FINCHforum

I'm a new bird and finch owner, so I'm still in the learning curve (very experienced in other animals, just not birds). A friend and I have three finches sharing a cage, two societies (believe a male and female) and one zebra male. They're typical pet store birds and not at all hand tamed, but we're working on that.

We've had them about two weeks now, and today one of the Society finches had a patch under her beak where she's missing feathers. It also looks purplish, almost like a bruise. I'm including a picture below.

The two Society finches lived together at the store, and the zebra was in a different cage. They've appeared to get along wonderfully so far, and they are almost always together in a trio in the cage or when they're let out in the room. We did see the suspected male Society being a little pushy with the suspected female Society today. Neither of us has observed any behavior from the Zebra that seemed problematic.

Since they're not at all hand tamed yet and very difficult to catch (and stressed when doing so), I don't know how feasible a vet trip will be at this point. Everything I've been able to find online suggests either molting or plucking, presumably from one of the others vs self plucking. Does that seem accurate? Is this typical behavior or something we need to be concerned about? We don't want one of the birds being bullied, though we'd been prepared for the Zebra to be odd man out rather than issues between the two Societies.

I see a female zebra finch, and it looks like it has been harmed in some way by one of the other birds biting at it throat.

Yes, that does look like a Zebra finch in the photo, not a Society. Trios often don't work, as the odd one out gets picked on by the other two.

Welcome to the forum! There's lots of good reading at www.finchinfo.com, where you will find many articles on finch care. If you put your general location in your profile, it makes it easier for members to suggest where to get supplies, etc.

Pretty sure she's a society finch. She's the one in the middle in the picture below.

I guess my question would be how serious is the injury? Should we put her through the stress of a vet trip? And since they've only been together for two weeks is it worth giving them more time to try and sort things out or is it a fairly solid sign that they won't work together if they are already fighting?

The two Society Finches (the white ones) lived together previously. If the trio definitely won't work, what options are possible? Would adding a fourth make it better or worse? Do they NEED to be split into two pairs, where the Society finches could stay together? Or is it that Winky (the injured one) shouldn't live with Dobby (the male white one) at all, even though they have good history?

camorrow All three look like Zebra finches. Here is a link to an article on Society finches. Scroll down through the photos and you will see that Society finches have a completely different beak, both in shape and color. The beaks on yours all look like Zebra finch beaks. With Zebra finches especially, trios are nothing but trouble. The two who lived together previously look like hens, and the other one on the left is a normal Grey male. You will have nothing but trouble with them, I'm afraid. You will probably have to return one to the store, or the plucking will continue and get worse. I don't believe you need a vet visit, just a shuffling of the birds. Btw, if the store was selling those two white ones as Societies, they don't know much about finches IMO.

http://www.finchinfo.com/birds/finches/ ... _finch.php

Hi there,

I can certainly assure you that you don't have any society finches,

All of your birds are zebras as no society finches have orange beaks,

It does look as if it's been bullied at some stage and my advice is to separate the affending bullie and try to observe exactly what has happened / happening

I have a 91/2yr old society that lost the feathers in the throat a long time ago in a flock of 100% societies and feathers never grew back. Maybe is some rough grooming? All the birds in my flock were related (brothers) and all loved to groom and be groomed. Some could be rough. I hope is not a bully situation in your case.