Hi From Poole Dorset

[pmking66 3]

Hi all,I'm Peter from Poole Dorset UK.I've a pair a Zebra Finches and seven Bengalese (Society) Finches across 3 cages. The Zebra's a cock and a hen are in one of their own, they were with a pair of Bengalese (Society). The hen got ill so we separated her and it quickly became apparent that she needed the company of the cock. Since then they've been kept apart in the same cage while she was on medication, since reunited them.The problem started off by she did not fly particularly well, she landed badly and got to the point of just sitting in the bottom of the cage. After a lot of TLC and antibiotics prescribed after the local vet felt she may have a bug of some sort noticing some strange behaviours. She responded very well and is now quite perky. However she still cannot fly very well or across the cage, when she tries she ends up going backwards and often crash lands.Has anyone had experience of this phenomenon or does anyone have some idea how I can best help the dear thing to live a full contented life however long that may be, I'm told by the vet not to be too hopeful. She is such a sweet little thing, I just want to give the best chance I can.Thanks all.Pete

[paulm 119]

Welcome to the forum Pete, my first question is have you had hold of the ill birds and felt it's breast bone and surrounding area,it should not be razer sharp with no meat on either side,if it is the bird will be weak a sure sign of illness,my second question is what symptoms did your ill bird display and what antibiotic did the vet give you for it.One of the best test to carry out can be a fecal float test on a fresh dropping from the ill bird this can sometime help to pin point the cause but not all the time and is cheap to have carried out it usually cost me about £10.Paul.

[Zebraman 267]

Firstly welcome to the forum Peter.It sounds to me like she’s either got some flight feather missing or she may have broken a wing at some stage.A few questions:How does she hold her wings are they tight to her body or is one or both dropped slightly?You could put some perches lower down to the floor and then a few closer together, a bit like a ladder effect, which should assist if she is having trouble flying.Hope this helps,Gary.

[Zebraman 267]

Paul's got a good point there.

[paulm 119]

Another thing the vet doesn't tell you is that the antibiotics will kill off the good bacteria in the gut as well as the bacteria causing the illness,so it is best to put birds which have been on an antibiotic treatment later onto a probiotic to help rebuild their gut flora.Paul.

[mark1e 67]

Hi petefirstly welcome to the forum enjoy Question one, How old was the bird when you got her!Was the hen bird been kept in small cage before you got her,If you look at some pictures in the Gallery you should notice some pics there does your bird have same feather structure as these or has she got missing feathers,as paul say's check the breast bone that's the best place to start,is the hen bird eating a lot of seed at moment another symptom for illness got the odd bird here eating and not even putting on weight mind you she is 5 years now,mark

[pmking66 3]

Thanks all, I'll try and answer all points sorry if I miss one.First symptoms, she just stayed on the bottom of the cage in the classic puffed up, wings drooped pose normally seen in ill birds. She could not fly or didn't attempt to for a while and was not standing on her feet, she was hunched over. Although she did get around the bottom by literally walking rather than hopping. Beyond that she seemed to eat quite a lot certainly more than any other of the birds.We had a faecal test done, it revealed nothing untoward. The vet thought that she exhibited some odd twitching of the head to the right. The hen does seem to be lopsided to the right as she stands. The vet prescribed Baytrill Oral 2.5% for her to be diluted 0.1ml to 25ml water. She does seem to have responded very well to this and is a lot more perky than she was.I have handled her quite a lot during this, she is a little thin according to the vet, not overly so though.The vet's colleague had a look at her, she appears to be fine structurally as he put it. She does have all her feathers and holds her wings normally. The vet cannot see evidence of a break anywhere.The hen was 10 weeks when we got her according to the supplier. She was in a small cage when we got her along with the cock and two of the Bengalese (Society). A they were clearly a four we got all four together, they resided initially in a Ferplast 21 cage. I don't where she was kept prior to her arrival a couple of days allegedly before I got them, it is supposedly a breeder so I would hope that she was properly kept.I have noticed since joining the forum that if she goes straight up she is able to reach the top perch in her cage some 2 feet from the base. It's when she goes across her problem recur. Also noticed a tendancy to peck at everything, I'm wondering if the root cause is in fact eyesight issues. As I said she is quite perky considering, she even gives quite a nip if you try handling her when she doesn't want to be.Any thoughts, ThanksPete

[paulm 119]

Hi Pete do you know what colour she is some mutations such as fawn cheek and grey cheek are know to have links to eye sight trouble,it tough to say what the possible cause could be as there so many thing that can go wrong with them,but a fully fit Zebra can be like a missle in a flight so if she is struggling there is an underlying problem,it could be she was bred to close or she has eye sight problems or an inner ear infection as well as many other things,the first port of call for a vet faced with a puffed up and ill small bird always seems to be Baytrill but it not a cure all antibiotic.Let us know how you get on.Paul.

