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Tuesday, September 2, 1998
Society
Finch has Diarrhea #2
On Friday, August 28, I'd noticed Trevor had brownish
diarrhea. He was removed from the aviary the next day and has been in the heated
hospital cage ever since. He's been receiving Pedialyte and his regular diet minus
the lettuce and cucumber. On Saturday and Sunday, he also received one drop of pepto
bismol twice daily. I think he got more stressed from our administering the stuff
than it actually helped him, so I've stopped giving it to him.
Several times daily,
I check the bottom of his cage to observe the consistency of his stools. Each
morning it appears that, overnight, his stools have become more solid and normal looking.
As the day progresses, however, his stools return to a more runny state.
Since this morning his stools seem to have become just a bit more
solid and more formed. From this observation, I'd say that he was on his way to
becoming healthier, but his posture is very poor. He stands with his tail pointed
upward and his breathing is as shallow and rapid as it was when I first observed him with
diarrhea. Poor little guy. I'll continue observing him over the next few
days.
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ABOVE:
Our male and
female gold breasted waxbills.
They, like all our other finches,
have not been affected with diarrhea
the way Trevor has. |
Saturday, September 5,1998
Society
Finch has Diarrhea #3
Let me start off with the bad news. Actually, it's
all a little bad, so let me just tell it like it is ...
Trevor's diarrhea did get better, however, he still looked
pretty sick. His breathing was very laboured and he stood with his tail up and his
wings down. I decided it was time to examine his belly to see if he had a tumor like
Fibber (our male red cheeked cordon bleu) and our female budgie. The only thing I
know to examine for is a tumor, since a tumor presents itself as a bulge. Anyway,
Trevor's abdomen was huge and there was a marble sized hard thing in it. Actually,
the skin around the protrusion was without feathers, just like in the other finch's and
budgie's cases. I concluded it was indeed a tumor, sadly, and we took him to the vet
who confirmed my suspicion. And the vet put him to sleep.
Poor little Trevor.
But that's not the worst of it. After I got him home,
I unwrapped his body to have good look at him. You know, when they're dead is the
only time I'm able to fully examine their bodies and not be afraid I'm scaring the heck
out of them. Also, I can actually pet their feathers, something I always long to do.
I wanted to finally look at Trevor's legband. It said 94. We had him
only since October 96, which meant he may have spent up to two years in that awful pet
store where we'd found him and most of our other finches. What a tragic life he'd
had, except for the time he spent with us - at least I'd like to think he had a pretty
good life in our care. Poor little Trevor....
Owl Finch Finds New Home
Two days ago, our male owl finch was taken to BC to live his life
outdoors and be able to breed to his little heart's content. Though I miss him, I'm
much happier knowing he's going to be able to fulfill his longing to nest and protect his
family (which he appeared to already robustly be doing). I just hope he doesn't
raise as much heck in the aviary in BC as he did with us!
The up side to this equation is that I'll be getting some
society finches in trade for the owl. While no other bird or birds can ever replace
Trevor for his spirit and personality, we do want to replenish our stock of finches at
some point after they pass away. Maybe our breeder friend on the coast has some
right now and we'll have a few new birds by the end of the weekend. I'm just waiting
to here from her ...
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ABOVE:
The pair of African silverbills
that our male owl used to think of
as "his pair". |
Green Singers Want to Breed Again #1
Okay, okay, okay already! The male green singer has been up to
what has become his late summer extraordinary singing, so it must be breeding time again
for this pair. Actually, the female sings too, but her song is much, much shorter
though just as pretty.
So, why am I writing about this? Well, the thought has
crossed our minds to actually let them breed this year. We'd set them up, all by
themselves, in what we call the Original Aviary and let them have at it. The only
part where we hit a snag is what to do with the offspring should any be produced.
They can't all live together with us (after the chicks fledge and can care for
themselves), nor do I think I'd ever do business with a pet store with finches I raised.
So then what? That's our dilemma ...
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ABOVE:
Bev, our female
green singer in an aggressive
pose typical behaviour
of hers especially in late
summer's breeding time. |
Tuesday, September 8, 1998
Cage
Cleaning Day
The sad task of cleaning the hospital cage, the owl's
holding cage and the budgie's flight cage was done today. Actually, I didn't think
about it all very much, I just dismantled the two small cages and their fixtures and
scrubbed the whole lot in hot soapy water. New paper was cut and fitted into the
bottoms of each and they were unceremoniously put away for the next time.
