When to put down a bird?

[ac12]

I have a zebra hen that has gradually lost the use of her legs.
At first it looked like splayed legs, then she had trouble walking, now she cannot walk. She uses her wings like crutches to get about the small hospital cage, her legs dragging behind her.

On top of that, today when I cleaned her butt, I found that her butt was swollen. Kind of like there is something inside, but I saw her poop, so the plumbing is not blocked. I have to clean her butt because she can't get her butt off the cage floor when she poops, so her butts gets caked w dried poop.

Not looking forward to doing this

[cindy]

Gary, how old is the finch? Is she eating and drinking?

[G8love4finches]

So sorry to hear about your hen....No advice, I don't what I would do

[Sally]

I just went thru this with a Strawberry fledgling that went downhill. I hated to give up on it, and kept hoping something would work. I was forcefeeding it, which I now think was the only thing keeping it alive. She died yesterday, but I now wish I had euthanized her--I kept her going for nothing.

It is one of the most difficult aspects of finchkeeping, and no one can tell you when is the right time for you and your situation. I have known of cases where people had to euthanize simply because they worked and were unable to take the bird to work with them, so they had no choice.

I think sometimes we tend to wait too long to euthanize, at least I do, hoping things will turn around. Basically, when there is little or no quality of life for the pet, it is time to let them go. Is this little hen able to fly? A life spent on the ground living in its own poop would not be much of a life.

Whatever you decide to do will be the best thing for you in your situation. It is hard.

[ac12]

I got her in Feb 2010, with her daughter. So I figure she is early 2009, or older. So maybe 3 years old, or older.

She seems to eat and drink OK...so far.
She has trouble eating only because I can't find a dish that is low enough. Everything I can find that is low is so light that she would easily flip it over. I use a small ramikin, and she has to push herself up the side of the ramikin to get her head above the edge so she can get to the food.

There isn't enough room in the hospital cage for her to fly.
But because her legs are useless, she would not be able to land except on her belly on the cage floor.

It is sad because she is my first penguin hen.

[cindy]

Gary to help her eat, take a small plastic contanier and cut the on of the sides down and cover the edges with a surgical or masking tape so it is smmoth. This way she can bring her body into the dish to eat.

When I get full pairs of penguins up and running, if you like I can send you a few eggs to have your birds foster, perhaps one will be a penguin hen. I have enough birds for 3 to 4 pairs right now. I am giving the adults a rest and the young time to mature and color out.

[Mozelle]

Hi Gary,

I don't think I can offer "advice", just my own experience and thoughts.
This last week I had to have my favorite society hen euthanized. She was crested with alternating white and chocolate feathers in her crest - quite stunning, and a little character in herself. She raised one fine nest of babies and I had hoped for babies looking like her eventually. Unfortunately she developed "twirling/stargazing".
I tried every treatment I was able to research, and thought at one point we had her on to recovery. She was able, right to the end, to keep herself fed and watered. And oddly enough, could even fly about her cage. But it was a massive struggle for her. She eventually couldn't tolerate ANY noises as they would startle her into a rolling, panicked bundle of feathers on the bottom of her cage.
I just had to finally make the decision that this really was no quality of life for HER. Trying to keep her going was beginning to be feel more and more selfish on my part. So I took her into my vet. Her discomfort and suffering were finished in a very quick moment. NO.. it was not easy, and it never is (I work at this same clinic and voluntarily oversee every euthanasia to try to help the families), but ultimately what was better for HER, was the best decision I could make.
And for now, I still have her babies who are a delight, and perhaps someday one of their chicks may bless me with another highlighted bad haircut

I"m so sorry you're having to go through this.. it's just never easy.

[dfcauley]

I think it is a decision that only you can make Gary. But if it were my bird I would have a difficult time watching it live like that. IF you do decide to put it down I don't think it will be something you will regret doing.
Sorry for your difficulties.....

[Ria]

Generally, quality of life should be the main consideration. Does your girl still seem happy? Still chirp, get excited for her favorite foods? Then i think shes doing all right and can keep going. If her life is mostly just laying there, and if the daily cleanings freak her out, it may be time.

I worked at an animal hospital for ten years, and I firmly believe in euthanasia rather than allowing your pet to 'die naturally at home'. It's never easy, but the decision must be about what's best for her. I don't want to sound hard or callous Gary, but I think if someone else had posted this question, you would be saying the same thing. I absolutely feel for you, but it sounds to me that it's time to let her go. I'm sorry.

[ac12]

I kept hoping that her legs would get better...instead they got worse.
Some times she is able to stand, then the next moment she is sitting on the cage floor. It is pittiful to watch her moving from one side of the cage to the other.

Having not been brought up on a farm, unlike my dad who was, this will be difficult. I have a tank of CO2, so maybe I will use that and a plastic bag

Thanks everyone.

[nelloyello11]

Gary, my heart goes out to you. I feel so badly for you, that you are in such a difficult position. I can tell that you care very deeply for all of your birds and that this is an immensely painful decision for you. My thoughts are with you.

[ac12]

Its one thing to have someone else do the deed for you, it is quite another when I have to do it. Maybe that is why I had been pushing off the decision.

[nelloyello11]

I can't even imagine....

[cindy]

Gary, if you can not do this make her as comfortable as possible, make her a place she can snuggled in and make a low feeding dish by removing a side to a low container or dish.

Call your vet if you feel she is suffering, they can gently ease her suffering with a gmt cottonball of ether, she will simply go to sleep.

I had a little boy penguin the mother hurt terribly and he lived on the bottom of the cage for a long time until he could stand and fly. We did not think his leg would ever recover, I fed him and fixed the cage so it was comfortable and safe for him. I thought we needed to end his suffering but he hung in there. Sitting on a perch lasted no more than a minute then he was back on the floor.

He is about 95% ok now but is not active like the others. He rests in a hanging mesh nest I made for him .

It is difficult to decide whether to do this, I completely understand and sympathize. Thoughts are with you and your little penguin.

[Jodi]

I am so sorry you are in this situation. I know it is not an easy decision. I truly believe in quality of life. If I was in this situation, I would ask myself if I'm doing what's best for her or am I hanging on and waiting for my own selfish reasons. I had to go through this with my dog early this year and I waited too long for selfish reasons. She could barely move when I brought her to the vet to have her euthanized. My only regret is not doing it sooner. Just my thoughts. You need to do what you feel is right for you. Again, I'm sorry you have to go through this.