FinchSave Update

Daniel R. Almaguer, 3rd Vice President
FinchSave Director/Census Manager

Happy New Year 2000 to everyone and may you all have a successful breeding season... The weather here in Orlando, Florida has been very mild and warm, my flocks are thriving, unfortunately our members up North are not quite so lucky. Please take precautions if you are breeding finches in cooler weather and keep an eye out for egg bound hens. Roberta Goren, a former NFSS member told me a little secret about how to treat egg bound birds and it really works.. Purchase a medium size reptile terrarium and place a heating pad underneath the terrarium, you may overlap the heating pad on the sides of the terrarium for additional heat source. Next, place a wet hand towel inside the terrarium and sit the finch on top of the wet towel, the humidity will help the hen pass the egg in a matter of minutes, it has worked every time for me.

I put an GATORADE lid with water and another with finch seed, spray millet to help the egg bound bird more comfortable in the temporary hospital cage. I also put a 3 volt light on top of the terrarium and this accessory can be purchased to fit right on top on the terrarium (same brand), be careful this provides additional heat to the sick bird.

I would like to tell everyone that the March/April NFSS Bulletin will have the 2000 Annual Census form and I urge all NFSS members to participate this year. A listing of all finch species by name and genus will be provided in the same issue from the 1999 Annual Report. This is help you fill out your 2000 Annual Census without having to look them up in you finch books... No excuses, this helping you and NFSS. I would really appreciate you taking the time to fill the Annual Census form out this year and please help us make a difference.

Ian Hinze our new member of the NFSS FinchSave Committee will have his first story published in the NFSS Bulletin this issue, thank you Ian. Ian has a new column GLOBAL FINCH NEWS in England's CAGE & AVIARY BIRDS weekly publication, in addition to his column in BIRDTALK.  If you should have any questions for Ian Hinze on finches or softbills, feel free to email me at DRAFinch@aol.com  or call me at (407) 894-3808. Ian resides in England and we can publish the question with answer in the next NFSS Bulletin.

Please notice that SE BIRD SUPPLY and CO. has a full page ad in this issue and Sigie Meyer has many species of finches/softbills and parrot type for sale. This is your opportunity to order new bloodlines and I urge all interested parties to maybe place one order together to save on air freight delivery charges. The airline delivery is usually close to $100.00 depending on the airlines, order with a group of people and ship to the closest large airport in your area. If one splits the shipping between four people the cost of air freight is very affordable. I have ordered from Sigie three times to date and have been very pleased with my birds. I must warn you that on some occasions birds are stressed during the shipment process and can die at the drop of a hat after arrival, it can happen.

One main contributor is after arrival it is very important to place food and water in open containers everywhere in the quarantine cage. If the new birds are not familiar with the feed hoppers and tube waters, they can die of starvation/ thirst in a day. This has happened to me and please learn from my mistakes when I purchased some society finches at a local bird show, they couldn't find the water in the tube waters. If your birds have squinty eyes that is a definite sign that your birds are very thirsty, put an open dish of water either perch level and on the floor of the cage immediately. Please keep new birds out of drafts, provide the proper diets and keep in low traffic areas of your aviary. I highly recommend an electrolyte called SAVE-IT if your birds should appear dehydrated, this product is a yellow powder and looks like GATORADE. The Higgins Pet Premium Foods can sell SAVE-IT, a ten package box to you by calling 1-800-878-2666, they advertise in the NFSS Bulletin. This is your chance to order and I urge all to at least consider ordering to help improve your future generations of birds with more diversity of new bloodlines.

Daniel Almaguer, (407) 894-3808, DRAFinch@aol.com

Last modified: September 08, 2004
Copyright © 1999 National Finch and Softbill Society