FinchMaster
Meeting neighbors
So, last week I was giving my finches fresh food and water. Elrond (zebra finch) was nesting in a food cup, as usual, and I poked him to prod him out. He didn't move, so I just pet him for a little while. Obviously, this is a bad sign, so I scooped him up. He was lethargic and thin, so I started my sick-bird-care routine. I started by giving him water, dripping it onto his beak from my fingers...and he leaned down to drink as if from a water bowl (that wasn't there). Never seen that before.
I then separated him, putting him in one of the hospital cages. I kept giving him food and water by hand for a few days, and he's now eating on his own again. He keeps having little panic attacks where he flutters around wildly without prompt. Also, today when I was cleaning his cage, I decided to test a theory: I waved my hand in front of his face, got like an inch away from him, and he didn't react at all. He did when I touched him though.
Could he be blind...? I have no idea how old he is.
What can I do to make his life more comfortable? I obviously can't put him back in the giant aviary if he can't get around to the food and water.
What I'm Currently Doing:
I then separated him, putting him in one of the hospital cages. I kept giving him food and water by hand for a few days, and he's now eating on his own again. He keeps having little panic attacks where he flutters around wildly without prompt. Also, today when I was cleaning his cage, I decided to test a theory: I waved my hand in front of his face, got like an inch away from him, and he didn't react at all. He did when I touched him though.
Could he be blind...? I have no idea how old he is.
What can I do to make his life more comfortable? I obviously can't put him back in the giant aviary if he can't get around to the food and water.
What I'm Currently Doing:
- Keeping him in a cage that's about 12 in L x 12 in W x 18 in H
- Plenty of millet in addition to his regular food
- Isolated from other finches (but is near them)