One of my zebra finches is ill.

Kamoodle · Post by **Kamoodle** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 8:45 pm

My only female zebra finch has been sick for a couple months and nothing I seem to do has remotely worked. I can give a story of what I think it might be if people have noticed this sort of problem before.

My female used to lay eggs and then for some odd reason, she stopped laying them, even after her mate attempted to mate with her. So, she was eggless for a few months. Then, at around November, I noticed that she was in the nest for a couple days trying to lay an egg or so. When it never came out, she started to act strange. Caked droppings started sticking on her butt so each time they started to build, I would catch her just to clean it all off. I believe this helped because one, she wouldn't get constipated, and two, the caked droppings acted as a plug so it made it harder for her to poop. However, as much as I thought this would help a bit, she's been gradually looking worse and worse. I've noticed the area around her anus, more of above it, has gotten darker and swollen. She's lost feathers there. Over time, she's also become weaker; she even has trouble jumping up to the lowest perches which are not far up from the bottom at all. Lately, she's been breathing hard and she sometimes shakes her head side to side like she's having a seizure or something.

I really felt I've done all I could but she's been in so much pain now and I doubt any vet would look at a small bird, at least not this late in the game. I feel so bad I've let it gone this far. If you need photos, I can show what she looks like but I think I've described as much as I could.

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 9:28 pm

It sounds as if she may be egg bound.

Here is an article with some tips/solutions that may help:

http://www.avianweb.com/eggbinding.html

I hope she makes it through

cindy · Post by **cindy** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 9:38 pm

I would put a heat lamp on the cage, close to where she likes to sit.

She may have an egg that she can not pass easily, heat and a few damp towels around the back and side of the cage. If you have liquid calcium you can add this to her water. Do you provide cuttlebone and a calcium source for her?

You can try some boiled egg with the shell grated.

Kamoodle · Post by **Kamoodle** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 10:07 pm

Yes, I often provide my birds with cuttlebones and egg shells. I can try crushing a bit of the cuttlebone (or one of my turtle's unused cuttlebones) and put it in the water and see if that can work.

I may try those suggestions, although since I let it go this far, I am sure it will not work since she's gotten so weak. I feel so bad I let her get this bad without knowing what to do. Course, my dad will refuse me to go to a vet because he keeps saying vets can't do anything for tiny birds.

cindy · Post by **cindy** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 10:28 pm

I would boil her an egg and finely crush the eggshell. The heat lamp will keep her warm and comfort her.

Sometimes these little birds get eggbound nd can not pass the egg right away. The heat will keep her warm so she does not have to use her energy on warmth but getting well.

Is she eating?

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 10:32 pm

I would not put any kind of cuttlebone into the water. You can grate some onto the eggfood though.

Best of luck.

Kamoodle · Post by **Kamoodle** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 10:59 pm

Yes, she seems to be eating just fine, although now when she bobs her head around like crazy, it also looks like she may be throwing up, although I don't see any seeds fly or hit any parts of the cage.

I did try a bit of treatment tonight before putting them in bed but I don't think it will do. I gave her a shallow warm bath and after putting her back in the cage, I've clipped soaked wash clothes around the cage after being heated up by some water.

dan78 · Post by **dan78** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 7:50 am

Typical signs of egg bound hen, seems to me that this has gone on for a while that she has a depleted calcium stores so if she pulls through then I would rest her for a minimum of about 4 months to let her get back into shape before attempting any more breeding.
Solution HEAT, egg bound hens need heat which will allow her muscles to stretch to help pass egg. 2 Added calcium direct to the beak with a liquid version is best, then after these two quiet as this will allow her stress levels drop.

Kamoodle · Post by **Kamoodle** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 7:54 am

Well, tragic news. Sorry for the double posting. My female passed away just a few minutes ago, after a whole night of me trying everything I can under no hours of sleep, especially have her near a heat lamp. I honestly feel it's my fault for not seeing this sooner; I had no idea she ended up being egg bound during November. I should've seen something was wrong when she didn't lay an egg that day and started feeling ill. But then, I've always felt my birds' deaths had always been my fault in some way.

Although I lost the passion to post videos on Youtube, I'll post photos of her over time to mourn her loss. She was a special bird, always so funny and energetic. R.I.P. BeeBee.

cindy · Post by **cindy** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 7:58 am

If she bathes it is very important to get her as warm as possible, the heat lamp need to stay on her 24/7 until she improves. Clip it right to the side of the cage near where she can sit in it. This is vital. The warm bath is fine but getting her chilled will cause those muscles to tighten and her energy will go towards trying to keep her wrm insted of passing an egg.

lovemyfinch · Post by **lovemyfinch** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 8:58 am

So sorry you lost her

Rest in peace BeeBee

debbie276 · Post by **debbie276** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 9:05 am

Very sorry for your loss

cindy · Post by **cindy** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 9:14 am

So sorry for your loss of you little girl. Thoughts are with you.

Angeldov222 · Post by **Angeldov222** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 9:26 am

Kamoodle wrote:Well, tragic news. Sorry for the double posting. My female passed away just a few minutes ago, after a whole night of me trying everything I can under no hours of sleep, especially have her near a heat lamp. I honestly feel it's my fault for not seeing this sooner; I had no idea she ended up being egg bound during November. I should've seen something was wrong when she didn't lay an egg that day and started feeling ill. But then, I've always felt my birds' deaths had always been my fault in some way.

Although I lost the passion to post videos on Youtube, I'll post photos of her over time to mourn her loss. She was a special bird, always so funny and energetic. R.I.P. BeeBee.

sooo sorry

DanteD716 · Post by **DanteD716** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 9:45 am

So very sorry. I bet she had a great life with you.

Welcome to the forum, btw. Would love to see you continue to stay active around the forum!

FINCHforum

One of my zebra finches is ill.

One of my zebra finches is ill.

Re: One of my zebra finches is ill.

Re: One of my zebra finches is ill.

Re: One of my zebra finches is ill.

Re: One of my zebra finches is ill.

Re: One of my zebra finches is ill.

Re: One of my zebra finches is ill.

Re: One of my zebra finches is ill.

Re: One of my zebra finches is ill.

Re: One of my zebra finches is ill.

Re: One of my zebra finches is ill.

Re: One of my zebra finches is ill.

Re: One of my zebra finches is ill.

Re: One of my zebra finches is ill.

Re: One of my zebra finches is ill.