| Health Check List |
What to pay attention to?
First the keeping conditions:
- Are the breeder's or pet dealer's (box) cages or (rather) aviaries large enough for the birds to train their flight musculature, so that they pass into your hands healthy and strong?
- Are the cages clean and well lit, do the birds have enough air?
- Are there fresh water and the right kind of clean food?
Then the appearance and behaviour of the birds:
- Is the Zebra Finch that appeals to you big, strong, and well-fed?
- Does it have a complete, smooth plumage and a healthy body build? (The shoulder and breast should be wide, and the back straight from the back of the head to the tip of the tail.)
- Is the Zebra Finch lively and attentive without starting to panick when being approached?
Finally potential symptoms of illness:
- Are the plumage and toes complete – or are feathers, phalanges, or toenails missing?
- Can you recognize overgrown nails or deformations?
- Are the legs straight, smooth, flesh-coloured, and clean – or can you see fractures,
prominent scales, or keratinous growths?
- Is the vent clean – or inflamed or dirty and sticky?
- Are the eyes and nostrils clean – or gummed up?
- Does the bird sit on the bottom with drooping wings, fluffed up feathers and shut eyes?
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