only had her for two weeks and have not treated her for worms or anything yet. . .should I go ahead and get a society finch today for her and treat them both at the same time???

I would have placed the dead bird in the freezer til I could go to the petstore where the pair had been purchased to see if they would replace the dead bird. Two weeks is not an unreasonable time to expect a refund or replacement.

Anyway, to answer your question.... If you can stand listening to the CB hen's pitiful calling over the next few weeks then it would be best to wait and see if she develops an illness before giving her a cagemate. You don't want to risk placing a sick bird in with your CB or visa versa.

If you have a second cage you could go ahead and purchase the society and keep it in another room for its isolation period. That way you'd be saving time. Once it is obvious they are both healthy you could place them together.

I went to the bird store where the pair was purchased and took them the dead bird (which I had kept in the freezer). They felt really horrible and gave me a free cage. It's a pretty big cage that is normally used for breeding with the divider in the center. I removed the divider and it gives quite a roomy space. They also gave me a society finch and I bought some electrolyte/vitamin powder for their water, as well as some new perches. I totally cleaned the new cage and put the society in there. I called an avian vet and he said to go ahead and put them both together and treat them both with vitamins and the electrolyte vitamins. He said that since they are from the same store and both need TLC, to do it together. The blue was singing and preening itself for the society finch when I left. I think they will get along just fine.

Hey that is great news!

It's good to see that some petstore owners will do the right thing.

Thats kewl the pet store did that for you. What pet store do you go to in utah.

I went to Bird World in North Salt Lake. It's a drive, but they really seem to know what they're talking about.