need advice on ailing finch

[flitsnowzoom]

Hi All, I'm new to the forum -- the link was passed to me by a friend on another bird forum. I have a few birds, (actually my son's but we know how that goes) two of which are bronze-winged manikins, Flit and Flutter. They are about 3 yrs old now and probably both males as I've never seen any eggs. Flit has one leg but it's Flutter, his support system (really) that has me worried.

A few months ago, Flutter developed a small growth right back of his/her eye and didn't seem any the worse for wear or act as if anything was going on. For a couple of months, it just looked like a feather that wouldn't lay down properly but I finally trapped Flutter and determined it was not a feather. The growth has increased in size (length-wise) but has not spread past the initial site to cover more of the bird's body.

Noboby local seems to know what it is and whatever it is has not affected either the other finch or the two parakeets that have a cage right next to them, so that sort of eliminiated avian pox from my list of suspects. However, within the past week, Flutter has started be much more affected, and now has problems flying and sits very puffy so I know something is definitely wrong.
I'd take a picture but the birds go into utter panic mode, and I don't want to stress Flutter any more than necessary. So far, appetite is relatively unaffected (I think).

Normally, the two finches spend most of their day either in their uppermost seed dish or on a grapevine perch that "cradles" the two (with Flit only having one leg we've made the cage as "footicapped" friendly as possible. Those spots have always been where they've spent their time so no changes there. However Flutter is having a hard time getting up to their favorite spots because it seems such an effort to fly now. That has only happened within the last two days.

Any advice anyone can offer is greatly appreciated. I'm sure Flutter and Flit would second that if they knew I was writing!

PS. I'm in Colorado

[akidsgal]

The only thing I can think of is light. I would put a light on the cage so if he isn't feeling so well the added heat from it will help a little. If he wants to get away from it he surely will. I am clueless on the growth that you are speaking of however we all have our own things that we have to deal with. I am sure that you are a good and caring "mom" and he knows you are trying to do anything you can for him. Is the cage big enough to give him a building block kind of way to the top?

[flitsnowzoom]

Thanks for such a quick response. I'll put them in the lightest room in the house, although that will mean separating the finches from their parakeet flock (at least until I make room for two cages). I'll see if I can put a few additional rest spots from the floor to the top spot. That should help conserve a bit more energy for this little one. If the worst should happen and Flutter not make it, then I will have to get a new companion for Flit. He was totally miserable without a bird friend. sadly, bronze-winged mannikins are hard to come by here. Any suggestions for an alternate species? Bronze-wings are smaller than zebras, or society finches. The lavender waxbills (I think that was their names) are about the equivalent in size but the only ones I found locally are already "spoken for".
The local pet shop lady recommends society finches as supposedly nice and friendly and not aggressive, a definite need for my little one-legged friend (and no, there is not even a suggestion of a leg on Flit).
Again, thanks for the reply.

[Domenic]

When she said put a light on the cage it wasn't entirely for the light but for the heat because lights create heat which helps to keep sick birds warm.

A society will definitely be good for your bird if you happen to lose the other one. Societies are the most widely available, passive finches. Zebras are a bit pushy.

[Sally]

If you do need to get a new friend for Flit, a Society would be a good choice, but make sure it is a male Society. Bronzewinged Mannikins and Societies can cross-breed and produce hybrids that I believe would be fertile. I had a hybrid, and he became very aggressive in the presence of a hen.

[FINCHIE]

Hi,

What do you worm the birds with? I use Moxidectin, which ALSO kills all internal mites and external parasites feeding off the birds fluids. I have adopted a number of sick birds with growths and most are eliminated with this treatment.

I think it is called SCATT over there ( I am based in Australia), it is a treatment for Air Sac Mites but will work, as mentioned above, on growths etc. It is also an all wormer.

Hope everything works out!