Why is my male zebra finch sleeping a lot and not singing? Is he sick?

It sounds like your bird is not feeling so great! Unfortunately, those are very vague signs of illness that you listed, so he'll need to be seen by a vet to try and figure out the underlying cause to get treated and feeling better. Illness, disease, malnutrition, parasites, infections, etc can all be potential causes of illness, so finding the right one with your vet is best. Until you can get into your vet, keeping him calm, quiet, and with easy access to food and water may help, but vet care is needed if he is showing these symptoms currently.

It sounds as if your female may be sick and it would be best to bring her to a vet ASAP. It is possible she is exhausted from laying the eggs due to malnutrition, has an illness, or even has a stuck egg that is making her ill. Seeking veterinary care in person ASAP is best to try and get her feeling better. You may also need to separate her into a warm hospital cage until you can get to the vet to help make her more comfortable and reduce stress.

Thanks for reaching out about Kiwi. A damage flight feather should not alter flight significantly, as they can fly when they molt. Lethargy and sleeping during the day (to conserve energy) are clinical signs of being sick, the question is why. Providing heat support in the 80-85 F range can give some support. Monitor fecal production by a total cage clean-out. Sick birds often act like they're eating but aren't. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Multiple possibilities include ingestion of foreign material (metal, fabric, wood, etc.), metabolic concerns (liver, renal), infections (viral, bacterial) and others. Good luck.

Sparky does look a bit rough from the photos you provided. As feather loss and listless behavior are both very vague signs of many different possible issues, it would be best to try and find a vet in your area that could take a look at him. Nutrition issues, parasites, illness, injury and more can all be possible causes. Until you can get to the vet, keeping him separated from other birds in a hospital cage that is kept warm and with easy access to food and water may help.

Hi, The changes you have described in Chuy are very conserning to me. Birds can become sick very quickly and tend to hide signs of illness. I’m worried that Chuy May have an infection or other serious illness that would cause him to be lethargic and not eat. I recommend you take Chuy to your veterinarian as soon as you can for an examination. They will be able to do any additional tests needed and start the appprorpate treatment. Good luck!

I'm sorry Gansito isn't feeling well. Lethargy and puffed feathers are very nonspecific signs of illness in birds. But it could be be serious as birds don't show signs of illness easily. They try to hide thier illnesses as long as possible. Make sure his cage is in a warm, quiet, draft free environment. Try to encourage him to keep eating, cooked eggs are a high nutrient food that may tempt him. Millet is better than nothing but not very complete nutritionally. But he probably needs a veterinarian as soon as possible to evaluate what is wrong. It could be anything from a viral infectio, fungal or bacterial cancer or any other illness. Good luck to Gansito

These can be early indicators of illness or injury. Birds will normally eat small amounts throughout the day and are quite active. An exam with your veterinarian or an experienced avian vet would be recommended to diagnose illness or injury. In the meantime, clean and sanitize Muthu's cage, bowls, perches and toys. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Keep him war and as stress free as possible until he sees the doctor. You can soak pelleted food in a small amount of fruit juice to stimulate his appetite.