Society Finch Feather Loss Around Throat

[flyover]

I had two male society finches. A week ago, one died overnight, just a day after I had seen some odd feather loss around his throat.

I just noticed that his companion is missing feathers around his throat as well. Otherwise he looks fine and behaves normally. (But so did the one who died.)

I was hoping to get him a new buddy tomorrow at a local bird fair, but now I am reluctant, since I don't want to end up with another solo society in case he dies, and I don't want to risk spreading something to a new bird.

There are also two zebras, two gouldians, and a diamond dove in the cage (30" wide x 80" long), and none of them shows any signs of the problem.

Has anyone experienced this very localized feather loss before? What was the outcome? Thanks in advance.

*I tried to get a better photo of the society's throat, but it isn't really apparent unless he is moving or just out of the bath. You can see the loss if you enlarge the photo.

[Sally]

Could someone (Zebras) be plucking him? It is odd the other one died so soon after you noticed plucking. There was no other damage to it?

[flyover]

I have never seen the zebras pluck the societies. (They went through a phase of pulling and helicoptering around the diamond doves' tail feathers until I added more fake foliage, however.) I am keeping an eye on them.

Would the throat be an area that the zebras would target?

The zebras will have to move into their own small cage if I find they are doing this. I hope the other society didn't die of stress. He died in the nest he shared with his fellow society, who seemed to try to rouse him for the full day that I let him lie there. It was quite sad to have to finally take him out, and now I feel bad for the one lonely society.

[lovezebs]

flyover

Sorry to hear about your loss.

My guess would be, that the loss of your one Society and the feather loss around the throat, is just a coincidence.

Like Sally, I am thinking, that someone has been plucking. It is possible that the Zebras are the culprits, however Socies will pluck as well.

Were the Societies male and female, by any chance? In which case, it's possible, that your one Socie passed away due to egg binding, and that they were plucking feathers to line their nest.

[flyover]

Thanks for the replies.

I didn't see any other damage to the deceased bird. The missing throat feathers were it, though the skin underneath seemed a bit red.

He almost certainly was male. I'd had the societies for a couple of years. They never left each other's side, but I believe they both sang, and never was an egg laid.

I have my eye on everyone and today I will string up a couple additional vines to let them stay more out of one another's eyeline.

[lovezebs]

flyover

So, if they were both males, then the egg scenario is irrelevant.

Which leads us back to square one.
Unless you got them as babies, there is the possibility of old age. Seeing as there didn't appear to be any symptoms, it's very hard to know what the problem might have been.

What's their diet like?

[flyover]

I did not get them as babies, so I guess old age might be a possibility.

This evening I noticed the remaining society was pulling a bit at his own throat. I am not sure if he instigated this or if he is now continuing what another bird started or if he is just trying to give himself a bit of relief.

They eat finch seed, Lafeber's finch granules, and greens, their favorite being Romaine lettuce. (The societies are the best and craftiest eaters of all my birds.) I have offered hard-boiled and scrambled egg but had no takers.

I went to a local bird fair today, but it was rather small and there were no societies, which surprised me since someone is usually almost giving them away.

I even stopped at the Petsmart, where they had a lot of cute societies, but I have no clue as to the sex, and I am a little nervous about introducing a single female into the all-male group, especially with the two busybody zebras. (One of them used to sleep in the same nest with the two societies, while the other sleeps with the two Gouldians).

[lovezebs]

flyover

I wouldn't give up on the hard boiled eggs. Put them through a garlic press, and add some crumbled Spray Millet to the eggs. Toss with a fork and offer. I also add some pulverized freeze dried meal worms to the mix, and the birds love it.

Regarding picking another Society. When you go into a Pet Shop, bring your Cell phone with you. Be prepared for a little observation time. If non of the Socies are singing (which means male), Google 'singing Society finches,' and play the video to the birds in the store. Males will usually respond by puffing up like fat little pears, and start singing.

[flyover]

Thanks, lovezebs! I found some society songs online and will give that a go at the pet store. the birds are behind glass, so I might even ask the clerk to take the phone into the little booth area behind the display so that they hear the song clearly.

And I will keep trying with the eggs. I've actually had no luck at all with eggs, including my Bourkes, who just abandoned a clutch of eight eggs after six weeks of no action. I like providing a variety of foods more than my birds like sampling them!

[lovezebs]

flyover

Goodluck with picking out some male Societies, and don't be surprised if the Pet Shop people give you an . They always do, but then thank you later for the tip on sexing their Societies.

[flyover]

lovezebs, I did get a society finch from Petsmart today. I used my phone and played four videos for the society flock. Instead of singing, they all came to a halt and craned their head around in intense curiosity, but a few minutes later, I noticed one seemed to be singing a bit.

A few of these societies had wiggy heads, almost like a gloster canary. I've never seen that before on a finch. I'm hoping that the slightly wiggy society that I ended up with is indeed a male, but if that isn't the case, I'll roll with it. Once he's out of quarantine, I think he will have a warm welcome from my lonely society (who now sleeps on a branch with my other "widowed" bird, a diamond dove). Thanks again for your help!