My Baby died !! Parents are in pain

Marcos · Post by **Marcos** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 12:14 am

Just like that. No signs or warnings. In fact he/she was so full of energy until this morning. I got up, went to the living room to uncover the cage, and there the baby was, laid out dead with the it's eyes closed. I just can't understand it. The baby was a bit over 4 weeks old. In fact, it was only out of the nest a bit over a week. It had already flown out of the cage with the parents. It was eating on its own, and was also still being fed by the parents. It looked healthy in every respect.

After a few weeks of non stop noise, up and back in the cage, parents and kids, making all kinds of sounds, tonight, .....dead silence. Mom and Dad sit close on a perch, preening each other a bit, but not a peep. They clearly no what has happened. They must be in distress, as it has not been this quiet since,.......I cannot remember when. So....that is about it.

Do any of you guys have any idea as to what might have caused such the quick death of an otherwise healthy looking baby Society Finch?

beccafigs · Post by **beccafigs** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 3:12 am

Aww I'm sorry for your loss. I don't know anything that would help you figure it out. Sorry.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 9:40 am

hi marcos
i am sorry to here of your loss ,but without an autopsy you may never find out and for one small bird that will work out expensive

ken

Post by **Sally** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 3:04 pm

So sorry for your loss, Marcos. The down side of keeping finches is that we lose them more often than with other pets, and we seldom know what happened. Birds usually hide illness till they are very sick, so it is not uncommon to have one appear happy and healthy one day, and then find them on the floor the next, with no chance to try to save them.

EmilyHurd · Post by **EmilyHurd** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 7:44 am

How old was your baby finch?

Baby finches tend to die more frequently than adult finches for no reason. I've had it happen to me a lot with babies... just dying at any age, one month, two months, three months....

The other thing about finches is I'm sure the parents will move on and have another baby...

I'm sorry for your loss though!

Marcos · Post by **Marcos** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 10:29 pm

Thanks everyone.....It's nice to be able to have some "bird" friends that cans console you a little. This is especially true in light to all of the people around us that think we are nuts when ever mention anything about our birds.

So the baby was about 5 weeks old. Oh well. In the meantime, the nest has been removed. They will not be breeding (hopefully) for awhile because mom and dad too are kind of young......about (4-5 months) and I want to give the mom some off time to recover and get a bit more mature. Speaking of my little girl and boy, they are really doing just fine. In fact, it is almost they have found time to not only rediscover each other, but also things that I had placed in the cage many months ago. They just love this string ladder and the swings...as well as smome small parakeet/finch toys with mirrors. They're becoming very active again, and also....thank God..... a lot less quiet then when that baby was around. Come to think of it, I think I will go nuts if I have to listen to a house full of babies. Hence, I am in no hurry to have them breeding again.

Thanks again everyone......

Kathleen · Post by **Kathleen** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 11:50 pm

Marcos....I'm so sorry for the loss of your baby bird....it's so hard when we get attached and then they're gone without any warning. Hope you feel better soon.
Kathleen

EmilyHurd · Post by **EmilyHurd** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 5:55 am

I have a pair of cut throats that have a big mirror in their cage nest to a perch, and they sit next to that thing ALL THE TIME! It is hilarious, I swear they think their are more cut throats in the cage! Do you think that is mean? I think it would comforting!

As far as losing babies, it is hard, but in my case, I always get more attached to the adult birds, and the finches I've had for a long time. When babies die, it is sad, but not as sad when I have finch die that I have had for a long time!

Marcos · Post by **Marcos** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:17 am

Good post Emily

Re Mirrors

I have two little mirrors.....colorful, and with some beads and/or bells on them. Both of my finches love playing with them. But never together. In fact, they pretty much like to play on their own. But they have grown to love the ladder that swings. It's a ladder on a rope with wooden steps. These guys love going up and down and through it.

And yes I do agree with you regarding the affect of losing a parent versus a baby. Even though we don't get as close physically with finches like we do with a parrot, an emotional bond develops for these guys. I know they consider me a part of their flock. They let me service their cage, but if I start to get too aggressive in the cleaning, they fly out to the floor. Then when I am done, they fly back in again. In any event, it would really be a heart breaker if one of the parents died. If my female dies first.........the male will go nuts.......