Zebra Finches

RE: Zebra Finches

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Sat, 14 Jan 2023 01:02:42 GMT

[quote userid="2186" url="~/001/veterinary-clinical/exotics/f/discussions/30528/zebra-finches/240527#240527"]Of course it won't work if finches self mutilate from stress [/quote]

I don't think that would be a worry. They are flock birds, but they don't seem to suffer if kept solitary for some reason.

It's not a lot of help to say this now, but I reckon some unscrupulous dealer or breeder unloaded their rubbish onto this unfortunate owner.

RE: Zebra Finches

Beats — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 22:40:38 GMT

[quote userid="2186" url="~/001/veterinary-clinical/exotics/f/discussions/30528/zebra-finches/240527#240527"]birds make cattle look like KumBaYah peace loving hippies.[/quote]

On a visit to the PM lab, I had to vacate so a penguin could be post-mortemed (concerns re aspergillus from my recollection). I was allowed back in once the cause of death was confirmed - another penguin had pecked it through the skull. (Although years later when I recounted this story, a wise vet did question what was the underlying ailment that led to it being pecked through the skull)

RE: Zebra Finches

Virginia Campbell — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 20:33:10 GMT

I know nothing about birds bar observations of own backyard basic brown starter pack of chickens we got the summer before last. My main observation:

Birds did not get the #BeKind memo. Birds are a***holes to each other. Victims get battered and feather pecked if space is tight...remember those lectures about young heifers getting bullied off the silage face and prevented from lying down in the nice cubicles by older cattle...yeah well birds make cattle look like KumBaYah peace loving hippies. More space and more feeders and more environmental enrichment made chickens with better feathers.

My low budget empirical therapy trial would be- get them to get another cage off eBay or some cheapo facebook selling group or Freecycle, put one of the birds in it and put the cages beside each other so they can see but not reach each other. And see what happens.

Of course it won't work if finches self mutilate from stress (like parrots, no idea if finches do this) but worth a go.

RE: Zebra Finches

Claire Godfrey — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 10:14:54 GMT

Unfortunately yes the cage does not seem adequate, have made some recommendations.

Will pas on advice about vitaminA.

Thank you all.

RE: Zebra Finches

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 23:06:59 GMT

It's a long time since I kept finches , but this isn't scaly face.

Richard's Vitamin A suggestion is good, and

[quote userid="2792" url="~/001/veterinary-clinical/exotics/f/discussions/30528/zebra-finches"]the healthy one attacking the bald one[/quote]

could be very significant.

Proper diagnosis really would need a bit of lab work. Feather pluck, microscopy, bacteriology.

Is the cage in the photos the one they live in? Doesn't look adquate to me.

RE: Zebra Finches

Richard Carter — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 19:46:49 GMT

Second vit A deficiency- most caged birds get no access to green food - cress and sprouting seeds good source

only because the other isn’t showing scaly face and highly contagious

RE: Zebra Finches

Claire Godfrey — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 19:15:04 GMT

Thank you very much! Hopefully seeing the birds back this week!

RE: Zebra Finches

Benjamin Alyoshkin — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 15:03:58 GMT

Hi Claire

I made the notes below for quick reference, hope some of them may be of help to you as well.

I find Lafeber questionnaires on husbandry, nutrition etc helpful as I never have time to discuss everything within 15 or even 30 minutes consultations. I would be really interested to know the outcome, good luck!

Ref: Simon Girling Improve series

General notes:

Most avian ectoparasites attach to feathers

Sarcopteformes uncommon

Cnemidocoptes (the only burrowing mite) – Scaly beak and Tassel foot

Feather pluckers:

Feather analysis to ddx bacterial/ fungal/ viral vs behavioural feather plucking
Feather vane analysis, where most parasites are found

Ice: all are Mallophagan (chewing), not Anopluran (sucking), can affect barbules

Dermanyssus galinae – not species-specific, most common in Galiformes

Difficult to dx, tx, nocturnal

Environment with pyrethrin, carbaryl dusting powders

CARE: some finch spp (Estrelidae) especially sensitive to toxic effects of pyrethrins

Invermectin may be of use on bird

May be easier to destroy old accommodation

Ornithonyssus sylviarum (White nocturnal mite)

Signs, tx =Dermanyssus (easier to treat as spends all life on host)

Cnemidocoptes spp (the only burrowing mite on birds)

C. pilae – Scaly beak
C. mutans – Tassle foot

Vit A deficiency, immunosuppression, genetic predisposition

Dx: skin scrapes

Tx: Ivermectin 0.2mg/kg po, s/c q2w till CS resolve

Skin mites

Neocheyletiela media (Passerines), many other spp

+/-pruritus

Tx: ivermectin 0.2mg/kg s/c, topical once, repeat in 2w

Quill mites (Dermatoglyphus, Syringophyus)

Tx: straightforward

Environment with pyrethrin, carbaryl dusting powders

CARE: some finch spp (Estrelidae) especially sensitive to toxic effects of pyrethrins

Invermectin topical effective too

Lice, many species, all bird lice belong to Mallophaga (chewing)

Fipronil sprayed on cloth – wipe feathers, ensure good ventilation

Commercial louse powders

Viral (Passerines)

APV Avian Polyomavirus

Dx: PCR cloacal swab, blood, pm

No tx

Fungal (tend to be secondary to other injuries, skin mutilations)

Candida (lovebirds) alopecia around eyes, beak, scaling

Associated with Hypovitaminosis A (very common)

Ulcerative skin disease – pathogenesis little known (mostly affect lovebirds, cockatoos, cockatiels)

Thought to be viral aetiology – predisposing to secondary infections

Tx: antifungal, AB can be curative, apparently, but explore and manage underlying factors: lack of exposure to natural sunlight, overcrowding, other stressors, eg malnutrition, Hypovitaminosis A

Endoparasites (relatively uncommon cause of dermatological disease)

Esp Ascarids, Giardia (common in Cockatiels)

Liver disease – suspect in spp not commonly prone to feather plucking who starts plucking in a specific region

Chlamydia psittaci (uncommon in Passerines; phenotype B in pigeons)

Include on DDX of feather pluckers

RE: Zebra Finches

Claire Godfrey — Sun, 08 Jan 2023 15:17:45 GMT

Thank you, will add it in!

RE: Zebra Finches

Bob Russell — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 13:18:28 GMT

No expert but treating for scaley face is easy, safe and fairly cheap so worthgiving a go!