Zebras mysteriously dying off?

Seegiebo · Post by **Seegiebo** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 3:23 pm

I just moved into a new house a few months ago. Four finches made the move with me and lasted about two weeks before each one died off. There were no obvious signs of what went wrong. They would just be fluffed up and lethargic and dead the next day. We bought two more Indian spice finches and they died as well.

After the deaths we removed all of the cages and threw them away thinking that maybe a bacteria had built up in the cage. After a month with no birds we were given five more finches Tuesday afternoon. We kept them in the same cage they were already in with the same food. We did replace the water with our own. A finch was unwell by Wednesday night and dead by Thursday morning. What could possibly be killing them so quickly? The temperature has never gotten below 63. The cage they came in was dirty (I did hose it out once I got home) but they were obviously fine in it before they got to our house. We have several other animals (cats, dogs, snakes, lizards, tortoises, frogs, a red-tail hawk that lives in the mew outside) that are doing just fine! Please help, I don't want the others to die!

cindy · Post by **cindy** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 6:14 pm

Do you have new carpeting in the house? Gas stove (possibly leaking), Cook with Teflon? Oven lined in Teflon? Use airfreshners?

Are you using bottled water, well water?

Where are your birds kept, what room?

DanteD716 · Post by **DanteD716** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 6:20 pm

Well, Cindy covered all the good questions. They all died at the new house you say? It's been months?

kathmcm · Post by **kathmcm** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 6:24 pm

Do you have a working carbon monoxide detector in the house? That is what would worry me most.

http://www.finchniche.com/community_birdtales1.php

Finches will die of CO poisoning before people fall ill from it.

cindy · Post by **cindy** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 6:25 pm

Just out of curiousity, new house, old....where are you located?

What type of heat?

DanteD716 · Post by **DanteD716** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 6:29 pm

It must be something in the new house? It has been a few months so i cannot be the carpet. Hmm

cindy · Post by **cindy** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 6:52 pm

Carpet has sizing and can give off gases for a while...I am more inclined to think it is either a gas leak, or something used (appliance, cookware, product, well water) in the house.

DanteD716 · Post by **DanteD716** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 6:53 pm

Yeah, where in the house do you keep them??? What room?

moonrise · Post by **moonrise** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 7:52 pm

Some other possibilities:

Cigarette smoke?
Insecticides?
Hair spray?
Household cleaners?
Mold (perhaps)?
A poisonous plant within their reach?
One of those foam mattresses that may be off-gassing? (I don't have one, but supposedly they're pretty stinky at first.)
Strong paint / spray paint?
Strong glue or adhesive? (Some of my craft glues are horrible-smelling!)
Something wrong with their food?

Post by **finchmix22** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 8:44 pm

I agree there is something in the new environment that is toxic to finches. You must check for gas leaks, fumes, substances in the air, carpet, flooring, cleaning supplies, paint, appliances, cookware, airducts, A/C and heat system, filters, water pipes, etc. There could be so many things. I would have an environmental person come and test the house because if finches are dying, there is something that will eventually be harmful to humans as well. Good Luck and let us know what you find out.

DanteD716 · Post by **DanteD716** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:09 pm

Yes, keep us update!! And welcome to the forum!!

cindy · Post by **cindy** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:30 pm

If you have a gas stove or gas heat you can have that inspected...call your local fire deptment and tell them what hppened, ask if someone could come out or can they recommend someone to check for CO.

Seegiebo · Post by **Seegiebo** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:45 pm

Eek, scary stuff!

No one has inspected the house that I know of. I live south Georgia and this house was built in 1933, so it's older.

No new carpet.
No gas stove.
No teflon.
Use a scensty air freshener but nothing sprayed into the air.
They are kept in the dining room in the corner off the floor and away from the windows.
We use the same tap water we drink ourselves, we are known as the aquifer city so our water is actually generally very high quality.
No smoke or hairspray.
Maybe mold but I would imagine that would take more than 24 hours to kill one?
No paints or glue.
I made sure to use the food that came with them so as to rule that out.

I guess I could try and have someone come look at the house. I don't even want to think about what that will cost me though. I am really hoping that the first set was bacteria from a dirty cage (since that can be easily fixed) and that the new dead finch was just stressed from the move. The remaining four look like the feel fine! Will keep everyone updated!

PrettyBird · Post by **PrettyBird** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:46 pm

If this is a newly built house it could be all the new appliances/carpet in the house. Or new paint. Old house, well there could be some sort of leak or whatever that birds are more sensitive too.
I agree with the other I would get someone in to inspect the house. Even check for carbon monoxide

DanteD716 · Post by **DanteD716** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:47 pm

Hmm, do you keep the cages in the same place?? Draft?? Evil housecat??

I don't know, I never had this... odd, keep us posted!!!

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Zebras mysteriously dying off?

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