# please help with young gouldian finch



## darkfur (May 11, 2007)

Hi everyone
I got 4 young (just before first molt to adult plumage) gouldian finches over the weekend, noticed last night one looked rather more sleepy than the others. This morning that bird was sitting underneath its feeder rather than on a perch with the others. When I came up to the cage it moved across the floor a bit but didn't seem able to fly. I opened up the cage and it made no real attempt to get away from me and when I picked it up it just sat very still in my hand. It seemed to be squinting and puffed up which I take to be a sign of dehydration? As it happens I have some chickens hatching at the moment so I have transferred the little fella to a very small cardboard box lined with chux cloth inside of my brooder (ambient temp about 30C where the box is) and I made up a shot glass full of water with the tiniest amount of salt and sugar dissolved in it and dropped a few drops into the beak which it swallowed enthusiastically. Half hour later I repeated the drops of water. I *think* it is slightly more energetic. Am I doing the right thing? Anything else I can do? I have some ornithon soluble vitamins and kaytee hand rearing food if either of those would be useful, and I can go get some probiotics if need be. Suggestions/advice very much appreciated - I can fix a sick pigeon but little finchies are so delicate!


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

They are looking delicate as they are small. Otherwise they are tough like pigeons. Mix water with honey and give her that by dropping in the beak. Keep her warm. Probiotics will do good. You can medicate exactly like pigeons (in water), pills are bit more complicated as you need to calculate weight/dosage. Monitor poop exactly for same signs as pigeons.


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## darkfur (May 11, 2007)

thanks plamenh
the only antibiotic I have on hand is clavulox, it is dosed at 10mg/100g and in 50mg tabs lol so I had to break off approx 20mg and dilute that in 1mL water and give 0.1mL
I gave about 0.2mL of very watery kaytee handrearing and have been giving 0.2mL of the weak sugar/salt water half-hourly, to which I have added a couple of drops (in about 50mL) of a product we get here called AHE which is ACV with manuka honey, garlic and seaweed extracts. It seems no worse, possibly improved. Am I giving enough water? No poops as of yet


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

You can use clavulox as it is safe and broad spectrum. Also to make things simple mix honey with formula. Give it watery until sure that baby is better. Check the crop not to overfill it.


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## darkfur (May 11, 2007)

Still alive and not deteriorating. Spoke with avian vet on the phone and have given a tiny (smear on the end of a toothpick) amount of ivermectin in case of airsac mites. Has done a couple of poops now, they are dark with a white cap which is good but there is a small amount of dark watery staining on the cloth around it which is possibly bloody. I think its probably just pigment from the foods it was eating though, maybe from the skin of the red apple it ate yesterday. Have also increased humidity in the brooder a bit. can't actually take the baby to the vet today as the car is at the mechanic (rotten timing). I am not sure moving it would be so good for it anyway but the vet said if it survives the night I can bring it in tomorrow or for PM at any rate. Its friends seem perfectly fine. It seems to like snuggling into the little box I made for it, and just wants to sleep most of the time.


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## darkfur (May 11, 2007)

didn't make it


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Sorry for the baby!
You should monitor the rest of the babies though. Give them vitamins and probiotics to boost their immune system.
Do not give them ivermectin unless as pour on solution on the skin and be very careful with dosage.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

I am sorry the baby didn't make it.

Reti


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## darkfur (May 11, 2007)

the other wee fellas are doing great, they are currently eating a nice bunch of silverbeet


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

So sorry the little didn't make it. Good job on the rest of them. min


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