Special Needs Finches (housing)

[Natalie]

I am new to finches (and new to this forum), though not new to animal rescue (dogs, cats, birds).

My younger daughter, Julia, is a graduate student in animal behavior at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. One of her fellow grad students is doing a finch study. I had given notice that when the study was over, I was interested in acquiring some of the finches (Society and Zebra).

Julia just told me of a special needs Society finch. Tiny Tim was born (hatched) without wings but seems healthy otherwise. He is about three weeks old. I am accelerating getting ready for bird motherhood. I bought a cage (about 3.5' x 3.5' x 2.5'). I will be getting a companion for TT before he comes home, and before the other finches are released from the study.

Who has experience with finches who cannot fly or are aware of helpful resources? What are your thoughts on preparing the cage for accessibility? Any other thoughts?

Thanks so much, Natalie

[CandoAviary]

Wow, no wings. I have a few an amputee gouldian, a totally blind gouldian, A non recovered semi twirler gouldian, and several very old geriatric gouldians. I have them in a large cage and have water and food at floor level as well as different hights. The blind fellow stayed on the flor for a while but then realized the perches...I have them staggered on one side and he goes all the way to the top of the cage...some 40 inches. He also will fly to a few perches and even gets on the swing. It's like he has memorized the cage and though he cannot see lands very well on the perches. He will sidestep down the perch to the water tubes and sing with the best of them. He however is not fond of the bath..... I guess since he can't see how deep it is he panicks. He does trust me to hold him in the sink and let the water trickle over him....he is precious.

Maybe you could stagger some perches so that your wingless can hop around. It is amazing how they adapt

[AndreasLon]

How sweet!

Yes I agree that all you will need is perches that are closer together than for flighted birds so he can just hop from one to the other.

Bear in mind that they like heights so if he is steady on his feet you can place the perches so that he can reach the top of the cage.

If he is not steady a fall might injure him, so it's for you to assess.

[Ursula]

Welcome to the forum!


Sorry, I don't have experience with handicapped birds, so I can't give advice. Just wanted to say that I think it's very nice that you will be taking him in anyway and want to provide him a nice environment.

[Natalie]

Thanks so much for the good wishes and the advice.

Today I talked to the person who owns Strictly Feathers, the only birds-only shop in Knoxville. Her advice was similar: outfit the cage bottom with all s/he might need, and then provide lots of opportunities to move higher in the cage. She also said to be sure to sex him (her) before providing a companion so that no breeding occurs. My thoughts exactly. I have asked my daughter to find out what she could about the genealogy of this bird to see if inbreeding could be the problem.

I have been researching finches on the net as well as making a wonderful purchase of four books for about $15 total at the book recycling store.

This is much akin to having a baby. Consult the experts (those who have been there before) and read a LOT. Can't wait for the "birth."

Natalie

[CandoAviary]

Natalie,
Please post pictures of your new 'baby' once he/she arrives

[Natalie]

Natalie,
Please post pictures of your new 'baby' once he/she arrives

Will do! S/he looks pretty normal, except you never see wings. Julia picked him/her up yesterday, and there is just nothing winglike under the feathers. Otherwise, Tiny Tim looks normal and healthy. TT climbed up the side of the cage (similar to hardware mesh) and to get down just fell. My hope is to give enough places to hop and rest that falls won't occur. And when we get TT sexed, we can provide a companion of the same gender.

I went by Strictly Feathers, Knoxville's only bird specialty shop to scope out the possibilities. Can't wait.

A bit of historical trivia, my mother always loved birds and we had parakeets when I was a child (Pete and Mike) and my sister eventually bought her canaries (Willy and Waylon), but she always wanted finches. I think of Mom every time I think of caged birds (and chocolate, another of her loves).

Natalie

[Ursula]

Can't wait to see pictures!

It would be interesting to know what it was, whether it could have been inbreeding. I guess you woulnd't know for sure though...

[Ursula]

Forgot to mention: My daughter had a handicapped mouse once. S/he had only little stumps as front legs. S/he looked somehow like a tiny kangaroo and was also hopping like one. One of my daughter's friend's mother brought it from work where they had caught it in a warehouse. Unfortunately that mouse was pretty smart and very(!) fast, even with that handicap, and escaped us. My daughter had it in the living room one day, and off she went and out the back door into the yard. We tried to lure her for a while with food but never caught it or saw it again.

It also didn't look like an insury, it looked as if she was born that way...

[Meagan83]

I have a friend who has a society hen without wings. She said it was inbreeding. She lost track of which of her birds were related in her cage.
Congrats on your new baby. I have a special needs baby too. I'm not sure if it was injured in the nest, or if it was a development issue. All the others turned out fine. It has turned in feet. Poor thing has trouble perching. Otherwise it does just fine and is very cute. He's turned out to be one of my favorite birds.
The ones that are disabled always make up for it with loads of personality.