Actually, I'd put
cleaning the budgies' flight aside for a very long time. I think Dorian was put to
sleep in June and Buddy was given away shortly afterward. The flight, also know as
the Original Aviary, was left empty in the dining room for close to three months.
Cleaning it meant putting it away and rearranging the dining furniture - a task too
similar to moving which we'd only recently done. It didn't seem right to have to
move all this stuff again especially when I wasn't sure what the aviary's inhabitants
would require in a few weeks. And it turns out that we're going to let the green
singers have a go at laying eggs this September ...
|
ABOVE:
Left, one of the rosy rumped waxbills
preening our remaining male society finch
who is preening himself. |
Green Singers Want to Breed Again #2
I finally cleaned
out the budgies' flight cage. I'd been meaning to do clean it for weeks, now, but
today was the cage cleaning day. And, yes, it seemed to take all day, too.
At about 4:00 p.m. I was ready to catch the green singers and
install them in their new home. Of course, saying I'll catch the pair and actually
doing it are two different things. After letting all the birds out of the aviary
(still the easiest method of capture), it took me 45 minutes to finally catch them all.
Illusive Bev had hidden herself atop the ceiling fan in the upstairs hallway and
she was the last bird to make it back to captivity.
So, now the green singers are by themselves. It's now
about three hours after they were placed in their new home and they're singing and flying
about as happily as ever.
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ABOVE and BELOW:
Several views of Bev, our female green singer.
Now that she and Chris have been place
in the Original Aviary while they attempt to nest
for the first time, there won't be any new photos
of them for awhile.
|
In order to get them in breeding condition,
I've begun offering them mashed boiled egg mixed with dried insect food along with their
usual seed, vitamin water, lettuce and cucumber. I also added one spray millet
clipped to the ceiling, and since they hadn't had egg for so long, they just seemed to
gobble down the stuff.
Two wicker-type nests half filled with moss were added to the
upper left back corner of the flight. I don't know which they'll prefer, but at
least they'll have a choice. Geez, I'm talking like they're going to really nest.
Truthfully, I have no idea if they'll even be interested now that they have a real
chance at it. I suppose we'll all just have to wait ...
| Sunday,
September 20, 1998
Green Singers Want to Breed Again #3
Anyone who's been viewing FinchCam lately will know that a
nest has been added to the green singer's flight. They'll also know that there seems
to be some building activity, too.
Anyone who lives in our house knows that, since the nest has
been added, its been built, demolished and might even be in the process of being rebuilt
as I type. I can't begin to know what these little birds are up to, and I'm guessing
they don't quite know either.
When I first placed the nests, they were half stuffed with
moss, which the singers promptly removed. I then gave them coarse dried grass in a food
dish, which was ignored. Fine, dried grass was clipped to the flight's bats which seemed
to be played with, at least, but was also basically ignored. Then I cut up some coarse
cotton string into 1.5" pieces and clipped them to the flight's bars, and voila! the
stuff's a hit. While the string looks like it could wrap around toes, from viewing it on
FinchCam, it instead shreds and become fluffy so I believe it's safe. I also clipped
1.5" pieces of jute to the flight's bars which is also fluffy and is being used in
the nest's construction.
Yesterday, the nesting material was nicely packed in the
nest, then for some reason, one the the singers began tearing it out. I suspect the
builder has been Chris (the male) and the tearer-aparter is Bev. However, I'm not
sure since I haven't been spending very much time scrutinizing their actions. At
this point, I think they're just getting the hang of the "nesting thing" so I
expect them to be experimenting quite a bit.
What's more, this being their first nest, I don't expect them
to have any chicks survive even if eggs are eventually laid. First clutches for many
pairs of birds don't amount to much due to the birds' inexperience. I must keep
reminding myself and the rest of our family how likely there'll be no chicks, or even
chicks that don't survive. We're such softies that I'm sure we'll just cry and cry
over dead chicks. Oh, dear ...
|
ABOVE: Construction or
de-construction of the nest.
BELOW: Bev (female) on top
of the nest, Chris inside.
ABOVE and BELOW:
Chris
in various stages of building their nest.
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