Losing Juveniles

[craig]

Was wondering if anyone could give me an idea as to what causes convulsions in a bird ? Gouldians more specifically.

Currently, once my birds get taken out of the aviary to wean, I place them into breeding cabinets (about 1200 long x 750 high) which are kept indoors.
So far I have had a couple just randomly fall off the perch, but what is concerning me more now is, I have lost 2 juveniles who have been convulsing. 1 of them being tonight, another about 4 weeks ago. The one I lost tonight was about 3 months old. All cases they all look fine with no feather loss clean vent etc. Am contemplating taking this one to the vet tomorrow to get an autopsy but thought I might ask on here first to get some thoughts. I'm not sure if the 2 that died and were convulsing were from the same clutch or not.

Fed greens, sprouted seed, softfood.. (the works)
No more than 6 birds per cage
The room is indoors, but is only about 2 degrees warmer in there compared to outside temps

Any info would be great

Craig

[Buzzard-1]

Stress can cause convulsions,but more likely toxins usually found on fruit or veg sprayed by farmers.I assume the small cages have not been recently painted as new painted surfaces can cause gases. Convulsions at 6–8 weeks of age. It is possible that these changes in convulsive threshold are related to alterations in dopaminergic transmitter systems found in the birds. Hope this helps.

[craig]

Thanks for the info buzzard. Maybe its something to do with the green i have been feeding them. But its weird because I have had no probs with the large aviary outside. Just an update, found another ready to keel over when i did the checks this morning. No convulsions though.

[craig]

Grrr, the one ready to keel over did so. So have taken it to the vet for a post mortem when I got back, another one down and another looking in bad shape. The nightmare continues

[Diane]

Oh dear you are having some trouble....my sympathies.

Just a thought on the same lines as Buzzard with the greens possibly been treated. Got me thinking, is it possible spray of some sort near where they are, if in the house....deodorant, hairspray, air freshener? If in a shed any glues or paints been opened, RP7, WD40 or similar.

Hope you find out what it is. Let us know how you get on.

[Jayburd]

condolences, must be horrible
I agree with Buzzard and Blue Butterfly there.

[jusdeb]

hope the autopsy gives you some answers .

[finchbreeder]

Condolences. And hope the vet can shed some light on the problem.
LML

[fincher]

hi craig any chance you didnt visit bird and fish place in wattle grove today as i had a guy with the same problem today sorry i was off no help

[craig]

Yeah Chris,

That was probably me, did a few rounds to a couple of bird shops on my way back from applecross. Avian vet up there charges $60 for an autopsy plus I needed some more moxidectin and they sell it over the counter. So far I have lost 4 birds out of that cage, My best guess in contaminated green food or something like that. The other 2 are looking ok, I'll get the results back from the post mortem tomorrow lunch time, hopefully they will provide me with some answers.

No sprays in the house, they get covered up over a night time. The cabinets were ex budgie cabinets, but they have been cleaned out and disinfected, plus its really only the framework that remains as budgie cabinet. The rest was replaced.