My worst plucked zebra, the fledgling, after 10 days alone

[Bluebonnet]

The fledgling has been in isolation for 10 days now and is definitely improving by the day.

It started out with Mom, Dad, and a sister and brother (from previous clutch) in a 18x18x30 cage. Dad and Mom were both plucking it, with Dad being the worse offender.

After I was able to get another cage I put Mom, sister, and fledgling in the new 18x18x30 cage. It was okay at first but then Mom started plucking it and the sister started in on him, too.

I rearranged the cages and put the fledgling in with another of his sisters. They were fine for a few days with them mostly sitting peacefully side by side, but then she started to reach over and pluck at the feathers tring to come in.

So I got another cage so the fledgling could have a safe place all to itself. But now its in a small cage so I could get my owls away from the nesting gouldians. It's like a finch saga or something. Will it ever end?

p.s. Is this a female?

Just before finally getting a cage to itself.

On the mend.

A better shot of the tail feathers coming in.

[kathmcm]

[quoteIt's like a finch saga or something. Will it ever end?
][/quote]

A finch saga - that's a good way to describe it! I think you will be able to write a book about finchkeeping some day. Maybe it should have a warning on the front cover - I went to the local library and checked out a couple books on finches before I got mine and was still unprepared for how these tiny little birds can take over.

Wonderful to see your fledgling - could hardly bear to see him so plucked before - it will be beautiful.

[cindy]

It is good progress!!! Glad the finches are feathering out....keep up the good work!!!

[finchmix22]

Linda,
Wow what a change from when I visited! The fledge looks great! You have done a superb job with these zebras. Cindy will know better than I do, but my guess is a hen, as I don't see any cheeks. Unless the grey/black flecking is the start of cheek coloring of a BC? I'm curious to see what she thinks too.

[Bluebonnet]

Thanks everyone! Couldn't have done it without the support of my finch forum friends.

[Rour]

Thanks everyone! Couldn't have done it without the support of my finch forum friends.

Poor little guy! (or girl, hard to tell now lol). I was having the same problem too. I had four robust male zebras (siblings) in a 30 by 18. They were picking on the one that seemed a bit smaller. Today I put him in with two male societies in another cage of the same size. Im hoping he would start picking on the societies, but so far so good! You have to keep watching those little guys. They are cute - but aggressive!

[DanteD716]

the baby is looking good!

[PrettyBird]

so glad to hear they are doign much better, and feathers are coming in

[ac12]

Wow it looked BAD. I've had zebras die from being plucked less than that.
I hope that it being plucked did not affect it cause it to pluck its chicks.

[Bluebonnet]

The baby's still improving, thanks for the comments. I would never have guessed a bird, especially such a young one, could be so badly plucked and still survive, but they're doing great.

Gary, I have no idea if a pluckie usually becomes a plucker or not. My very limited experience is that I have seen some of my zebras pluck some of their family members, but coexist just fine with the others. It took me a while to sort out which ones got along together. It's like selective plucking.

[ac12]

My zebras have driven me nuts.
Some will just NOT get along together from mild aggression and chasing to flat out attack and fighting.
Others will get along, then suddenly turn on its cagemate. I lost one of my penguins like that. Its cage mate suddenly turned on it. My wife found it very badly plucked and put it into an isolation cage, to get it away from the pluckor, but he died a couple days later.
I now have ALL my zebras either in pairs or individually caged.

[Bluebonnet]

My zebras have driven me nuts.
Some will just NOT get along together from mild aggression and chasing to flat out attack and fighting.Others will get along, then suddenly turn on its cagemate. I lost one of my penguins like that. Its cage mate suddenly turned on it. My wife found it very badly plucked and put it into an isolation cage, to get it away from the pluckor, but he died a couple days later. I now have ALL my zebras either in pairs or individually caged.

I'm sorry that happened to your penquin. It's disconcerting that they can get along for a while and suddenly change. All mine are either 2 or 1 to a cage also. As far as I can tell they're doing great together, but I will keep a close eye on them.

[limeslide]

Great improvement!

My zebras have driven me nuts.
Some will just NOT get along together from mild aggression and chasing to flat out attack and fighting.
Others will get along, then suddenly turn on its cagemate. I lost one of my penguins like that. Its cage mate suddenly turned on it. My wife found it very badly plucked and put it into an isolation cage, to get it away from the pluckor, but he died a couple days later.
I now have ALL my zebras either in pairs or individually caged.

That sounds terrible! I'm sorry, that really bites the bullet.