Multiple dead

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Bdenton
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Multiple dead

Post by Bdenton » Mon Sep 12, 2016 3:26 am

I had something horrible happen tonight!!! I lost multiple finches!! I have three different cages of finches and I had deceased birds in each cage tonight! I've had finches for a couple years now and have never had any problems. I also have a few other types of birds and they are all ok. The ONLY thing I can think of, and I'm kicking myself for letting this happen, is that we ran out of finch seed the other day and my fiancé has been feeding them cockatiel seed. He assumed it would be ok, that they would pick out the seed they wanted and leave the rest. Could feeding them cockatiel seed for a few days kill them??? I cried so hard tonight when I discovered some had passed. We absolutely love our finches and are devastated.

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Re: Multiple dead

Post by debbie276 » Mon Sep 12, 2016 6:10 am

Were there seeds small enough in the mix for them to eat? If they couldn't eat any of the seeds then yes, that could have been the reason but if they were able to eat any then no.
What type of finch do you have and which died?
Hard to know exactly what could have happened just from what you describe.

So very sorry for your losses :(
Hope you can figure it out quickly
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Re: Multiple dead

Post by cindy » Mon Sep 12, 2016 8:16 am

Sorry this happened to you.

Check the lower bellies of the birds, the breast meat.... if the keel is sharp.

How long were you serving cockatiel seed to them?

As Debbie mentioned it is difficult to say what happened.

The seed you were feeding did it come in a closed bag or were you buying it from a store out of open bins, did the store also have birds?

Do you feed anything else besides seed?
Last edited by cindy on Mon Sep 12, 2016 8:23 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Multiple dead

Post by Babs _Owner » Mon Sep 12, 2016 8:22 am

Bdenton

Oh no.. =((
Most cockatiel mixes have a lot of millet finches can eat. Did you check to see if they had eaten all the "good" stuff and ran out of useful seed to eat in their dishes?

How many birds lost? Any toxins you can think of in the water, air or food?

That happened with me with a room ionizer. It killed 3 of my birds overnight and another 5 days prior.

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Re: Multiple dead

Post by Sally » Mon Sep 12, 2016 8:25 am

So sorry this happened to you. As others have said, it could be that they didn't have enough small seed available in the cockatiel mix. Usually with multiple deaths, it is either lack of seed or water, or something environmental, rarely any kind of disease.
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Re: Multiple dead

Post by cindy » Mon Sep 12, 2016 8:31 am

internal parasites can make a bird ill and waste away but you would have seen signs of the birds not feeling well long before they would pass.

are they by an open window, anyone treating yards or using chemicals?

any aerosols or air fresheners used in the house?

gas or electric stove.... did anyone burn anything on the stove, fry and create smoke?

A friend called me from out of state, they had birds dropping dead in multiple cages, did not know why...asked if the had gas or electric and they said gas, told them to check for leaks...turns out they had a slow leak.

Do you use the mite protector discs on the cages? they are simply mothballs and can be toxic, can make a bird ill or die.

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Re: Multiple dead

Post by Bdenton » Mon Sep 12, 2016 10:41 am

debbie276 wrote: Were there seeds small enough in the mix for them to eat? If they couldn't eat any of the seeds then yes, that could have been the reason but if they were able to eat any then no.
What type of finch do you have and which died?
Hard to know exactly what could have happened just from what you describe.

So very sorry for your losses :(
Hope you can figure it out quickly


Hi! Yes, they had eaten most of the mix, some things they didn't eat. Mostly zebra finches, 7 society finches in another cage, 6 of which died.

I'm so sad.

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Re: Multiple dead

Post by Bdenton » Mon Sep 12, 2016 10:45 am

cindy wrote: Sorry this happened to you.

Check the lower bellies of the birds, the breast meat.... if the keel is sharp.

How long were you serving cockatiel seed to them?

As Debbie mentioned it is difficult to say what happened.

The seed you were feeding did it come in a closed bag or were you buying it from a store out of open bins, did the store also have birds?

Do you feed anything else besides seed?

What would it mean if the keel is sharp? I'll have to check when I get home tonight. They were eating cockatiel food for 3 maybe 4 days. It came from Pet Supplies Plus open bin, I always buy it there. That store does not have finches. And no, mainly seed and some zupreem. I know I should feed more than just seed.

