tail pumping/bobbing

[meepmeeps]

it''s obviously not egg binding if it is occuring during the moult and to males, but I wouldn't say it is normal for birds to struggle to pass their poop as Craig described (sorry mate). Are you 100% sure those experiencing these problems have a clean vent. I would have thought that your treatment with Baycox would have solved this problem....did you do a follow up dose 2 weeks later with Baycox?

i did treat them for about 6 - 7 days with full strength Baycox but i didnt follow up the dose anytime after so that might be the problem. i have just over 50 finches and i have checked every single one of them but their vents look very clean and not wet. the waxbills were tail bobbing pretty badly at one point but they have seemed to have stopped doing it for a while now but its mainly the shaft tails(hecks grass finches) and the owl finches and a couple of the gouldians. today i am going to treat them again with baycox for another week and see how it goes, hope it works this time round lol
thanks again for all your replies its much appreciated and i do need all the help i can get with my little birdies

[Trilobite]

what is possessing everyone to think that the tail bobbing after a poop is a clinical manifestation of coccidia particulalry when the birds vent is dry and from the reports below the poop is normal?????????

[Craig52]

So normal, healthy birds having issues passing their poop....sorry can't say that happens to my birds.

I know there is a Gouldian breeder down Geelong way who specialises in producing birds with wet vents and have trouble pooping....I might need to get me some of these birds to understand what you are talking about

cheers
Paul

Whoo,Paul that's getting a bit personal,....No,normal healthy birds don't have issues passing their poop but normal healthy birds do pump their tails after pooping,maybe gouldians don't do it,i can't remember or it's been bred out of them. Craig

[SamDavis]

I don't really get what meepmeeps is seeing. meepmeeps, can I ask if the tail pumping/bobbing is continuous and if the birds are at all listless or fluffed? I always thought the tail pumping/bobbing that occurs with sick birds had something to do with their inability to balance properly due to their illness. Whenever I've seen this type of tail pumping/bobbing it is accompanied by other symptoms.

[meepmeeps]

they are not puffed up at all and they dont always do it but when i do see them do tail pump it appears they push their back end down hard several times like they are trying to force something out or throw something off. they eat normally and drink fine also their poop appears healthy. ive looked at their poop under a good quality microscope and i found nothing unusual but having said that im only a novice. they appear pretty active and appart from the tail pumping they seem fine. they never used to tail pump at all and its only the last few months they have been doing it.

[vettepilot_6]

maybe not enough fibre in their diet .....no seriously Im with Craig...mine do it occasionly....cant honestly say Ive seen a Gould do it...but I have seen painteds...RFPF.... And Tri Colours do it......and they are all fit and healthy...

[Netsurfer]

Most likely, all it needs is a bit of warmth and some sulfa D in the water dish for a week or so.

[Trilobite]

again on what epideimology/reasons is an anitbiotic treatment being prescribed for a bird that is not fluffed up, not lethargic, doesnt have a watery poo, is not laboured in breathing and occassionaly does it along with a multitude of other birds. I am puzzled????? really I am!!!!. can someone explain to me please - I am not being scarastic, I really want to know.

[Finchy]

I had a bird which did this when it had an inflamed rear following a bout of diarrhoea. It was internally inflamed (I could see the swelling from the outside) so it was not passing poop properly and/or felt as though it wasn't.

So I would take care with over-medicating, in case this actually is worsening the problem by causing bowel soreness. I would try a week of something like low dose probiotics + a little bentonite clay in clean, lightly acidified water (pH5.3-pH5.4 is considered optimum by some), and see if that soothes and settles the symptoms.

And/or, I notice that your medications include nothing that treats tapeworm, such as Praziquantel. Could that be the missing element? AFF sells Cydectin Plus, which contains Moxidectin (similar to Ivermectin only better IMHO) and Praziquantel.

[TomDeGraaff]

Tapeworm might be considered if meepmeeps is feeding livefood. I think that if their droppings are ok and their behaviour is normal, if they are not fluffed or showing signs of ill health, I would not worry. Waxbills and doublebars tail flick so it may be a hormonal thing. Can't think of anything else.
Continue to monitor the birds and if you get outward signs of illness, act on them