Aussie Finch Forum

Went to feed my birds this evening and found my yellow Canary male puffed up on the floor. Knew something was wrong because they all perk up when I come in the room. Went to try catch him, was in deep sleep so he didn't notice, let him go to see if he could fly and he fluttered a little but crashed onto the floor and wasn't able to get up off his side. He is 5 years old, could this be just him passing from old age?
I felt his keel bone and he isn't too skinny, his flight feathers are a little tattered but not a lot, no obvious injuries. Looked fine this morning. Didn't show any interest in the millet spray I offered him. He's on the same food as he has been for months.
I'm preparing a hospital tank right now and going to begin supportive care.
Do you guys have any ideas of what could be wrong with him and how I can hopefully treat him?

Sadly the little guy passed this evening. I think it was aspiration which was my fault, i tried to put a very minute amount of maple syrup on his tongue as I have heard some people do with sick birds because they absorb it through their tongue, so there is no aspiration risk. I must have done it wrong, or too much, because a couple seconds after he was twisting his head around and died in my hands.. Or maybe it was the stress of handling.. I'm not sure but I think or hope it was a quick death. He wouldn't eat on his own and was having trouble breathing. He was extremely weak, I'm not sure he would have made it even if I left him alone. Before I had birds, I never thought I could become so attached to one little bird. RIP little guy.

Sorry for your loss. People think it takes a mamal like a dog or cat for us to get attached to them. But then you start noticing that it happens with feathered friends too.