[pmking66 3]

Hi paulI had a look in the members gallery. Nolfolk Flyer has a crested grey that looks the spitting image of mine, so much so I had to do a double take. She does seem to have responded to Baytrill, I'm told to dose her for a week which she's had. Don't know whether to continue with for a bit longer and hope. I figure it might be worth talking ot the supplier see if I can find out a bit about the breeder.Can I ask what you mean by bred to close???She does seem a bit right sided.

[paulm 119]

Hi By to close i mean sometime breeders have been know to bred closely related birds together wether through poor breeding records or accident,doing this can lead to some genetic floors which can have varing symptoms none of them good.If the bird seems to of improved and the vets instructions were followed i wouldnt increase the treatment period as sometime antibiotics can lead to problems,antibiotics do kill off good bacteria in the gut also and this bacteria helps with the digustion of food so a probiotic can help restore this.Paul.

[pmking66 3]

Thanks Paul much appreciated. I guess she's as good as she'll get. Can I ask where do I get probiotic for her, presumably the vet, sorry about being a bit dumb!!!I think if I give her wider area to land on she can just about get about flying.CheersPete

Hi By to close i mean sometime breeders have been know to bred closely related birds together wether through poor breeding records or accident,doing this can lead to some genetic floors which can have varing symptoms none of them good.If the bird seems to of improved and the vets instructions were followed i wouldnt increase the treatment period as sometime antibiotics can lead to problems,antibiotics do kill off good bacteria in the gut also and this bacteria helps with the digustion of food so a probiotic can help restore this.Paul.

[mark1e 67]

Hi Pete follow this LinkThe link has been Edited and Deleted for certain reasons sorrymark

[pmking66 3]

Hi Mark Thanks, that's a lot of interesting reading on the site to get round to. Which would you suggest liquid or powder??Pete.

Hi Pete follow this LinkMy linkmark

[paulm 119]

I'm very cautious about using this brand of products i cant say why but it is not unfounded.

[pmking66 3]

Hi Paul, I'm always cautious dealing with unknowns but you did mention probiotics. Do you have a preference???

I'm very cautious about using this brand of products i cant say why but it is not unfounded.

[paulm 119]

Hi this is as good as most My linkThey are quite similar to be honest but i would steer clear of the above brand personally.Paul.

[pmking66 3]

Hi PaulThank you. I ought to add I've been given Avimix for her to try and help mixed with her food. Is it safe to add probiotic on top??CheersPete

Hi this is as good as most My linkThey are quite similar to be honest but i would steer clear of the above brand personally.Paul.

[paulm 119]

Im not familiar with avimix,as i say there are that many of them but as long as you follow the manufactures guidelines it should be fine,i do personally prefer water soluble were possible as i find it easier to make sure they get somewhere in the reigion of the right dosage epecially when deal with quite a few birds.Paul.

[pmking66 3]

Apparently you put a normal pinch to one kilo of bird in their food, as you can imagine the amount involved is quite small. Trying to get her to take the baytrill was an experience in itself, done with a syringe in the end.Thought you might like to know she's really fiesty this morning, I've not seen her this busy since we got her so something is working somewhere.I've put a couple of wider perches (mini planks) at either end of the cage in the hope this will encourage her to fly a bit, giving her something to more or less crash land on in need be.I've only got nine birds total, one being the 3 week old bengalese, by the way would you happen to know if there is a forum over here in the UK for them??I thank you for your help.Cheers Pete

Im not familiar with avimix,as i say there are that many of them but as long as you follow the manufactures guidelines it should be fine,i do personally prefer water soluble were possible as i find it easier to make sure they get somewhere in the reigion of the right dosage epecially when deal with quite a few birds.Paul.

[paulm 119]

Sorry Pete i dont know of a bengalese forum but one of the other member may know,glad to hear your bird is improving.Paul.

[pmking66 3]

Hi PaulI found a bengalese forum in the states. As an update the Zebra hen is doing really well, she's even flying a bit. She very ungainly but she keeps trying. I believe the root cause of her problems comes down to eyesight. Having spent a lot of time with her I've noticed she seems to see things a a distance but close to loses sight of whatever, mostly noted whilst she attempted to reach a perch toward the top of the cage.I thank you for your advice along the way.RegardsPete

Sorry Pete i dont know of a bengalese forum but one of the other member may know,glad to hear your bird is improving.Paul.

[norfolk flyer 208]

Pete, If you go to www.nbfa.co.uk they have a forum which deals with all bengalese issues.Hope this helps,Trevor

[pmking66 3]

Hi Trevor,Thanks I'll check it out,Pete

Pete, If you go to www.nbfa.co.uk they have a forum which deals with all bengalese issues.Hope this helps,Trevor

[paulm 119]

Hi Pete I have a cheeked hen who eye sight is very poor but she find her way around her cage just fine and im hoping to breed her this year as shes a real nice bird,what we need is some mini specs this would sort them out.Paul.