Canary not feeling well

Although they are technically passerines, canaries tend to be managed uniquely, so here is a forum just for them!
Post Reply
THRobinson
Pip
Pip
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2019 9:34 am

Canary not feeling well

Post by THRobinson » Thu Aug 22, 2019 9:59 am

Hey guys, new to the forum... bought a canary 6 months ago, and seems under the weather. Sadly I live middle-of-nowhere and none of the vets will even trim it's nails let alone diagnose it.

When I bought it, it was a bit scruffy... had a tuft on the back of feathers sticking up and tail feathers a bit sparse. Assumed probably molting. Few tail feathers grew back, but still kinda spread out and still a tuft on the back.

Otherwise seemed happy, jumping around between perches and always singing. Then a month ago he stopped singing, mostly sits puffed up, tail bobbing. At night it makes a sort of 'sucking' noise.

Can't see any red mites. Scrubbed the cage to be safe. Eyes and beak seem fine. Poops I think are ok as well.

Searched online and saw a few posts about air-sac mites being a possibility, so bought SCATT and last week applied a drop to it's thigh, and trimmed his nails. I discovered my canary holds grudges.

Anyways, a week later, not seeing any changes. Supposed to re-apply every 3x every 21 days so, I have a while before dose #2... but had hoped to see some changes by now.

Environment wise... I have a large wide cage with a few perches. Water/food changed every two days. I feed it Hagen Canary Seed, Witte Molen egg food, usually a treat stick in there, and a few times a week I give it some apple or broccoli. At night it gets covered up. No direct breeze, and not cold because it's hot here right now and no A/C.

Any suggestions? Advise?

Dave
Sisal Slave
Sisal Slave
Posts: 564
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2015 7:24 am
Location: Campbellsville, KY

Re: Canary not feeling well

Post by Dave » Thu Aug 22, 2019 3:57 pm

I assume that you're regulating the length of day--that is, the number of hours each day that your bird sees light. The number of hours should match the natural outdoor day length. Canaries get unbalanced hormonally if the changes in day length aren't normal.

Did you buy your Canary from a pet shop?

Every time I've gotten a Canary from a pet shop, it behaves are you say in your post. Depending on how long they are in the store, I think Canaries especially get messed up there.

Since you're using Scatt, IF that is the problem it will be resolved.

Of course, it could be a disease. Someone posted here, not so long ago, that a vet recommended a general antibiotic for birds. I couldn't find the post. Maybe someone on here has a suggestion.

Vets frequently aren't very interested in having birds as patients. My cousin is a vet, and when I asked him why he said 'because by the time someone brings a bird in, it is so sick it dies in the exam room'. The moral being: it is difficult to treat, successfully, a bird that has a disease.
Dave

Campbellsville, Kentucky, USA
Canaries

THRobinson
Pip
Pip
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2019 9:34 am

Re: Canary not feeling well

Post by THRobinson » Thu Aug 22, 2019 4:11 pm

90% of the time I'm pretty good with the covering of the cage at the same time, though may be doing it a bit later than I should so I'll start covering it a bit earlier.

I bought it from a breeder? I guess?

Apparently he supplies all the PetSmart stores with Canaries and Finches in Ontario. Had a tonne of Finches and a breeding room for those. Canaries I think he gets them and sells them, but not breeding them, or at least not as much as he does with Finches.

He didn't seem to know as much as I would have expected someone to in his field... has someone sex the birds for him, so was a guess if male/female. My mother's would not sing at all, until each got their own cage. He said 2 males in the same cage would sing... apparently not hers. Her's though look smaller, sleeker, feathers all in place etc. I might put a drop of SCATT on them once a year as a preventative measure.

Mine, again, thought was just molting or something, but, tail feathers are always spread out not grouped together, and the back patch has me worried. I figured they'd have fallen out by now, but nope, small cluster sticks straight out.

I read in a forum as well about diseased small birds like Canaries, and the guy said he didn't want to sound like a jerk but if it is sick, save the vet bill, because probably won't be of much help anyways.

Still hoping the SCATT fixes the issue.

Any ideas about the back feathers? I might take a photo tonight and upload it.

THRobinson
Pip
Pip
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2019 9:34 am

Re: Canary not feeling well

Post by THRobinson » Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:25 pm

Well... just did dose#2 yesterday of SCATT.

3 days ago however, my canary started singing again. Seems to finally be doing a bit better at night, not making the 'suck' noise as much. Still sits and puffs up, not as much, but more than the 2 my mother owns.

Fingers crossed it's on the mend.

I also put SCATT on her birds. Read that it's good to put a drop on once a year just to help prevent mites and such. Given the bottle size, I got plenty to spare. Shame it wasn't sold in those perfume/cologne tester sized bottles. With the little stick inside. Perfect applicator, and enough for a small bird for easily 5yrs. Cheaper too.

User avatar
lem2bert
1 Egg Laid
1 Egg Laid
Posts: 686
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 9:02 am
Location: Lunenburg MA

Re: Canary not feeling well

Post by lem2bert » Tue Sep 10, 2019 4:27 pm

Glad to hear your canary is doing a little better. =D> I do hope you keep seeing some progress. Keeping my fingers crossed !!!
Betty 1 toy poodle and canary.

THRobinson
Pip
Pip
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2019 9:34 am

Re: Canary not feeling well

Post by THRobinson » Tue Sep 10, 2019 4:37 pm

Yup... after that 2nd dose, week later it seems fine now. I don't hear any 'suck' noises at night (can't think of a better term to use) and as far as singing, it won't shut up. :D

I still have the other issue on the tail being spread out not clumped together like my Mom's 2 canaries, plus that weird tuft on it's back.

Again, looks like a small patch got half ripped out and sticking straight up, and half a year later, it's still like it. I won't touch it in case it hurts it or something but, dunno, canary doesn't seem bothered by it, I just assumed they'd fall out by now.

User avatar
lem2bert
1 Egg Laid
1 Egg Laid
Posts: 686
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 9:02 am
Location: Lunenburg MA

Re: Canary not feeling well

Post by lem2bert » Wed Sep 11, 2019 5:54 pm

I agree with you, I would not bother that feather, perhaps he will loose it the next time he moults. . If the canary is not bothered by it, I would not worry about it. Glad he is feeling better. :D
Betty 1 toy poodle and canary.

Post Reply