sick zebra finch-help needed!

[rainefeather19128]

i am nursing already a sick diamond dove who this morning i found huddled on the bottom follor of her cage.she seems very weak,her feathers are standing out on end and she resists fairly when i capture and hold her.she doesn't put up her usuall hard fighting though which worries me.she takes a slight interest in food though i have not seen her drink water.she twiches her head like she has nerve damage when she is very stirred up and flustered.other than that she is doing most of her time staying still and resting.she also is in the habbit of drooping her wings and balancing herself with them,like they are her wings yet arms at the same time.

just a few moments later i found my white cfw female hen jessie on the floor of the cage acting the same way as the dove though not as bad.she seems worn out and feathers are fluffed.i have yet to catch her eating or drinking.

no poisonous stuff has been used in the house.it doesn't seem like they have a chill nor do they seem eggbound.anyone know what is wrong or experience this?how can i save them?

[christie99]

It sounds like either they were exposed to something toxic, or they have some communicable disease. Either way, you need to take them to a vet.

[rainefeather19128]

could it be heat stroke?if it is egg binding what do i do?what are the signs of each in both of these spiecies..(diamond dove and zebra finch)

[Emmilyy]

Again, your first reaction should be to take them to the vet - not post about them being sick here and waiting for someone to come along with answers - that probably wont happen. please please please get your birds to the vet ASAP.

[christie99]

It does not sound like heat stroke, they sound sick. They need a vet. Eggbinding needs a vet's help, not someone on the net.

[rainefeather19128]

thanks Christy:)

the zebra is comming out of it once i cooled her and the room down now she seems normal and ok.
the dove seems to be improving very slowely.she is not twitching anymore and i haven't seen her shivering at all today.no crusties around openings,normal droppings,she's preening and eating lightly and stuff.she is gaining her fiesty spirit back slowely.

that room was hot and bothersome even though they are not in direct sun.it has to be the heat or perhapse low calcium.

[jenniferag]

Really no way to tell what it was without a vet visit... but good luck with them!

[nixity]

Not everyone has the luxury of an avian vet within their vicinity - and I am one of those individuals.
I rely heavily on advice of other experienced finch owners if I see a bird go down.

I have never once been able to take my birds to an avian vet and I have had very little death from disease.
You CAN help egg-binding without the need for a vet.
It's called immediately dosing with Liquid Calcium.

You can also at least assist a suddenly ill bird by crop needling in an electrolyte solution, or, if you are not versed in crop dosing, by at least providing an electrolyte like Thrive or even unflavored pedialyte to the water.

Being that I don't know the situation with available vets in her area, I don't think it's fair to immediately chastise her without at least trying to offer some help.

Telling someone to take their bird to a vet is just as helpful as not saying anything at all.
I would venture to bet if she had access to an avian vet she would have already gone or inquired with them.

All that being said - Anytime a bird goes puffed and lethargic I recommend these things immediately:
Separation from the flock in a hospital cage with white paper on the bottom
HEAT!!! - A red reptile bulb or if it's the only thing you have available, a 60w incandescent shone on one side of the hospital cage
Electrolytes - Thrive, Unflavored Pedialite
MILLET immediately within face's reach so they can eat without having to move if necessary.

Then, observe.. particularly the droppings. Are they watery? Green? Yellow? Anything abnormal?
Is it a hen? Could she be egg bound? If the answer is "possible" - 1-2 drops of Calcium Plus or similar Liquid Calcium supplement to the beak every 45 mins to an hour until an egg is expelled.
They are usually expelled within 20 minutes I've found; then just add it to the water at the suggested dose to boost energy and raise her blood calcium level back up.

Believe it or not, there are people on the "net" that can at least try to help if you are without an avian vet.
Trying something is better than doing nothing.

[rainefeather19128]

sorry for getting so upset but i was just frustrated at that point.getting no help anywhere and no helpful tips were being offered.

both birds are healed now,no vet trip needed even if i did have an avian vet here.
there are no bird vets in my area.there is one but he doesn't do finches and stuff...mostly he works with parrots.most that i found were expensive and i thought it to be stupid to take her to the vet when i knew it was somedthing little.(i have had birds in the past that have been way worse off than she at that point.and yes i did offer everything i could untill they died of old age.)
around my area you either fix the birds problem yourself or it dies,it is sad to say but true.another instance is i don't believe i should give up my bird for some little thing i can take care of myself.

on the fact that "if you can't take care of the bird why buy" it saying, i can take care of them,and i will take care of them.i raised birds for most of my life and i'm not going to take it to the vet for something i instictively know is simple and easily taken care of at home.

all i ask for is a good guess on what she has and something i could try to help her.i know which tips to take and trust and which to advoid,i can make that judgement alone.

the finch from what i understand was heat exausted and the dove had a little bit of both heat exaustion and calcium/protien defficiency. both are doing well as of now.

[christie99]

I'm sorry if you felt that I was no help, but if it was me, I would have been finding a vet. I have had success with taking my finches to the vet when something has gone wrong/they are sick. I guess that I have been lucky, no matter where I have lived, I have always been able to find vets that are willing and able to see birds of all sizes.