FINCHforum

I let the socities out for some flight time, and noticed River hanging close to the ground. He has a strange tilt to his head. It seems like he can fly, but is maybe having a heardtime seeing? I looked him over, and he seems fine, eyes, and head and all... so I am very puzzled. I was able to catch him with my hands....and YOU KNOW THAT IS BAD for a finch....

Any ideas what might be going on?

skythrutrees wrote:I let the socities out for some flight time, and noticed River hanging close to the ground. He has a strange tilt to his head. It seems like he can fly, but is maybe having a heardtime seeing? I looked him over, and he seems fine, eyes, and head and all... so I am very puzzled. I was able to catch him with my hands....and YOU KNOW THAT IS BAD for a finch....

Any ideas what might be going on?

Do you think he could have some sort of inner ear problem?
I really don't know what else it could be. When you let him out, did he happen to run into anything?

No, he didn't run into anything. I'm seeing some of the other finches peck at him and heard him into a corner, so just now I've put him in with one of the button quail.

The strange thing is, now the rest of the finches are upset because he is gone, but they were hearding him into a corner and pecking at him.

Very odd.

Regardless, I'm taking him into the vet today. I hope it is an inner ear thing that can be treated...River is one of my original finches.

River is now on Baytril and Metacam...Hoping it works!

Keep us posted! Hope he will be well in no time at all.

Did you take him to the vet? If so, what did they say about it?

Vet said could be tumor, inner ear, or something else, I forget. He said inner ear was the only thing that was really treatable, and the finch was too small to draw blood?

So we are going on the hope it is inner ear....

I hope the antibiotics work. How old is the little guy?

No idea...he was inherited from a classroom, and I didn't get that info. We've had him maybe 3 years????

River did not make it through the night.

Rest in Peace, little guy.

I really loved you.

Oh I'm so sorry. That's been the way for a couple of mine and my daughters finches too - take them to the vet and next day they die anyway. Very sorry.

I am so sorry for your loss. It is amazing how much we can love those little finches. They can really steal your heart.

Aw, I'm sorry, We went through something similar with our budgie Miso this week.

This morning I saw one of my little females on the bottom of the cage,taking a closer look at her I saw her left eye all swollen and the eyebal is gone,does anybody know what this is? Could it be a virus?
She is eating and is alert but the eye looks really bad.
I try to insert a pic,please help,I dont know what to do with her.
By the way,there is no trace of blood or any infection,it seems it comes from the inside out.

You might want to post this as a post on its own so it gets more response...but definitly sounds like a trip to the vet is in order!