concerned about gouldian--air sac mites? something else?

[Musetta]

Hi everyone,

I am a bit concerned about Clover, one of my Goulds. For the past few days, she has been a bit puffy (off and on, but generally more puffed up than my other Gould). Sometimes she will suddenly fluff her feathers and then immediately de-fluff them, almost like she is giving herself a good shake. Also, her tail is bobbing. Since she is not displaying other symptoms of air sac mites (breathing through mouth, clicking), I thought at first that maybe she was just a bit cold, so I installed a heat lamp (in addition to the thermal perch that was already in the cage). But she doesn't seem particularly inclined to sit near it. Her appetite seems normal (she is currently chowing down on some fresh boiled egg, and she just ate some seed), and I just watched her drink water as normal. She is capable of flying about the cage and landing on perches, so it doesn't seem as though her balance is off, and she doesn't seem to be spending much of any time at the bottom. But I can't shake the feeling that something is not quite right with her. She seems a bit lower energy than my other Gould. I caught her resting with her eyes closed on a perch a little while ago, although she didn't stay like that for long. Generally her beak is closed. Her chirp sounds normal. Vent looks normal. So I go back and forth about whether she may be a bit under the weather, or if I am just being paranoid. But she is not nearly as active as my other Gould (who is also a female, no male goulds in the cage).

I went ahead and ordered an air sac mite kit from lady gouldian finch, as I figured it would be best to have it on hand regardless, just in case. I did not treat the Goulds for air sac mites when I got them. So...should I go ahead and treat her (and, I suppose, everyone in the cage with her) when the kit gets here? Should I wait and see if she starts to display any clear symptoms of...anything?

[Musetta]

Update: I just watched her bathe...so she must not be that miserable, right?...?

[Perfex]

I think just keep an eye on her. On occasion I've thought the same about one of mine and turned out to be nothing. If she's eating, drinking and bathing I tend to think she's fine.

[Musetta]

Perfex, thanks! At least I will have some medication on hand if I do notice less ambiguous symptoms.

[Sunbay]

I quarantine all new Gouldians and do the S76 treatment on them. Follow-up with AV Powder. Then everyone gets the flock treatment in the water for 2 days per month.
Assume they all have some ASM. The S76 will treat body mites too. Safe for breeding and young birds.
*If* they have a bad infestation, the treatment can and will kill a lot of the air sac mites at one time. Could kill the bird by blocking airway with massive amounts of dead mites. Darned if you do, darned if you don't - but they must be treated. The air sac mites are contagious.

Good luck!

[debbie276]

She just sounds like she may be having a blah day to me. Could she be starting to molt? I would just keep an eye on her and see if she doesn't come around in a day or two.
good luck

[Musetta]

debbie276, thanks for the reply. She seems to be much peppier this afternoon...hmm. Maybe she is just not a morning bird?

Seriously, though, I am going back and forth as to whether or not to use the air sac mite medication on everyone, once I get it (will probably take two or three days to get here). By the time it arrives, I might have a better idea of whether Clover is actually afflicted. So there's that. I ordered SCATT and Avian Insect Liquidator, and Enrofloxyn. But I don't want to subject all five birds to the stress of the treatment if it is not necessary. No one else is acting the least bit abnormal. What do you think?

[debbie276]

I treat each bird with scatt during quarantine and not again. If you didn't treat them before then it's a judgement call on your part, you know your birds best. If you can get a friend to help it goes much quicker and lots less stressful. You catch the bird and they drop the scatt on it...next.

[Musetta]

debbie276, I am sure my husband will be game for that! Having him help is a good idea, if I decide to do it. If so, I follow the next day with AIL over everything in the cage, right? And am I supposed to give the antibiotic to everyone or just Clover?

Sorry for all the questions--still learning! If I could go back to the beginning of my finch infatuation and do things differently, I would--I feel like I have made so many mistakes already! Or learned the "correct" way to do something only after I did it the inadvisable way.

[debbie276]

AIL is for external mites like feather mites. If you don't have them no sense stressing the birds more with that. I don't see any reason why you would give them an antibiotic, even if they have ASM they are not showing an signs of infection that would warrant the antibiotics.

[Musetta]

Ah, I see. I was under the impression it was used to treat the environment.