Poorly dilute male :(

[Golden_goulds92]

Hi all,

I consult these boards fairly regularly but until now have never needed to ask for help, but I think the situation needs it.....

Last week I lost my poor little dilute gouldian boy. I've only had him for two years and he was the first Gould that I actually bought from a bird store, so he was kind of special. he looked poorly when I got him, but I just had to take him home he almost looked like he was stuck in a moult! Talk about vulture-like.....

Over the last year and a half he really went downhill though. First I suspected worms, so I worked him and the rest of the multicoloured flock. He didn't change. Then I treated him for air sac mites at the vet's direction. No change still. Someone then suggested adding some extra greens to his diet. He was't overly keen on sprouted seed but loved kale and spinach. He perked up slightly. Someone then suggested I pop some diatomaceous earth into the seed and sprinkle it around the aviary just in case it was a non-blood sucker that was attacking him. He remained perky but still unlike the other Goulds.
Meanwhile the canaries, owlies, painteds and cordons were looking fantastic! Never seen them happier!

I have no idea what did him in. I really don't. Our weather has been mild, if there have been storms I have moved him inside, and he hadn't bred. His feather condition looked pretty bad, but nothing I did helped him. The body had no signs of trauma (no blood or broken wings) and none of the others are looking like they are ill.

Was it something I have done or could it just be that he was a dud from the start? Is it something with the dilutes? The bird shop said he was about 8monrhs old when I got him. He was also wormed in front of me and mite treated as well. As a precaution I've dusted, sprayed and I ivermectin treated the remaining flock..... I don't understand why he died

Has anyone encountered this before?

[monotwine]

Sorry you lost your boy. It could have been a number of things.

Because he was store bought, you couldn't be sure about the conditions he was raised in. Perhaps there was an underlying issue there already- from poor hygiene or nutrition to parasites.
If anything even worms was a server enough infection before you got him the damage could be done and been permanent.
You don't mention if he kept good weight or not. If you treated for worms and mites then anything from bacterial, fungal, or protozoal infection could have been underlying cause.
You may never know the reason for his failure to thrive with you.

Sorry for your loss.
As a precaution I put all new birds- especially store bought birds- through quarantine.

[Sally]

Sorry for your loss. As monotwine has said, it could have been a number of things. The fact that he slowly went downhill makes me think it was a general poor health problem, as many diseases will take them fairly quickly. There is also the possibility that he was older when you bought him than what the bird shop thought. Since your other birds have been thriving all along, it sounds like your program is good. Just one of those mysteries we sometimes encounter with finches.

Welcome to the forum, though it is on a sad note. There's lots of good reading at www.finchinfo.com, where you will find many articles on health, nutrition, and various species. If you put your general location in your profile, it makes it easier to answer locale-specific questions later on.