Urgent Mommy finch is a widow...now what???

[singermanlynne]

I just want to check on the Finches and discovered the Daddy of my newest Lady Gouldian family on the floor of the cage!! I took him out to hold and warm in my hands and I thought it was helping and than he just died!! I do not know what happened. I could see no sign of injury and earlier today he was fine...feeding his new babies and being a great dad. I am shocked and now I am afraid for all of them...what could have happened??? Also what do I do now with the tiny babies...they are only days old and need a lot of attention and food. I do not know if the Mom can or will be able to do this on her own or if her juveniles will help her...or if they will al get sick too!!! What do you think I should do?
Should I give her a chance to do it and see if that will work or should I move them to the Societies? Or if I do that and there is an illness would I be spreading it to them? Please tell me what you would do!!
Lynne

 

[waterfaller1]

I am so sorry Lynne. Can you take him for a necropsy? I would not move them. Give mom a chance, she should be ok. Bulk up her diet with soft foods to make it easier for her to feed. Are the Gouldians in a community setting?

 

[Anne & Gang]

Honestly Lynne I wou ld leave her alone and see if she will manage on her own..you can hand feed the babes to help out..there are plenty of on line instructional videos to help out...if y ou move them in with the societies then the ma attack rather than help so that is not a good idea. If y ou saved the body of the male you could bring it in for a necropsy..don't jump to conclusionsd..it could be anything from a stroke, an injury or even air sac mites.. @singermanlynne

 

[petiteoiseau]

No need to handfeed, you will do more harm than good. Just put three different types of soft food (you will need to give her fresh food twice a day) as well as her seeds, water, greens, fruit near her (get yourself cups like this one: Bird Feeders & Waterers: Seed and Water Cup with Perch and hang them from the bars next to the nest). She'll do fine by herself. But have the male necropsied because, if he had anything contagious, you might need to treat momma and babies.

 

[singermanlynne]

Thanks for your response - I did have to move the babies in with the Societies and they are doing awesome. The Societies took them " under their wings " within minutes of moving them. My Societies have fostered boefore. The Mom just totally checked out on Motherhod!! She would not go back in the nest at all

 

[Anne & Gang]

well I am glad it worked out Lynne b ut you took an enormous chance there..you know that...disease wise and they could haver attacked...so glad it worked in your favor..you really need to learn how to handfeed them if you are going to raise them like this..You cannot always count on your method.