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No tails on tanimbar chicks??

Posted: 27 Aug 2017, 18:35
by Rob
Had 2 tanimbar chicks pop out a couple of months back who have been sitting on the ground with no tails on them. No mites etc and appearing otherwise healthy. I have had 2 more pop out after them and they are flying fine with nice tails. Any suggestions or thoughts what can cause this?

Re: No tails on tanimbar chicks??

Posted: 28 Aug 2017, 19:06
by starman
Rob,
Tailless chicks occur in both wild and cage bred birds...I have never seen a compelling argument as to why, but it is perhaps just a developmental anomaly. I can only suggest that you supply everything they need at ground level until their first moult and then see if their tails regenerate. May be somebody else will have something more informative to add.

Re: No tails on tanimbar chicks??

Posted: 28 Aug 2017, 20:37
by vettepilot_6
Mites?

Re: No tails on tanimbar chicks??

Posted: 29 Aug 2017, 09:34
by Craig52
There are lots of reasons chick end up with no tails. It could be the adults trying to get them out of the nest to start again, the more the chicks try to stay the more the adults try to drag them out by the tail. Cold weather can hold them longer in the nest.
In most parrot finch young, the tail feathers are the first to moult out before body feathers and it's a very quick replacement of them over a week or two.
I don't believe it's mites or any other ailment, they will stay on the floor till their tail feathers grow as it is difficult for them to fly/steer without them imo. Craig

Re: No tails on tanimbar chicks??

Posted: 31 Aug 2017, 20:37
by Rob
Definitely no mites. The weather and climate at the time of fledging was extra wet and humid. I also think they left the nest slightly early. Not sure if the combination affected tail growth.

Re: No tails on tanimbar chicks??

Posted: 12 May 2018, 20:08
by CathyCraftz
I don't get what you mean with no tails. Can you please send a photo?

Re: No tails on tanimbar chicks??

Posted: 25 Nov 2018, 20:10
by Username1
I think he means they don't have tails...

Re: No tails on tanimbar chicks??

Posted: 25 Nov 2018, 21:00
by Tiaris
At the best of times their tails at fledging are extremely short anyway. Shortest of the PFs.