Feathers missing at base of tail

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mike
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Feathers missing at base of tail

Post by mike » Sat May 16, 2009 7:05 am

This might not be an issue if I return the society finches but they seem to have some feathers missing at the base of the tail and they preen it a lot. I tried looking this up online and on this forum and I'm having no luck. I'm sure this is an common problem. Can anyone give me a hint on what I should be looking for or what this is?
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L in Ontario
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Post by L in Ontario » Sat May 16, 2009 8:17 am

I've acquired Societies with no tailfeathers whatsoever - they got plucked by others in the cage in the store. How long is your guarantee good for? If they appear healthy every other way - I would wait and see. The feathers will grow back in a few weeks.

I hope you have the new birds in quarantine away from your previous birds (in a separate room and if possible on a different floor). This goes for all new birds even if they come from the same store on different days. You don't know what new and possibly ill birds came into the store the day before you bought your birds. Or someone could have walked in the store that was carrying 'something' from their birds at home. Always quarantine new birds for a minimum of 30 days.

Sorry Mike, you probably have them in quarantine - I don't mean to nag.
Liz

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Post by mike » Sat May 16, 2009 8:44 am

L in Ontario wrote:I've acquired Societies with no tailfeathers whatsoever - they got plucked by others in the cage in the store. How long is your guarantee good for? If they appear healthy every other way - I would wait and see. The feathers will grow back in a few weeks.

I hope you have the new birds in quarantine away from your previous birds (in a separate room and if possible on a different floor). This goes for all new birds even if they come from the same store on different days. You don't know what new and possibly ill birds came into the store the day before you bought your birds. Or someone could have walked in the store that was carrying 'something' from their birds at home. Always quarantine new birds for a minimum of 30 days.

Sorry Mike, you probably have them in quarantine - I don't mean to nag.
I'm guaranteed for 15 days but if they are both females I'd like to exchange them before I'm left with the left overs.

Okay one bird makes an ugly song and it's vocal so it might be a male. If I had to explain it, it's crow-like, or maybe like a very loud cricket. The other one makes a cricket noise and is very quiet. The second one is probably a female but I'm confused about the first one.

Right now the societies are in the bathroom but I can't keep them there; no room.
I need to find a new place to put them once I find ones I'm keeping.
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Post by Sally » Sat May 16, 2009 10:11 am

You can't miss a male Society singing, because of their posture while doing it. They stretch up tall, puff out their chests, and sing away, with their beaks rapidly opening and closing. I can't explain their song, it is sort of a squeaky thing to me.
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National Finch & Softbill Society - http://www.nfss.org

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Post by mike » Sat May 16, 2009 12:48 pm

I returned them and surprisingly, I got all my money back (not a store credit) which is good because they were overpriced. I went to Casy and he got me three "probable" males. They are scruffier than the ones from yesterday but they also don't nibble their behinds and have missing tails feathers. I'm still waiting for them to sing, though.

Don't worry, Liz, they are quarantined in a clean cage ;)
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Post by L in Ontario » Sat May 16, 2009 2:38 pm

Wooo - go Casy! The new Societies will be just fine with some peace and quiet (from the noise of the store :lol: ). When they get themselves settled, Mike - don't forget... PICTURES!! :lol:
Liz

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Post by mike » Sat May 16, 2009 4:36 pm

L in Ontario wrote:Wooo - go Casy! The new Societies will be just fine with some peace and quiet (from the noise of the store :lol: ). When they get themselves settled, Mike - don't forget... PICTURES!! :lol:
Pics? They're not really pretty. Maybe it's just the scruffiness. (Shame on me for thinking that! :oops: )

They haven't sung yet but one sounds like it might be a chirper :| Otherwise they are silent.
Last edited by mike on Sat May 16, 2009 5:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by L in Ontario » Sat May 16, 2009 4:40 pm

When they get themselves settled means when they are not quite so scruffy. :lol: Then we want pics! LOL You can also put in a small dish of water (in the middle of their cage) - Societies LOVE bathing!!!

All birds are cute! :lol:
Liz

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