Poorly finches, nothing is working

18 Jan 2023, 11:00

For bird with babies in the nest, Trimethoprim Sulfa is safe and effective for a wide range of bacterial issues. The chicks don't have a sufficient immune system to fight off the bacteria invaders. Antibiotics should always be followed with a Probiotic to re-establish the health bacteria of the digestive tract.
This would be the way you would be best to go.
As it is safe for what you have and the most likely of the situations.
I am so sorry you have had this unfortunate introduction to finches.
Think as positive as you can, and in a few months, when you have a few healthy finches flitting around then you will be able to look back on this as a baptism of fire.

18 Jan 2023, 17:51

I'm going to order some Trimethoprim Sulfa. I'll need to work out the doses if it doesn't come with instructions for zebra finches. I would love to think that Trimethoprim Sulfa would be the answer to my prayers but there is always a chance it might not work. Worse case scenario would be to start from scratch and give everything a deep clean then wait a while for the dust to settle... I would then I get some birds from a local rescue center, that way I know they would have been checked by a vet and they'd be healthy.

This morning things aren't looking good, many of the finches are ruffled up and not looking too good. The problem with the bacterial infection is that they will all have it even the Canaries but as they are slightly larger birds, they can handle it better. They all itch excessively which is one of the symptoms of infection.

It can be very difficult to think positive in these situations but maybe the Trimethoprim Sulfa might just do the trick.

20 Jan 2023, 19:48

Its looking absolutely miserable in the aviary today. All the zebra finches are puffed and many have there heads tucked. It has got colder over the past few nights although these are indoors, temperatures indoors can drop and unhealthy finches don't do well in colder weather.

It might be too late to save my flock, I'm hoping to get the wormer soon but its likely not going to do much at this stage. It might be kinda to put the lot out of there misery because its not fair and they are suffering. Its horrible right now. I can only do my best with saving them but I think the infection is too advance now. The new fledglings are dying.

Any other chicks that manage to get to the stages of leaving there nest boxes will not thrive. Once they have left it be better to remove all nest boxes and concentrate on saving the few finches that might still have the strength to recover. Breeding is not good for them when they are this sick its just going to take more out of them... Its also not fair on the new born chicks to suffer the same fate soon after. It just becomes a cycle of suffering and misery. I need to start a recovery process once I have my wormer. The Trimethoprim Sulfa wont be arriving for a couple weeks at least. .

20 Jan 2023, 20:58

What sort of temperatures are you talking indoors?

21 Jan 2023, 21:11

I don't think its relevant to the problem but indoor temperatures can drop as low as 5 celcius, 41 farrenheit but mostly stays above. During the day time it remains around 20 celcius indoors or 68 farrenheit.

I don't think I'm going to succeed with saving these finches. They are all sleeping with there heads tucked apart from the canaries. The canaries are itching a lot as usual.

There is a possibility that because I live in an apartment block with 6 another dwellings under me, there could be harmful toxins in the air that could be getting into my apartment affecting my birds. I have no idea what the neighbors could be using but I don't smell anything so it might not be the issue but if it is... there is a good chance I will never be successful with having pet birds.

I think I'm a bit to late to save my current flock of zebra's they have gone down hill but at least I will have some wormer and Trimethoprim Sulfa on hand for when birds get ill that's if I get a second lot of birds. I might just buy one pair of zebras on the second attempt and if the same thing happens again then clearly its something in the air and I can not keep birds ever. .

21 Jan 2023, 23:20

I'm really hoping that this is worms. I read that finches are much more vocal when they have worms and they have been very vocal previously, my canary sings non stop throughout the day and has been for months and this sounds unusual, although the singing is nice to hear it something isn't right because they are seasonal singers. The finches I hear in the night when its dark I would hear them cheeping possibly cheeping in pain.

I've just received my wormer, I'm not going to hold my breath with it I just have to see if it works or not.

22 Jan 2023, 13:15

The temperature, as you worked out. Is perfectly within their tolerances, so not a factor. But like everything else. It does not hurt to check.
Artificial light and temperatures, can confuse canaries into thinking it is breeding season (time to sing( when it is not.
Here in Australia we have had a much longer "spring weather" period than normal and the canary breeding season was abnormal.
Heres hoping the wormer does the trick for your little feathered friends.

22 Jan 2023, 20:52

Hopefully it is worms. I've given them the wormer this morning in there water.as followed. I haven't seen any changes so far although its only been about 5 hours. All the finches look very poorly all itching constantly and puffed up.

I have decided that this will be my last attempt because its literally driving me insane of what is causing the problem and I've done everything I can. The wormer will be the last thing I try then that it it for me. I'm never going to so much as look at another finch again after this, if the wormer doesn't do anything.

How long will it be until I see any changes?

22 Jan 2023, 23:54

Uncertain, but certainly not less than 24hrs.
Could take up to a week, I would think, as they have to first get the worms killed and expel them. Then eat and rest well to regain their strength.

23 Jan 2023, 07:43

I'll give it a week but its possible the most sick finches wont have that long. One last thing to try would be an antibiotic mentioned above and that is everything I can think of. I'll just have to wait and see what the week brings with this wormer and if no joy then I'll order the antibiotic and give that a try..