HELP, 3 Gouldians Suddenly Sick/Bleeding

[phantom4]

I have a greenhouse aviary with 3 dozen gouldian finches. Yesterday and today I scooped up 3 sick birds from the aviary floor. The first one was a recent fledgling and I had thought he might have caught his foot on something because he was bleeding where the leg meets the chest. I put him in a hospital cage and treated him yesterday. Today he is doing much better and the bloody area is healing. This morning I found another in the aviary with a greasy dark area the size of a quarter at the point where the wing attaches to the upper back. He's in another hospital cage now, but isn't doing to well. He's so weak I fear I'd do him more harm investigating the dark area further. This afternoon I was inspecting the birds in the aviary very carefully for any other similar problems and found blood on the perches. I found a hen with a bloody patch above her leg the size of a half dollar. Isolating and observing her I saw her constantly picking at the bloody spot. Anyone have any idea what all this could be caused by?

Doris

[dfcauley]

Is this aviary outdoors and could it be some type of animal?

Gosh..... I know you are scared about this. Is there anything in there that they could be getting hurt on?

[cindy]

My first thought was rats if this is outdoors. Or possibly raccoons (I am not sure of your location). Raccoons will and can attempt pulling birds through wire or a gap. I know of a few cases involving bigger birds that suffered leg injuries or loss. Most likely since the guage wire may be to small for raccoons it might be rats.

[L in Ontario]

Sounds like some type of small predator is getting in the aviary.

[B CAMP]

Rats,maybe snakes. What kind of screen is your aviary made with

[phantom4]

Thanks for your replies. It is an aviary housed in my orchid greenhouse. I live in Southern California. It has 1/4" x 1/4" wire mesh with a tinted solid roof for shade. DG covers the floor and there is a sun fountain circulating fresh water for them. Since it is a greenhouse, it contains fans for air circulation directed at the floor and ceiling. It has a humidistat and foggers to keep the humidity above 35% for the birds and orchids. During the day I leave the doors and windows of the greenhouse open and at night I close them up. I've seen no sign of predators and can't imagine that a rat or racoon could get through the mesh. I've never seen any snakes and suspect what's happened to the affected birds happened at night. Generally they perch on branches, swings and perches quite high in the aviary at night. I'm wondering if it could be some night flying insect or?

One of the birds now has developed a round swelling at the top of her leg and her foot seems to have small bumps on it.

Doris

[cindy]

If there is any standing water look and see if you have mosquito larva in it. They don't require much to lay eggs in. It is possible a few got in and decided to live there and raise a family. If the bird got bit, it may bother the bird enough to pick at it.

Just a thought.

[poohbear]

Sounds like tics,lice,mites, or other insect attacks.Have a read through this link...might give you a few tips.

http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/features.mgi

[phantom4]

I think the insect bite suggestion was a good guess. After careful observation I noted a tiny black and yellow wasp flitting around the aviary and in and out of the nest boxes. I found a dead hen also who died sitting on babies. It happened so quickly, such a disaster for a few days with injured, sick birds, tossed babies then once I 'terminated' the wasp, I've had no new problems. Poor birds!

Doris

[L in Ontario]

I hope you found the problem and that you don't get any more wasps in there ever. Glad to hear there've been no more losses!

[Pukasand]

Wow, that is really a shame. I appreciate that you shared that with us, at least it gives some insight as to what could happen to any of our birds. I would never suspect an insect.. or a wasp!

[cindy]

I lost 2 little green rump parrotlets to a wasp within an hour to stings. I was recently stung by a yellow jacket and it burned and swelled, can't image what a little bird goes through. Glad you found out what was causing the problem. I am sorry for your loss.

[Sally]

So sorry you had to go thru that. I never would have thought of insects--learn something new every day.

[phantom4]

Thanks again for all the support. The crisis wasn't over and I did come up with another bitten bird. I went down to the farm supply and bought out the store for wasp traps, non-toxic fly traps and even a mosquito zapper. So, hopefully this will do the trick. I now have a house full of hospital cages with convalescing birds. Sigh.

Doris

[L in Ontario]

Wow - that must have you hopping between hospital cages. Hope everyone recovers quickly and completely.