Zebra finch help !!!:(

[David]

Hey guys please help! I just found my finch looks like this today, scared me. What can I do? I don't have vet near me I don't want to lose her, please give me some advices would be helpful! Urgent!!! Scared me and worrying her...Thanks in advance.

David

[David]

PS: I put her in hospital cage already , so I need a heated lamp? I don't think will help, looks like she can't eat now with her beak so swollen, first time ever happened to her:(

[Babs _Owner]

David


Oh my.... is her lower beak missing? how did she manage to do that?

I would put some vitamin drops in her drinking water and offer her mashed boiled egg to eat until the swelling goes down. Zebras are pretty tough from what I have read on this forum and many survive and heal after some pretty horrendous injuries.

Good luck with your little gal. Keep us posted.

[David]

Omg thanks for reply finally. Actually I don't see other part of beak, is it the swollen part cover all of it? Now she just sit on the bottom of floor not eating even I offered her hard boiled eggs , millets etc. not even drink water yet. I'm worried she kept her mouth opened all the time with clicking noise too, I hope not air sac, I feel so bad I can't help her and I'm not a vet. I don't want to touch her beak make it worse or cause bleeding etc. I don't know what to do now , so helpless

David

[Sally]

David I really can't tell from the photo just what is going on? Is her lower beak missing, or is there just a swollen area below her beak that is hiding the lower beak? I can't tell what is wrong with her, nor what to do for her. A heat lamp can help just in that it helps the bird maintain their energy. If you put a heat lamp on the hospital cage, make sure that she can move away from it.

[David]

Hi Sally! Thanks so much for your concerns and reply. I just fell asleep earlier and now check her seems ok , she was sleeping. Sorry I took that pic in a hurry because don't wanna scare her much. I placed her in bathroom above the counter , but covered tissue protect the seeds spill everywhere hehe.

I don't even wanna catch her might hurt more but it's not bleeding under her beak, I don't think her lower beak is missing, but swollen under her beak and neck area. I know she usually with scissor shape like beak but I trimmed little b4 and recently I didn't trim much, is that the reason cause this happened? She can't eat daytime with mouth opened and clicking sound. Nighttime I heard nothing no clicking, but her mouth still opened little and able to hide the beak to her back and even perch ok.

Sometime she came down on cage floor to sleep, I just worry if tomorrow she will be able to eat, I never know how to feed adult birds, really hope she will be able to heal on her own. I got heated lamp for her tnite so keep her warm and with more energy. I'll observe her tomorrow but, looks like she can't eat properly today. Any ideas I can do to help her eat something without wound her beak?

Thanks again for your time! Praying for her...
she still perched on the swing toy tonight, but I'm afraid if she used all energy before tomorrow if not eating can I put calcium powder to her water? Will that help some nutrition if she couldn't eat?:(
The pic not so clear because the red lamp I used and don't wanna wake her up by turn on the other light. Hope you get a pic of how she is doing now.

David

[Sally]

David Be careful using a heat lamp on that small a cage, as she can't get away from the heat if needed. You can place the heat lamp far enough away that it is just warm to your hand, that should be OK. It is extremely difficult to force-feed an adult bird, and unless you are experienced at it, force-feeding often results in aspirating the bird, which leads to death. Better to let nature take its course. There are supplements that you can give, such as Morning Bird's Thrive. You would sprinkle it over soft food, such as mashed hard-boiled egg (no shell included). Unfortunately, you have to get it online if you are in the U.S. I don't know where you are located.

[David]

Hey Sally, you such a nice person! I put the lamp far away now with dim light only, she still not eating or drinking yet. I checked again saw there's some kind of tissue or skin surrounding her lower beak I don't know why and hope the swelling go away soon so she can eat, I can't help her to get the beak out of it in case cause bleeding but I'll let natural take course like u said. I offered soft food such as hard boiled egg but she seems can't eat or even drink water because that lower beak part bother her, cant open and close properly I guess, otherwise I would not worry so much, if she not eat 1-2 days more will be dangerous what else I can do now? Everything you can think of I would like to hear, thank you so much!


David

[David]

Btw I'm in California, and if I get the stuff you mentioned maybe need couple days which too late for her but I wanna make sure her beak swollen can be reduce soon , it seems like something wrap her beak up and that part of "skin" in red color too:/ will keep posted here

[David]

updated on my sweetie baby bird

She seems trying and struggle to pick up seeds or soft food i offered her this morning,and i think take long time for her to swallow but at least she is eating, which is good sign. I hope keep it up, til that swollen part is getting better, i really hope so. Let see what happen now.

David

[David]

Thanks for your time to help, my little girl just died this noon time when i was away for half hour I know i cant save her when she was like this, she RIP bottom of cage floor, peacefully not with any kind of suffering or painful look... I know i miss her so much, and she knew i did my best to care for her, i really hate to loss anymore birds she looked at me before i left home, with a kind and weak... anyway i am praying that she will be my birdie again next life, ill never let this happen to her again ever.

[Babs _Owner]

David

Sometimes these little critters get into trouble and we just cant fix it. Its frustrating and sad. You made her comfortable and warm. You did the best you could given your resources.

I'm sorry you lost her, but now is a good time to investigate what might have cause the injury to prevent it from happening if you get another chick.

[Sally]

David I'm so sorry you lost her. Unfortunately, it seems she wasn't able to eat and drink, and they can't survive without food and water. You tried your best, that is all you can do. I'm guessing she injured her beak in some way.

[FLDoc]

Sorry for your loss. Just got onto the forum and saw your post. In looking at your picture, I'm also not certain what she had going on. Sorry you lost her.

[FLDoc]

In looking at the picture again, it looks like she may have cracked he lower beak or broken or dislocated her jaw. Wonder if she was spooked and ran into the cage or something else? If either was the case, she may not have been able to eat or drink properly.