Overfeathered Spice Finch?

Rue · Post by **Rue** » Sun Apr 22, 2007 10:01 pm

Hi! This little guy is my main concern at the moment!

I 'rescued' a male Spice Finch. He had been ill for 6 months or more. He had a number of 'lumps', over his eye, under his chin, on his toe...that had been lanced and drained several times by the vet...but continued to come back...

...finally after a long course of antibiotics they appear to be gone. Lab results were inconclusive.

He moulted after the antibiotics...and his feathers look fine...except they seem to be bigger than they should be...and there might be more of them.

He looks odd, to say the least.

Anyone have any idea what this might be? Other than that he's a happy camper. I just brought him and his cagemate (B&W Mannikin) out of my own quarantine...I'll be introducing them to the other 7 finches just as soon as my new flight cage arrives.

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 1:29 am

Do you have a picture by any chance?

Rue · Post by **Rue** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 6:53 pm

I just took some...not the best...wouldn't pose for me...I had a lot of empty shots!

Ignore his beak too...I have to trim it again...his overgrows at a rapid rate as well...part of his 'issues'...

Rue · Post by **Rue** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 6:58 pm

Okay! Beak trimmed...

...we both feel better!

vetbridge · Post by **vetbridge** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 1:50 pm

Can your veterinarian do a feather follicle biopsy? That is one way that parrots with Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease are diagnosed. It is caused by a circovirus, and at one time was thought to only affect parrots, but it has been found in finches recently. Just a thought.

Here is one article:
http://www.avianbiotech.com/Diseases/PBFD.htm

Here is an article about circovirus infection in a gouldian:
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/conten ... 0400003585

Rue · Post by **Rue** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 7:39 pm

Hmm! That doesn't sound good...and I didn't know finches could have it...

I think another (oh boy!) vet visit is in order!

Thanks for the links!

Rue · Post by **Rue** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 2:53 pm

We're off to the vet in couple of hours! Hopefully it's good news...

Rue · Post by **Rue** » Fri Apr 27, 2007 7:17 pm

We're back!

So...the vet has never seen the 'overfeathering' that Lumpy has either!

To be safe, we're going to treat for mites in case that has anything to do with it...

Baytril for the lump...and if that doesn't work, we go back and aspirate the lump and culture it...

I'll treat the Black and White Mannikin for mites as well...just because they're cagemates...even though she's not exhibiting any signs of anything amiss...

Nice vet! I quite like her!

StevePax · Post by **StevePax** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 12:52 pm

How much was a vet visit, if you don't mind me asking? I know, it will vary by region, but I'm curious about a ball-park figure?

Rue · Post by **Rue** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 12:56 pm

It was $66 with the Baytril...

StevePax · Post by **StevePax** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 12:56 pm

Thanks for the info.

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 2:28 pm

wow that was cheap, where in Canada are you?
I know the exotic "specialist" in town is quite a bit more expensive, your exam fee would probably be more than what you paid for the whole apointment. We got suckered into going there with our ferrets for the first 2 years until we found somewhere else that would treat them. There's another exotic vet about 30min away that I'll be taking my new bird to when we get him/her, it's actually worth the drive even with gas this expensive!
If you're looking for a vet Steve make sure you call around and get pricing info, the prices can vary wildly between clinics.

Rue · Post by **Rue** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 8:40 pm

I'm still in Saskatchewan...

StevePax · Post by **StevePax** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 8:58 pm

I'd like a vet, I guess. But I take a slight risk keeping birds where I live - the vets out here are more horse, cow, and sheep type vets (and I guess dogs - everyone here seems to have a dog), than anything else. I'm pretty far away from the main drag.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 8:11 am

hi rue
i know they are not the same species,but i have had in the past societies i have bred in my aviary with these feathery lumps and i found out it was because they were to closely bred...with them being outside i had no control over which partners they chose and they got funny feet and beaks and these lumps if i can find a picture of one of my old timers i will show you what i mean

this old guy was 6 years old when he died but those feathers never grew and he had those odd feet and the yellow brown things were fatty lumps that he never go rid of ....but he did breed quite afew young for me

ken