FINCHforum

I came home from work to find one of my society "babies," (he really is three months old, but they will always be my babies) stuck his head through the netting around the cage! I thought he was dead until I touched the cage and he moved his leg. I ran and got the ladder and got him out. I held him in my hand for about 10 minutes and warmed him up. I put him back and he drank some water and ate a little food. The problem is, he seems very weak, and he is leaning his head over toward his wing. I don't know if he is just too weak to hold it up or if he injured something. He is able to fly, but he is having a hard time perching. He chose to go rest in his canary nest. Do I need to do anything special for him? My hubby and I worked so hard to keep these babies alive, and I don't want to lose one now because of the cage. We finally just named the babies because they all started to call and sing like males. His name is Tortuga, like the city in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie. It is also fitting because he was the slowest to wean, and Tortuga is Spanish for turtle or tortoise. What do I do?! Please pray he will be okay.

He's in my prayers
He may just be really sore. If he is eating and drinking I would just let him recuperate. Probably exhausted after that ordeal. I know that must of been awful to find him like that...but sure am glad you found him in time.

I must have been so scary for you to find him like that. Keep us posted on his condition. It most likey stressed him horribly. I agree with Candace, he may be sore from struggling.

I would supply a heat source. (Infra red if you have it) Place it where the bird can get close or further away from it as he feels fit.

He is sleeping with his brothers right now. I'm going to leave well enough alone for now, but will be keeping a very close eye on him. Thank you for the prayers. Hopefully God does not want another little angel flying around Heaven right now. When I first saw him, I thought I had lost him. I am just so grateful he is still alive. Now I just need a glass of wine or something. Too bad I don't keep any around.

My prayers are with the little one, how is he doing this morning?

How is the little one this morning? Hopefully fit and flying all around the cage.

Why do you have netting around the cage? I haven't heard of that before.

Thank you all so much for the prayers, they seem to be working! Tortuga was up with his brothers eating and flying around this morning. He still is tilting his head a little, but I am hoping he is just soar from the ordeal. They always greet me when I walk in the room, and thank God, it was no different this morning. I was so happy to hear him chirping. Blessed sound! Seriously, if I could bake him a cake, I would!!

Liz- I should not have called it netting, it is a plastic wire fencing. You can see it in Tortuga's picture. Once the four babies were weaned they needed a larger cage. We did not want to put them back in with the parents because we did not want to watch them get picked on. When we put Calypso in to mentor them, she was kinda mean, and wanted nothing to do with them. So, I wanted to spoil them with the extra large bunny cage I had in storage. They would be able to fit through the bars, so we picked out the plastic fence. We were thinking the plastic would be safer than the metal, because there would be no sharp pointy edges going around the cage. (We would have had to cut the metal to fit the corners, and leave room for the door) It is the same size I have seen people use on avaries, but because it is flexable, he was able to put his head through. We are going to be building an indoor aviary soon, and we were not planning on using this fencing before, but we are really planning on not using it now! In the mean time, we are going to wrap the cage again with the same material, only offset so the openings will be even smaller.

Thanks again everyone for your thoughts and prayers! I really appreciate it!

I'm go glad that he pulled through!