Hi All
So BB is with his new mate and he isn't singing. Which I know can come with time. I stumbled upon some posts about birds loosing their voice due to air sac mites. When the new bird goes near BB he doesn't sing or make a loud squawking sound, it is a very faint meep meep. I am wondering if through all of this, he has air mites? I posted before that he was always puffy and didn't move much. I did take him to the vet BUT he didn't perform that wet the neck, turn lights off and shine a light on him exam.
I am now very concerned as I have put a healthy female in with him.
I have looked for antibiotics but you can't buy them from a pet food store anymore.
Any suggestions? Should I bring him back to the vet? He did say that if I thought I needed some antibiotics to call and he would dispense some.
What if I have infected her?
Question about Air Sac Mites
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sammyj
- Hatchling
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- Location: Carleton Place
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Sally
- Mod Extraordinaire
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Re: Question about Air Sac Mites
You have already had the bird checked by a vet, and he didn't find anything wrong with him. Was this an avian vet? Some vets are not familiar with finches, as they work mostly with hookbills. When you hold him up to your ear, can you hear a clicking noise? If not, it is not air sac mites. I went back and read some of your other posts about him. You say you have had him for a year now and he is always puffy. If he was puffy because he was sick, he would have succumbed before a year was up, or he would have gotten better.
Did he never sing at all in the year you have had him? Have you asked the breeder about him? They might be able to help you. Are you sure it is a male? I looked at his picture, and he does look like a male, but if he has any trace of a gray necklace, that would be a female.
As far as antibiotics, most of them have to be ordered online, but you don't want to administer antibiotics unless you know what is wrong with the bird--they can make him worse if not needed.
Did he never sing at all in the year you have had him? Have you asked the breeder about him? They might be able to help you. Are you sure it is a male? I looked at his picture, and he does look like a male, but if he has any trace of a gray necklace, that would be a female.
As far as antibiotics, most of them have to be ordered online, but you don't want to administer antibiotics unless you know what is wrong with the bird--they can make him worse if not needed.
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sammyj
- Hatchling
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- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 10:12 am
- Location: Carleton Place
Re: Question about Air Sac Mites
Hi Sally,
Yes, he was an avian vet, he had finches of his own including singers. He listened to his chest with the stethascope and he didn't hear anything. I remember BB sqawked really loud when the vet was checking him, my husband heard him in the waiting room. Now that I keep the room warmer, put vitamins in his water and the sun is out, he is not puffed and is active.
He sang when I first bought him which was almost a year to the month. He sang during the summer and it stopped when winter came. I live near Ottawa, Canada. He hasn't sang since. This may or may not be useful but to get my attention he would rub his beak along the cage until I went over. I am noticing that he is doing that to the female. If he wants her attention, he goes and rubs and rubs and rubs.
He is a male as the Breeder had him for 2 years and he never layed eggs and he always sang. I asked her about his behaviour and she is stumped. She is surprised that he is so domesticated and I can pet him. She suggested another male in a separate cage to get him going or try the hen.
I find it hard to obtain information on the green singers because they are so uncommon.
I know that he is odd, all my animals are odd!
Yes, he was an avian vet, he had finches of his own including singers. He listened to his chest with the stethascope and he didn't hear anything. I remember BB sqawked really loud when the vet was checking him, my husband heard him in the waiting room. Now that I keep the room warmer, put vitamins in his water and the sun is out, he is not puffed and is active.
He sang when I first bought him which was almost a year to the month. He sang during the summer and it stopped when winter came. I live near Ottawa, Canada. He hasn't sang since. This may or may not be useful but to get my attention he would rub his beak along the cage until I went over. I am noticing that he is doing that to the female. If he wants her attention, he goes and rubs and rubs and rubs.
He is a male as the Breeder had him for 2 years and he never layed eggs and he always sang. I asked her about his behaviour and she is stumped. She is surprised that he is so domesticated and I can pet him. She suggested another male in a separate cage to get him going or try the hen.
I find it hard to obtain information on the green singers because they are so uncommon.
I know that he is odd, all my animals are odd!
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Sally
- Mod Extraordinaire
- Posts: 17929
- Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2007 11:55 pm
- Location: DFW, Texas
Re: Question about Air Sac Mites
Some of the best information on Green Singers is right here in the forum. Ian, Ikhom, Nipper06--they have all had success with this species. Do a search for their threads, you can learn a lot from them. I have heard that Green Singers will not sing all year long, just at certain times. My Green Singer/canary hybrid used to sing all the time, and right now, he is quiet. I used to be able to whistle the '1812 overture', and he would sing back to me, but not lately.
I have two Gray Singer males, siblings, and they are in different cages across the room from each other. Their mother is in yet another cage. Those two boys will sing back and forth, off and on, all day. Maybe yours will start singing when spring comes.
I have two Gray Singer males, siblings, and they are in different cages across the room from each other. Their mother is in yet another cage. Those two boys will sing back and forth, off and on, all day. Maybe yours will start singing when spring comes.
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sammyj
- Hatchling
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 10:12 am
- Location: Carleton Place
Re: Question about Air Sac Mites
I have two Gray Singer males, siblings, and they are in different cages across the room from each other. Their mother is in yet another cage. Those two boys will sing back and forth, off and on, all day. Maybe yours will start singing when spring comes.[/quote]
Yes, I now realize that the Gray singers are stronger singers. I am a bit disappointed in the breeder that I bought BB from. Oh well, he is adorable and I love him and he is part of the family. Regardless of whether he sings or not, he will stay. I will just have to fiind another bird who will sing
Yes, I now realize that the Gray singers are stronger singers. I am a bit disappointed in the breeder that I bought BB from. Oh well, he is adorable and I love him and he is part of the family. Regardless of whether he sings or not, he will stay. I will just have to fiind another bird who will sing