Canary egg bound - Quik Gel help please

Although they are technically passerines, canaries tend to be managed uniquely, so here is a forum just for them!
Post Reply
Nikita
Pip
Pip
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2019 1:56 pm
Location: Manasquan, NJ

Canary egg bound - Quik Gel help please

Post by Nikita » Sun Mar 24, 2019 6:50 pm

Hello all,

I acquired a 1 year old Gloster Canary, for free...lol
Of course she’s showing signs of being egg bound. Her balance is off.

I do have Quik Gel on hand. I read the directions from the Quik Gel site, which recommends mixing it with ER formula which I don’t have. The mix/directions are completely confusing to me. It doesn’t even mention how much ER formula, which doesn’t matter any way because I don’t have it. LadyGiuldianFinch.com never mentioned I needed to purchase the ER formula to Mix with the Quik Gel to treat egg binding.im sure I could use it without ER formula, just don’t know how and volumes.

I looked on YouTube for help...nothing there regarding how to properly administer Quik Gel.

In addition I have her on an all purpose antibiotics in her water. And I need to treat her with Scatt for scaly leg mites. FYI I do have a syringe and crop attachment to it. Please help. I’m at s loss and would like to take care of her properly. Your advice is gratefully appreciated.

Much thanks!!

Icearstorm
Weaning
Weaning
Posts: 1612
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2016 5:21 pm

Re: Canary egg bound - Quik Gel help please

Post by Icearstorm » Mon Mar 25, 2019 9:14 am

Nikita

I've never heard of Quik Gel before, but it says to mix 2mL into 1L of water. The ER formula just looks to be used for crop syringes. If you must use a crop syringe (if she stops eating and is starving herself to death), I have heard of some people using handfeeding formula and mixing the water and electrolytes into that. Just note that to many electrolytes or supplements could kill a bird, as could inhaling the formula if the crop needle is not inserted properly.

If she's egg-bound, the priority is calcium. I usually use a calcium + vitamin D3 powder for reptiles (sold at most pet stores) and mix the powder into water to make a soupy consistency, then take a drop and put it on the bird's beak. She should then drink it. You could also use human calcium drops or plain calcium carbonate unflavored antiacid tablets and grind them up and mix them in water like the calcium powder. However, without D3, it will likely be less effective.

Why are you administering antibiotics? If she doesn't have a commutable disease, they won't do a thing except possibly weaken her microbiome and increase antibiotic resistance if you use it irresponsibly.

Nikita
Pip
Pip
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2019 1:56 pm
Location: Manasquan, NJ

Re: Canary egg bound - Quik Gel help please

Post by Nikita » Mon Mar 25, 2019 7:39 pm

Hi Icearstorm!!

Thanks so much for the response. I have tube fed animals, but have not crop fed. So I like you’re idea of the drop and placing it on the birds beak.

I gave her the broad spectrum antibiotic because she was off balance and I thought it would help. She’s on her third day of Amoxitex. I treated her this morning with the Scatt. Her leg band says 2018 and she’s too young to have feet that look the way they do. She is pruning herself a lot. Not excessively, but a lot.

I took a look at her today, I don’t see any signs of egg binding. She is eating. I went to a bird store to purchase Scatt. I told the owner (sells lots of birds) that the canary also had the symptom of being unbalanced. He said ‘oh she’s egg bound’. I assumed he was right. But I looked and it doesn’t appear that she is. Her balance still seems to be off.

Now I’m thinking, she probably did bind at one point or another and that’s why I ended up with her. I will treat her with what you recommend above. The owner handed her to me and said “she’s not laying for me, I don’t want her.”

I also noticed that when she sits in the perch, she stretches her tallons out. Don’t know if that means anything.

Question:

I have Zebra’s with the fledglings, and a new Red Billed Fire Finch and the Canary, all in separate cages. Again this Canary was an unexpected aquisition. They are all in the same room, but in separate cages.

Do I have to treat the other birds including the fledglings with Scatt?
According to the bird store I purchased the Scatt from I do. I have only treated the Canary because I was concerned of it spreading to the other birds. I have been unable to put her in a separate room as we were pet sitting a cat. I separated her today.

Sorry for all the info, but a lot has happened in the last few days. I could use some quidance.

Icearstorm
Weaning
Weaning
Posts: 1612
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2016 5:21 pm

Re: Canary egg bound - Quik Gel help please

Post by Icearstorm » Wed Mar 27, 2019 9:10 am

Nikita

Balance issues could be an ear infection or neurological problems. I'm not sure what would have caused it. Since you already started antibiotics, don't stop until the directions say. I'm not sure what the talon-stretching could be. Some birds just do stuff for no clear reason (a couple of my finches liked to hang upside-down from the top of the enclosure for a few seconds when they were younger; they've never had any health problems, so I guess they just did it for some reason).

I don't think SCATT is recommended for use on juveniles. Wait until they're older. Air sac mites can be transmitted through water and direct and indirect contact with an infected bird's beak I have heard, so a bird sharing perches with an infected one that wipes its beak could be an issue. However, I doubt that there would be a problem just by sharing a room unless you are tending to the canary first and then not washing your hands before taking care of the other birds. I still doubt this would spread air sac mites, though. Other mites like red mites could spread on their own, but I'd still wait to treat the fledgelings if you think there is an issue.

Post Reply