Finch can't fly

[Stormy]

Tonight I realized my orange-cheeked waxbill isn't able to fly. I have not seen any fighting going on, and as I removed him from the flight to the hospital cage, his wing does not look damaged - doesn't look broken - however I did not give him a thorough exam. Should I take him out, try to stretch the wing out and see if there is anything wrong there? I'm afraid of hurting him.

Anyone have anything like this happen before? If I keep him hospitalized for a few weeks, if he has an injured wing, might it heal with lack of activity?

Thanks for your input -

[Jeff McKee]

Well, you better have a peek at it. Hospital cage would be good.

Birds, like people, have various health issues... sometimes strange things happen.

[cronista26]

i had the same situation with one red faced Parrot finch hen, i checked over and over again and she was perfect, no wings damaged or any injuries, but she wasnt able to fly, eventually it turned worse and the bars of the cage made her life miserable everythime she tried to move or jump in the seed container, she died after a few months, and i never knew the cause.

[Zebrafincher]

I have had a star finch, Fruit, who has had a broken wing since he was a year old. The Vet thinks he might have flown into the side of the cage (night fright perhaps?) and broken his wing. His treatment was 6 weeks of rest in a smaller hospital cage. His wing now has thickened scar tissue and he can flap from perch to perch, but he can't fly.

He gets around very well (he's now 6!) on a number of thick branches, and seems quite content with his mirror/reflection. Birds can live quite happily with broken wings or legs. You need to modify their cages to see what works for them. My Fruit is in a smaller cage, and has little ladders to help him get up.