FINCHforum

We just adopted some finches from a coworker and they were doing fine, except our green one whose toes are starting to change color and have decreased mobility. Today we saw that a couple was missing. The main problem is that it looks as if its spreading to the other foot which would make it difficult for him to move. They are all slightly over 1 years old, we clean the cage weekly along with the perches and their main diet is seeds. Here are some pictures as well.

Not sure I've ever seen that before. What are you cleaning the perches with?

Welcome to the forum

debbie276 wrote: Not sure I've ever seen that before. What are you cleaning the perches with?

Welcome to the forum

Thanks! I usually just wipe it down with water and let it dry. Also he eats the same as his brothers, if that helps.

Ifpenguinsfly

It looks like the bird on the right is getting it as well and has half missing toe on it's left foot. Ouchie

Babs wrote: Ifpenguinsfly

It looks like the bird on the right is getting it as well and has half missing toe on it's left foot. Ouchie

There are 2 more in the cage with them, I hope it is not infectious. I usually wipe down the perches with water and let it dry, they are eating normally.

Could be some kind of mite? does the toe segment darken and fall off / get chewed off?

Had it with my budgies long ago, vet told me to use dettol diluted with water and wash them day on day off to stop them. Birds still lived a good full life.

Ifpenguinsfly

I use dawn soap and super HEAT their perches right after washing with super HOT water.

Bacteria can grow IN "rinsed off by warm water perches" as the bateria will GROW in warm water, and the wood soaks it up. Some people here put their perches in the oven to "bake" them and be rid of the bacteria after an organic soap soaking.' I use a 1 teaspoon of bleach, or white vinegar to kill the bacteria, and let them air dry for 4 hours before putting them back in the cage

White vinegar is useful in this method. What ever is causing their foot damage, you have to first sterilize their care, and second, get them off their strict seed food diet. If it's not your perches, its your seed only diet. Add veggies and boiled egg.

Both their footsies make me sad

Hoping for the best !


3rd, you have to make sure that all you birds have access to FULL spectrum lighting. The kind of bulb you grow plants in.

When I enlarge the photos, it looks like both birds are having problems with their toes. I'm not familiar with what might be going on with them, it doesn't look like scaly leg mites. Do you have access to an avian vet, who could take a scraping of the toes to see if it is some kind of mite?

I agree with the others, a seed-only diet is not sufficient nor healthy for our finches. Egg food, which can be as simple as a mashed hard-boiled egg, is full of protein and many vitamins. Veggies, especially dark greens (kale, broccoli, etc) provide more vitamins too. In the wild, most finches eat plants and insects in addition to their seeds, so we need to give them a varied diet as much as possible. I'm assuming they also get a mineral supplement, which can be as simple as oystershell grit.

Welcome to the forum! There's lots of good reading at www.finchinfo.com, where you will find many articles on finch care, especially nutrition. If you put your general location in your profile, it makes it easier to answer locale-specific questions later on.

I wonder if it could be the ink on the newspaper?
Agreed with Sally, doesn't look like Scaley mites at all. They look very fluffed up as well. Honestly I think it's time to seek professional help from a vet. For whatever reason it looks like their toes are losing blood supply and dying off. Not a good situation, how do you know if it will stop at the toes?
You should try to build up their strength while you are finding a diagnosis. I would offer at least hard boiled eggs mashed with a fork, shell and all. A heat lamp would also help, birds fluff up when they are trying to stay warm.

Wishing you all the best

Thank you all for the wonderful advice. I will try the following and see if I can consult with a vet, not sure if there is one around where I am though.

-Vinegar wash the perches in hot water
-Dettol wash the feet
-Hard boiled eggs and veggies
-Change out the newspaper with no ink

Will keep updated if there is any progress.

Ifpenguinsfly wrote: Thank you all for the wonderful advice. I will try the following and see if I can consult with a vet, not sure if there is one around where I am though.

-Vinegar wash the perches in hot water
-Dettol wash the feet
-Hard boiled eggs and veggies
-Change out the newspaper with no ink

Will keep updated if there is any progress.

dettol should be very diluted, or you'll burn the toes. hope they get better