FINCHforum

I was giving the finches a look over today, when I saw my beautiful split to blue green back my heart sank. I didn't get a chance to spend any time with them yesterday so this is the first time I've noticed it. But it couldn't of been like that for very long. He is bright and alert eating normally and singing. All of his Cage mates are eating well and behaving normally and they all in perfect feather. What is this!

kyle

First of all, he's gorgeous.

I am no expert by a long shot, but it almost looks like he bashed into something. Do birds get bruises ? Is that a broken feather shaft ?

I wonder if there is another male with this one, and they might have gotten Into a scuffle over a female, or a nesting site (?)

Thanks Elena, I wondered myself if that's what it might be. He is housed with other males so there's no nests or females to fight over. All the birds seem to get along I don't see anyone picking on anyone else. Although they had night frights two nights ago I had to put their night light on a little brighter. I'm hoping it's something like that. I'm a little freaked out.

kyle

Hopefully Debbie, or someone with more experience will have some ideas.

kyle
hi. i never kept gouldians but when one of goldfinches would have that face i would definitely investigate further. they can get that from just getting hurt somewhere or between the bars of the cage OR they could get them from scratching to much due to parasites.red or air sac mites are the once that can cause that. Now if it was me i would catch him and see how it looks like and the next thing if any suspects i would put a drop of Scatt.

It looks pecked. If you click on the image it gets bigger and you can see that the perimeter is not even as it would be in a bash or accident, it is irregular.

Is the area moist, any drainage from the nares? has anyone in his flight been chasing him, a more dominate male perhaps?

If you so Scatt our avian vet recommends 1 drop to the back of the neck for a total of 3 doses, each dose 14 days apart. This is to ensure you break the mites' life cycle. They found that with the one drop they are seeing to many reoccurring cases.

Aniok, Lucille, cindy. Thanks. I never see any aggression and there is no scratching going on. The wound is dry and doesn't look sore. His behavior is totally normal. Tomorrow I will treat them with scatt. Although l dont see anything that makes me think parasites. It cant hurt. If it were parasites wouldn't the other finches be affected? Its hard to determine if it's getting better or not.

kyle

Could he haved rubbed his beak on a soapstone perch, or a sandpaper covered perch?

I've removed those items from my gouldian cage due to their rather enthusiastic beak rubbing while courting.

Just an update about my little guy with the mysterious wound. It's a week today since I first noticed. I'm thinking that he hit his head in the night. It seems to be all well except for the feather loss. Crossing my fingers that the feathers grow back! His spirit is bright and totally normal. Have other gouldian keepers seen feather loss after a impact? Or if anyone has an idea of what could have caused this.

His feathers should grow back next molt. In the first picture I do see a darker area in the area that lost feathers. Could be an infection or parasite (mite) that caused this. Glad you got a handle on it, looks much better.
best of luck

kyle

Yes he looks so much better! Thank goodness it was just a bit of him getting into mischief!

Debbie, babs. Thanks for your reply! I've treated him and the others with scatt although im not altogether sure it's mites. I won't rule anything out and keep an eye on the situation. Wouldn't the other finches be affected as well? The other 9 are in perfect feather. It strikes me as odd the most robust of the finches would be so afflicted and none of the others show anything.

kyle

How is your Gouldian boy doing? Did the sore above his beak heal altogether?

Were any of your other kids showing any similar symptoms?

We haven't heared any updates.

Yes, the others would be affected if mites are a factor. The general rule is that if one has mites (and other parasites), they all do.

That is a very curious anomaly. I'm glad he's looking better.

It's possible he may not re-grow those feathers until it's time to moult. (But I think I spy pinfeathers on the cagemate in the background? So moulting time may not be far off!)