I HAVE A CAT and an odd growth on my male

deetdeet · Post by **deetdeet** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 2:40 pm

Hello! I'm new to this forum, but my landlady recently brough over two new zebra finches, a brother and a sister. They look very healthy and adjusted to their new cage in less than a day. The problem is, I don't really know how they will handle my cat. (LONG story about how I have both a cat and a small bird). My original zebra finch is used to her, but these new babies really freak if I move in slowly just to check on their food and water. I feel terrible about locking my cat out of the main area of the house where the birds are. Any suggestions?

The aforementioned zebra finch male is very old and has had a lump on the righ side of his chest grow larger and larger. I can't afford to take him to the vet if it's nothing I should be worried about. He is still as active as ever and sings even when nobodys around. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

Luke Harrison1992 · Post by **Luke Harrison1992** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:15 pm

You could if possible hang the cage from the ceiling so they are out of reach of the cat and they will feel more comfortable because they can see all of what is happening and they are above all predators (you your housemates(if you have any) and the cat)where is your old finch

Post by **Hilary** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 12:15 am

Deet -

Can you post a pic of the lump?

Hope the new babies calm down after they get used to you being around. I have both an old cat and two dogs, and all of the birds ignore them completely. If you're not sure about your cat, though, the hanging idea is a good one. I have a friend that hangs her cages from hooks in the wall.

Hilary

deetdeet · Post by **deetdeet** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 1:54 am

I've considered hanging them up, but they are already unbelievably messy, so the seed hulls would fly everywhere. Plus, I woudn't be able to see them as well if they're hung up like that.

If I hung them, I'm also afraid the cat will see it as the ultimate challenge and attempt to attack them and rip off the bottom of the cages or something.

My original bird is oddly used to my cat stalking around the cage, and she still doesn't ignore him at all. When she bothers him she sits there and stares, sometimes runs up to him all crouched over, but rarely paws at the cage because he doesn't do much in response.
Right now, I have let the cat into the room, but I'm sort of surrounding the cage area so she can't get in.

I'll try to get a picture of the lump, but its just like the right half of his upper chest is protruding out...the feathers look ok and all, he's just...asymmetrial. I prodded it a little and it was a little squishy...but I was afraid i'd hurt him so I stopped right after I figured it wasn't a mass of feathers.

Thanks, I really appreciate such timely feedback!

deetdeet · Post by **deetdeet** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 1:36 am

I finally got the camera to upload pictures properly.

The photo of the male is the one with the strange lump on his right side.

Unfortunately, I also have another photo of something I am very concerned about. The female of the two new babies that I received very suddenly got a small beady lump right on the top of her head. I tried to get a photo, but she is still very scared of me and I didn't want to touch her head too much.

boy:

it's a little hard to see because all of his feathers are a little fluffed, but his right side is a little bigger

In this picture, the soft lump is a little more distinct in the way that it sticks out

girl:

the back of her head

The girl's lump is very round and sticks up like an exaggerated pimple

Please help if you guys have seen these before! I am not very experienced with taking in unwanted animals!

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 12:04 pm

I have 2 young cats and zebra finches, and yes my one cat would LOVE to have them for dinner, that's why I hung them from the ceiling. Since your cat isn't tipping over the cage or pawing at them I don't really see a problem. The birds will eventually get used to activity around the cage, including a goofy cat that runs up and stares at them. If the cat is being bratty you can try spraying around the cage with Feliway (I probably spelled that wrong) it's a pheremone spray that is supposed to deter cats. When we had the one bird cage sitting on our filing cabinet we had to be always in the room or Hades would push the cage off the cabinet and try to get in it, he actually did this the other day with the empty cage, just to check that it really was empty. If my sick little zebra could handle that, I'm sure your young ones can handle a little staring contest

vetbridge · Post by **vetbridge** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 2:01 pm

deetdeet wrote: The girl's lump is very round and sticks up like an exaggerated pimple

Feather cysts look like "exaggerated pimples". Possibility?
More info (including some pictures) here:
http://www.vet.gla.ac.uk/vetscape/vet-x ... /index.htm

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 3:18 pm

ooh excellent site vetbridge!

vetbridge · Post by **vetbridge** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 3:36 pm

Thalia wrote:ooh excellent site vetbridge!

Thanks! The other thing I forgot to mention; if it is a feather cyst, you can "pick at it" and expel the stuff inside.

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 5:00 pm

oh, if you're going to try to pop that thing on your own make sure you clean the area with rubbing alcohol or iodine first and then use something clean to prick it. You can clean off a sewing needle with iodine or rubbing alcohol and use that. You don't want to have it become infected.

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:20 am

I wouldn't necessarily attempt to lance the lump on this bird, however, if you ever do need to lance something (this is mostly FYI, like if you have a blister on your own foot that you want to drain), the most practical way we were taught to sterilize instruments (e.g. for microbiology--when no autoclave is available) is to dip the tip of the intrument in rubbing alcohol then run it through a flame (obviously being very careful not to burn yourself in the process) and allow the alcohol to burn off. Then of course the instrument needs to cool before you use it. Most drug stores also sell sterile "lancets."

deetdeet · Post by **deetdeet** » Mon May 21, 2007 2:20 am

How strange, i think the updates were getting sent to my spammail

but thank you guys so much for replying...it's starting to turn partially blackish, like a scab...i think it might be blood, but it's hard to tell without catching her, and i don't want to stress her out, even though she's behaving normally

how would i go about safely pricking her? i don't want to mess up since it's on her head. how would i restrain her head from turning?

also, just to be sure, does anyone have any more information on the bacterial infection that looks like this and causes birds to go blind at the end? i don't want to slice off a huge lump if it is bacterial

thank you guys so much!

*also, i think hades is an adorable name for tricky cats

but here is an updated photo..

tammieb · Post by **tammieb** » Mon May 21, 2007 7:06 am

Four months have passed since you first posted about this bird. The "bump" looks horrible. I would take the bird to a vet for treatment, obviously this isn't something you can handle on your own.

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Mon May 21, 2007 8:56 am

I agree with Tammie, I work at a vet clinic, unfortunately we don't do birds, however, this is the sort of thing that needs professional help. That looks like blood or possibly necrotic tissue or both and in order to treat her you need a vet's assistance. Birds have an incredibly small amount of blood, which is why (among other reasons) vets who work with birds specialise in birds. Good luck with her.

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Mon May 21, 2007 6:29 pm

I agree taking her to the vet is the best option at this point. She probably will require medications in order to stand a chance at healing. The lump may have been an abscess that has already ruptured, but is infected and unable to heal on its own, or it could possibly be a tumor (e.g. a carcinoma)--the tumor being an unlikely possibility, but sometimes they can take on a nasty appearance and bleed. Regardless of the cause, a visit to a vet is your best shot at helping her heal.

FINCHforum

I HAVE A CAT and an odd growth on my male

I HAVE A CAT and an odd growth on my male

FINALLY have a picture of the lump

Re: FINALLY have a picture of the lump