FINCHforum

Hi everyone! I'm looking for a little bit of advise with my 1 year old society finch coconut. Yesterday I noticed a huge bald patch on his back, that I swear was not there the day before he does have a girlfriend but she has plenty of different things to make a nest out of, and I havnt seen her pluck his feathers I guess I just need a little advise. Oh and before I forget I think my baby's a little bit on the chubby side, I don't know it just looks like there is too much fat on his back.
Sorry the pictures not better but he gets stressed when he's handled.

Thanks for reading

I would say the female is plucking him. You may not see it going on, but it sure looks like it. I'd separate them for a bit and see if it improves. Give him lots of protein via egg food so he can grow new feathers.

Welcome to the forum! There's lots of good reading at www.finchinfo.com, where you will find many articles on finch care.

Okay I'm setting up the hospital cage now! Thank you for the advise. I'm slightly worried he will be upset though, as him and his girlfriend are always snuggled up together and I wouldn't want him to get stressed over not being with her. Should I put the hospital cage right next to hers so he's not lonely (I know it sounds like a silly question)

He's now in the hospital cage and I can confirm it wasn't his mate who was doing the plucking. It's himself, poor man. I can't understand why though. There let out to fly, they have plenty of things in there cage to keep them occupied. There cage is fairly close to my canarys cage and my male canary can be quite loud and boisterous at times but there not in the same cage. But that's the only thing I can think off

the area looks a bit infected, is the body warm like feverish?

You may want to take some Hibicleans 4% (drug store) dilite it 1 tablespoon to a gallon, you can make smaller ratio amounts. wipe the back down with this. Hibeclens is chlorhexidine and will keep bacteria and fungal down.

If he feels hot like feverish you may need an oral antibiotic for him. Typically is the bird is fat the fat pads will show on the belly/underside.

He is quite warm yes, but not overly warm (if that makes sense) I'll go into my local drug store tomorrow and pick some up for him, and see if there is any improvement.
I forgot to mention he does have quite prominent fat pads on his vent and above his breast bone,

I think after he's all well again I might have to encourage him to fly around a little more. (He's very lazy maybe due to his feather loss and geneqral unwellness)
Thank you for the advice

fat on the underside also known as fatty liver can be caused by illness (parasites, not mites or bacteria, toxins that have gotten to the liver)...liver may not be functioning well.

Okay, is there anything I can do to help him? Or would a trip to the vets be the best course of action?

does the fat pad look like yellow meringue under the skin?

Yes it dose it's very similar to this bird's

http://www.powdermillarc.org/graphics/h ... C_0130.jpg

if it is up in that area it not fatty liver... usually you see fatty liver, fat pads in the lower belly between the vent and bottom of the ribs.

PM me a picture of the area

Will do, it will have to be in the morning though as its 3am in England right now and don't want to disturb him. Will send picture asap