Feather Problem

bianca · Post by **bianca** » Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:10 am

Hello to everyone!!! I have 8 finches (3 male and 5 female)!!!! I have this problem: Linos is a 3.5 years old male zebra finch and these days i have noticed that he has lost feathers around his neck. Something is wrong also at the side(orange area). His feathers are not sleek like they used to be. I put some vitamin A into his water but i haven't seen any improvement....His mate is a very beautiful and healthy all white finch. I really don't know why that happened. Is there something else i can do??? Many thanks in advance!!

cindy · Post by **cindy** » Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:18 am

Can you post a picture of the little guy? Seeing might help us get a good idea what might be going on so we can help you.

bianca · Post by **bianca** » Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:32 am

I will really try!!! He is a tough guy... Difficult to catch...

cindy · Post by **cindy** » Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:44 am

You can take one from outside the cage so you don't have to catch him. In the mean time there is a webpage with feather and other issues...it may help.

http://www.avianweb.com/diseases.htm

Do you think the female is plucking him?

bianca · Post by **bianca** » Sat Jan 23, 2010 10:27 am

I think i did it!

no the female is ok with him!... They are 2.5 years as a couple

bianca · Post by **bianca** » Sat Jan 23, 2010 10:40 am

2 more photos..

HoangQuan · Post by **HoangQuan** » Sat Jan 23, 2010 11:34 am

Bianca, the photos were so small, I couldnt see anything clearly

Are all 8 of your finches zebra finch? Or they're different kinds of finches mixed together in a large cage? Did you notice any fights?

bianca · Post by **bianca** » Sat Jan 23, 2010 1:19 pm

Sorry about that.... I hope it will be better now.. I have 3 cages one space where I have put one pair in each cage and one double (there is a separation between the two parts) where I have put two female-one in each side- because they were fighting all the time and I had a really big problem. I haven't noticed any fights. The male finches and 3 of the female are definitely zebra finches. The other two female are totally white. Are they also zebra???....

HoangQuan · Post by **HoangQuan** » Sat Jan 23, 2010 1:35 pm

bianca wrote:Sorry about that.... I hope it will be better now.. I have 3 cages one space where I have put one pair in each cage and one double (there is a separation between the two parts) where I have put two female-one in each side- because they were fighting all the time and I had a really big problem. I haven't noticed any fights. The male finches and 3 of the female are definitely zebra finches. The other two female are totally white. Are they also zebra???....

Of course the other two you're talking about are zebras. I asked because I thought you put them all together and the male zebra finch could be really aggressive when they're in breeding mode.
I still highly suspect it was the other birds that picked him in the neck..

bianca · Post by **bianca** » Sat Jan 23, 2010 1:55 pm

Linos is in the same cage only with his mate 2.5 years now. In the past she was picking him on the top of his head when she wanted sex but during this year I haven't noticed anything like that. I will be happy if it is just that. I am worried in case of an illness... As far as the question about the zebras I am sorry but I don't know much.....
I am trying to learn!!!

bianca · Post by **bianca** » Sat Jan 23, 2010 5:14 pm

Are there any other suggestions?? I really don't see the female picking his head... Apart from the vitamin A is there anything else that I should give or do to Linos? Many thanks for your help in advance!!!

Post by **Sally** » Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:23 pm

It looks like a case of feather-plucking to me. You say he and the white Zebra have been a couple for 2.5 years. Have they ever raised any babies? Has she laid eggs? The reason I ask is that I think with the white Zebras, the males have a red beak and the females have an orange beek, and that beak looks sort of red to me.

bianca · Post by **bianca** » Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:27 pm

Sally thank you for your interest!! They have given me 5 very beautiful babies!!!

lovemyfinch · Post by **lovemyfinch** » Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:37 pm

Hi Bianca, is it at all possible that he is going through a molt? If not I would have to guess that some feather plucking is going on - while you are not watching.

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:43 pm

lovemyfinch wrote:Hi Bianca, is it at all possible that he is going through a molt? If not I would have to guess that some feather flucking is going on - while you are not watching.

That's how you say "plucking" in french in Quebec!

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