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Lavender Breathing Hard

Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 5:50 am
by euphonia
Hi, im new to this place and need some advice. My lavender finches are perfectly healthy atleast i hope so the only thing that got my eye is that the one when breathing its hard breathing but she opens her mouth as she struggle to swallow or something is stuck. She is perfectly busy and eating well

Re: Lavender Breathing Hard

Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 9:55 am
by Sally
Hard breathing could be many things, and when the bird otherwise appears healthy, it is difficult to diagnose. Air sac mites can be one cause, or it could be a respiratory infection. Lavenders aren't especially prone to air sac mites, but since you have canaries (which are), I suppose it is a possibility. You could treat with something like SCATT, S76, iverlux and see if that helps. If it is mites, then the whole flock would need to be treated.

Welcome to the forum! There's lots of good reading at the Finch Information Center, linked at left. If you put your location in your profile, it helps when answering locale specific questions later on. I see from your signature that you have many of the harder-to-breed African species. How are you doing with your Purple Grenadiers?

Re: Lavender Breathing Hard

Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 10:02 am
by euphonia
My twin spots, granadiers are on eggs now i am from south africa. My avenders are prening and they look pretty hralthy

Re: Lavender Breathing Hard

Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 11:01 am
by MiaCarter
euphonia --- Aw, I'm sorry to hear that your girl is unwell.
Lavenders are among my favorite. Dying for another pair myself!

Agreed with Sally. It could be something like ASM.
The other option would be something like a respiratory infection, but that seems less likely if she's eating and peppy. They usually look pretty miserable, though it could be an early stage URI.

Is there anything that could cause significant stress?
Sometimes they breathe heavier and even open mouthed in times of stress. But when you eliminate the stressful stimuli, they return to normal.