New finch owner - is this normal

[sschierling]

I researched cages - got two of the biggest ones I could afford - they stack on top of each other - prevue flight/breeder cage - has a divider but I don't have it in the cage so the birds have more room to fly - it's longer vs taller - read my finch book - read online websites about care. But reading and real life are not always the same -

I have 2 spice finches and 3 black rump waxbills in the top cage and I have 2 pairs of society finches in the bottom cage.

I came home to a dead waxbill last night (had 4 - now 3). When I first got them - one of the waxbills was fluffed up - I added antibiotics to the water for a few days and upped the temp in that room... and now he/she is fine and seems very active and alert... I had been watching but didnt' notice anyone else acting off.

when I very first had chickens - a neighbor told me sometimes chickens just die - I would guess this is the same. If all the other birds seem happy and thriving and active?

Water. Why does it have to be changed daily? Does this include their hanging bird bath too?

Seed. Do you have good methods for blowing off the chaff so they can get to the seed easier? And how often do you do this?

I'm disappointed that I had one die - I'm new to this type of bird - I've had chickens/pigeons/turkeys/gamebirds - other outdoor type birds and these are just a bit more delicate although when looking at types to get I tried to pick birds that were good for beginners and hearty... ??

Thanks in advance everyone! Happy to be here - will be reading posts. Shannon - Colorado

[Sheather]

Black-rump waxbills are not a beginner bird - most waxbills are not, but especially these, which are hard to breed and usually imported from the wild. Their ages, histories, and health are thus largely impossible to determine. Sometimes birds do die for seemingly no reason, either from internal defects, night frights (when they startle in the dark and crash into something), or an illness which they were hiding (as prey animals birds will mask their symptoms until very ill indeed, to avoid predators picking them out as a vulnerable target.)

Spice and society finches are much more easily kept and better for the beginning bird keeper.

Water needs a daily changing if they get food particles in it while drinking. If they take baths, it needs twice daily changing, or if ever there is waste in the water. I use tube drinkers changed every 2 or 3 days and only offer bath dishes for a few minutes every couple days, removing them immediately after the birds bathe, or else they become unsanitary quickly.

To blow away seed hulls, I just take the dish, shake it gently, and blow over it until hulls stop falling. I do it before I vacuum and let it settle on the floor, but it could be down out a window or outdoors.
I do this daily when feeding seed.

[wilkifam]

Welcome,

Sounds like you are doing everything right, and researching first is sure the way to go.

Sometimes when I have a bird die mysteriously, I chalk it up to possibly running into the cage bars. Over the years I've had a couple very healthy looking birds die suddenly.

I had never heard of a black rumped waxbill, so I looked it up. Beautiful! So sorry you lost one!

[wilkifam]

I use these feeders, All the chaff falls into the drawer at the bottom. It really cuts down on mess, and saves on seed waste. They can hang inside or outside the cages.

[lovezebs]

sschierling

Welcome to the Forum Shannon.

Dylan, already answered all of your questions, but I just wanted to say hello, and
sorry about the loss of your bird.

Just a quick note about water changes.
Water needs to be changed daily, or even twice daily because with bits of food and bird saliva, it can grow bacteria very quickly. Besides, no one likes drinking stale, old water.

[sschierling]

Thanks everyone - I read something that the waxbills are hardy once acclimated so I thought they would be ok...but yes, suspecting that is not the case. However - everyone still very active and seem happy.

I used a straw to blow the chaff out and got much less of it in my face/hair/down my shirt... will check out that feeder posted. Where was it purchased?

I love how the society finches nest together. Their faces poking out of their nests are adorable.

The finches are such a cool creature to have in the house - love their chirps and songs. Oh - and I have UV lights on a timer for them as well so they get plenty of "sun".

Not so much interested in breeding although I hear that can happen with the society finches quite easily. I have 3-4 bamboo nests in both cages. The society finches seem to be the only ones interested in using them at this point - from what I read the waxbills and spice finches are difficult to breed in captivity which is ok to me.

[lovezebs]

sschierling

Your Societies if offered nests, will breed and have babies, so be prepared for a population explosion at some point soon .

[mick1933]

Hi just one thing. I notice you had one of the birds fluffed up and it appears you treated it in the same cage as the other birds. If you notice a sick bird you should isolate it from the other and treat it in a hospital cage. In the past with budgies after treating a sick bird and it survives I always had its droppings tested by a vet before returning it to the other birds. It may sound expensive to do this but some of the bird diseases can spread through an aviary like a wildfire in a gale and that can then become really expensive and heartbreaking.