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Re: Multiple dead

Post by Bdenton » Mon Sep 12, 2016 10:48 am

Babs wrote: Bdenton

Oh no.. =((
Most cockatiel mixes have a lot of millet finches can eat. Did you check to see if they had eaten all the "good" stuff and ran out of useful seed to eat in their dishes?

How many birds lost? Any toxins you can think of in the water, air or food?

That happened with me with a room ionizer. It killed 3 of my birds overnight and another 5 days prior.

They would eat most of the food, leaving just a bit behind.

I lost 20 out of 23 birds!!!!!! I cannot believe it. It was a horrible sight!!! They were happy and singing in the morning, still ok in the afternoon. At night, around 11 they were gone. It was seriously awful. No idea what happened.

No toxins that I can think of. My cockatiels are all fine.

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Re: Multiple dead

Post by Bdenton » Mon Sep 12, 2016 10:52 am

cindy wrote: internal parasites can make a bird ill and waste away but you would have seen signs of the birds not feeling well long before they would pass.

are they by an open window, anyone treating yards or using chemicals?

any aerosols or air fresheners used in the house?

gas or electric stove.... did anyone burn anything on the stove, fry and create smoke?

A friend called me from out of state, they had birds dropping dead in multiple cages, did not know why...asked if the had gas or electric and they said gas, told them to check for leaks...turns out they had a slow leak.

Do you use the mite protector discs on the cages? they are simply mothballs and can be toxic, can make a bird ill or die.

The window was closed and has been closed. And no signs of parasites.

No aerosols or air freshener, I'm very careful not to use anything that would harm my birds. Electric stove. Gas heater but we haven't used the heat in months! And we just put a brand new furnace in our home in February.

I don't use mite protectors.

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Re: Multiple dead

Post by Bdenton » Mon Sep 12, 2016 10:57 am

I'm so very upset about this. I completely failed my sweet birds. 20 finches lost in an evening!!! I only have three left and one of them might not make it. I have three cages of finches. 8 zebra finches in one cage, all but one died. 8 zebra finches in another cage, across the room, all but one died, and 7 society finches in another cage, all but one died.


I feel so sick over this. And I'm worried for my other birds! In my "bird room" I also have four cockatiels, two lovebirds, a Nanday conure, and a military macaw. All of which are doing well. What in the heck happened???

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Sally
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Re: Multiple dead

Post by Sally » Mon Sep 12, 2016 11:12 am

Bdenton Whenever you have big losses like this, it is almost always environmental, or they didn't have enough seed or water. When you check the breastbone, it will feel sharp with little meat on each side if they didn't get enough to eat. A normal bird will have some meat on each side of the breastbone, and a fat bird will have lots of meat on each side, think of a turkey.

A friend has had massive losses twice, both times it was because of a/c malfunctioning and the building getting so hot that it killed off most birds.
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Re: Multiple dead

Post by Bdenton » Mon Sep 12, 2016 11:28 am

Sally wrote: Bdenton Whenever you have big losses like this, it is almost always environmental, or they didn't have enough seed or water. When you check the breastbone, it will feel sharp with little meat on each side if they didn't get enough to eat. A normal bird will have some meat on each side of the breastbone, and a fat bird will have lots of meat on each side, think of a turkey.

A friend has had massive losses twice, both times it was because of a/c malfunctioning and the building getting so hot that it killed off most

birds.
So I basically, unknowingly, starved my birds to death? I'm so damn mad at myself. There is nothing environmental that has changed so it HAS to be that they didn't get enough millet. I feel like such a jerk. I loved those birds.

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Re: Multiple dead

Post by Babs _Owner » Mon Sep 12, 2016 11:51 am

Bdenton


Ohhhh honey!! :(( =(( =((

Make sure it's the food first. (Im looking right now at a bag of cockatiel food off my shelf and my finches could live off of this a few days if I filled their bowls each morning...it has like 50% millet)

If its something else, the other birds are still in danger.

Water supply tainted (like soap residue) ?
Room Air purifier with ionizer?

Gosh I would check the gas. Small leaks can pop up anytime.
Last edited by Babs _Owner on Mon Sep 12, 2016 12:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Multiple dead

Post by lem2bert » Mon Sep 12, 2016 11:59 am

Bdenton

I am so sorry that you lost so many of your pets. Please do not be so hard on yourself ......you did not do anything deliberately that would kill your birds you seem like a very thoughtful and caring owner. I hope that the three left make it . Good luck and please keep us updated.
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