Society finch too fat to fly?

katlovesaandw · Post by **katlovesaandw** » Sun Feb 16, 2014 11:57 pm

So, I picked up a crested chocolate society finch today, male approx. 18 mo. old.
He is adorable.
Looked healthy, etc. Fit all the health criteria.
Did not realize how much larger he is than my family of 5. He is a little butterball compared to them.
Not sure if he is unsure of new surroundings or what because he is content to sit on his perch.
He is grooming and looking around. He has walked from one side to the other of that perch but not attempted to fly.

Not sure if his wings are trimmed, it doesn't appear that they are but.....
Could he be too fat to fly?

chirpy · Post by **chirpy** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 12:01 am

katlovesaandw I have a FAT HEN Soc. She is HUGE.. which is why I renamed her Roseanne. Her mate (male mate) is tiny.. he looks deprived of food (he isn't he eats very well). Anyway, I dont think my hen is really FAT i think shes huge by genetics. Their kids (3) are all HUGE.. they all have the same physical trait, big puffy breast, large back and shoulders. They look like they could play football without padding.

If he is new he might still be unsure. I would give it time... If he is preening I would think he is getting comfortable though.

katlovesaandw · Post by **katlovesaandw** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 12:15 am

WHEW!
That is how this is.... my other 5 are Mom and Dad plus 3 offspring. They are all about the same size. They eat well and are constantly active. They looked normal to me....

And newbie didn't look much bigger until we got home and were comparing them and were like WOW!!! He has the large breast and shoulder and there is weight to him.
I was just concerned when he is just hanging out.....

Will just keep an eye on him!
THANKS!

chirpy · Post by **chirpy** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 12:25 am

katlovesaandw When Roseanne flies off... or lands on the swing open doors of the cage it actually rattles the cage. I can hear her - or either one of the kids landing each time they fly.

Dad? hes tiny. like teeny tiny. He is slender, scrawny lol and looks so sheepish because everyone towers over him. Let me find a pic!

chirpy · Post by **chirpy** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 12:27 am

Okay,

Left to right.
Daughter (Benjamin), Daddy (Rocksteady), Son (John) and Mom (Roseanne)

George isn't in this one but she looks exactly like mom put prettier markings... SAME BIG GIRL mom is LOL.
This is probably the clearest picture I have to show how TINY the dad is and how MASSIVE the others are!

dcompt · Post by **dcompt** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 12:28 am

If you saw my earlier thread today, my society Badger is my porker, but he is as active as the rest. Did the bird come from a pet store? If so, he may not have been able to fly much. Maybe he just needs to build up some muscle, but as chirpy said, I would think if he looks otherwise healthy he is just adapting - and maybe wondering why he was sent to the land of the midgets!

chirpy · Post by **chirpy** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 12:30 am

dcompt Yes! if he was contained in a small cage then his muscles may not be strong enough to fly around very much.
I would still keep an eye on him but I would think he is just adjusting to his new and improve life!

katlovesaandw · Post by **katlovesaandw** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 1:08 am

Got him off CL.
We met her at her office. He WAS in a small cage. Hubby thought it looked awfully lived in... like that WAS his cage and by the time I got home and we had transferred him from travel tote to cage here.... the ad was down for me to see if that was the same cage.
Cage was not included and if it was, I wouldn't have wanted or kept it.
That may be it.
Or he is wondering why he is in the land of midgets!
He TOTALLY looks like your bunch chirpy! And my other 5 look like your male!
Hoping the next day, he gets the nerve. Hubby went over to talk to him and tried to touch his tail sticking out of cage. He flew up about an inch and across to other end of perch before he landed. So...he can fly...just maybe doesn't have the muscle or practice to do so well?
The other 5 are like hummingbirds, buzzing all over the cage. Zoom, zoom, zoom......

katlovesaandw · Post by **katlovesaandw** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 1:09 am

Forgot to add, THANK YOU!!!

chirpy · Post by **chirpy** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 1:14 am

katlovesaandw You are so welcome..!

So your bunch look like x5 of my little daddy.. and the newbie is like the other LOL isn't it funny how HUGE he is? he must stick out like a sore thumb! cause it sure is funny seeing how small the dad is with my bunch. They fledged his size maybe a fraction bigger than him and now they are like "HEY DAD" and he just looks up like "hiya.." lke the dad from back to the future.
He is the sweetest of the bunch and they all lift their chin up to be preened by him in a row.

Mine are the same totally like humming birds they never stop flying. If he was in a tiny tiny cage it most likely is that hes taking in the new scenery ;) imagine living in a matchbox then moving into a mansion I wouldn't know what I would do but sit there and repeat "omg is this really for meeee"
But do keep an eye on him, glad you were able to save the little big fella from a small little cage!

katlovesaandw · Post by **katlovesaandw** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 12:19 pm

So, I sent an email to seller to ask about wings being trimmed. I watched him stretch them this morning and from across the room....it looks like they might be.
He can fly but not much at all. He was up on side of cage and kind of fluttered back down to perch. That was this morning when I uncovered them.
Then I saw him stretch....

I also think the whole theory of small cage, lack of flying/muscle tone is part of it as well.

Will update when I hear back from seller.

chirpy · Post by **chirpy** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 1:09 pm

katlovesaandw my cockatiel had her wings clipped when I got her. They are able to fly like chickens kind of - not far or much grace. If they are clipped well then they should be able to fly down well and not fall. Hopefully it won't take long for his feathers to grow back to normal if he had been clipped.

katlovesaandw · Post by **katlovesaandw** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 1:13 pm

Well, she claims not clipped.... so... he is just lazy, nervous, no muscle to do it yet or ?

Hoping today he does something. He is watching the others and moving back and forth on perch, etc.

katlovesaandw · Post by **katlovesaandw** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 1:57 pm

She said he has been alone in a cage for a month or so.
So, he is probably settling in plus all the other stuff we talked about.
Chances are the busy bees I have might be a little much to take in until he gets used to crowds!LOL

chirpy · Post by **chirpy** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 2:43 pm

katlovesaandw

Well when i got mine from petsmart (the parents) and I put them in the cage they freaked out and spazzed around bashing themselves... at least that is not the case with yours

at least he is "well behaved" and isn't skittish! I would love to see what he looks like!
I am pretty sure if I added one to the 5, the new guys will be like "its a looney bin!" haha

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