Q: About finches

Answered by chestnut on 7/29/2005, 12:50 pm

A: Stop breeding!!

> My finches has layed about 6 egss and 1 has hatched. I
> noticed that she is not taking care of the baby anymore. At
> first she stayed in the nest 24/7 but now no. I tried
> putting more nesting material but that did not work. what
> can I do, I do not want to touch the eggs because i am
> afraid she will not touch them again. Today is the third day
> and now i do not see the chick. What should i do
>

Let nature takes it course but IF she is no longer sitting on the eggs remove the nest box and do not breed any longer.

Below are a few facts on breeding for you to read

I always worry when I hear someone asking about/or saying they are breeding or wanting to know info on how birds mate, cause lots of people are really unaware of
#1 How much money is involved to save a hen or chick
#2 How time consuming this can be IF the parents do not feed the chicks
#3 If the person has never hand fed a chick before at all cause they can easily kill them
#4 IF the person asking about breeding is aware of how many birds are out there now constantly being rehomed

Below I am going to post to you a lot of info from my facts sheet. The information below will cover a lot of area PLEASE read it throughly.

DID your bird just lay eggs?
IS the hen by itself in a cage?
Is the hen with a cage mate?
Is the cage mate male or female?
Did you see your birds mating?
Are you looking to breed birds or just breed as an experience to have fun?

IF you can answer YES to any or all of these Q's above then you need to read what I have from my facts sheet below on BREEDING HAZARDS.

Mating signs

You will know IF the birds are mating, there will be lots of regurging back and forth as part of the courtship that happens between them. The male will take one leg to balance on the back of the females body and there will be a ruckus of noise and wings/flapping.
Some males will get very vocal before mating as they court the female. You may never see this happen as lots of birds prefer to do this in private when no else is around or at night when the cage is covered.

Just because the birds get along now does NOT mean this will happen once they start breeding and you put up a nest box read the links below to understand more on bird living in the same cage and disaster that can come from this
http://www.practical-pet-care.com/bird_question.php?ID=2.2005022212130002
http://www.practical-pet-care.com/bird_question.php?ID=2.2005050211170540
http://www.practical-pet-care.com/bird_question.php?ID=2.2005042717133429
http://www.practical-pet-care.com/bird_question.php?ID=1.2005061106123455

Even after reading these you may think it can not happen to me this is where you are wrong each of these people thought as you do IT would not happen to them and it did, SEPARATE the BIRDS into DIFFERENT CAGES for their own SAFETY.

After the mating has occured the hen will start to lay the 1st egg 24 to 48 hours later. The hen will continue to lay till she has a full clutch of any where from 3 to 8 eggs then she will begin to incubate the eggs for 18 to 21 days.

Be responsible and do not breed for just fun.
Please read this site
http://budgies-n-tiels.com/contents/

How long have you owned these birds?

MY next question is WHY do you feel the NEED/WANT to breed these birds?
Even IF you are not planning to breed by them being in the same cage this can happen. Finches unlike other birds do better off living in pairs (go figure).

Have the pair even seen a Board Certified Avian Vet to establish their health?

DID you do any research about breeding 1st at all?
DID you just go to a pet store and ask what to do here?
Pet Stores are the worst places to get info from as 90%% of the employees really do not know what they are talking about.

DO you know anything about raising birds?
Are you prepared to lose sleep?
What would you do IF you suddenly had to feed 4 to 8 chicks cause the parents would not and this had to be done every two hours or watch the chicks die. This also means taking them where ever you go as you must also keep them warm.

Research is the very 1st thing you do, ramdomly just breeding is going to lead to disaster for your hen the chicks and you!! Even IF this was just an accident!!
Read these links and you will understand more on this
http://www.practical-pet-care.com/bird_question.php?ID=1.2005050807583571
http://www.practical-pet-care.com/bird_question.php?ID=1.2005042717363914
http://www.practical-pet-care.com/bird_question.php?ID=1.2005072111240526

OH and even after reading the above links you may say this can NEVER happen to me, this is where you are wrong it can and it may and the birds that will pay the costly price will be the hen and the chicks.

Was these birds purchased from a pet store?
Even IF they are birds that were given to you or rehomed you do not know where these birds started out from?

Pet store birds are not good to breed as they have lots of genetic and other diseases, that can be passed to their off spring. They are NOT good breeding stock!

For example extra wings, extra toes, missing toes or feet, birds with twisted spines, missing digits, bald spots (such as those found in some lutinos), and internal genetic defects which can cause death in the babies.
Some genetic health problems caused from inbreeding and poor breeding stock can lead to Epilepsy (which causes death in a bird as they get older) or even a form of MS. This is just to give you an idea there are many more then just these two mentioned above.
And, these are only a few of the possible problems you could encounter if the babies even live.

Even breeding ones that came from a breeder you have a very high risk that they are related if purchased from the same breeder. This would be considered inbreeding and would be like you marrying your brother or sister whichever the case.

Breeders know what they are doing when they breed these birds they are looking for certain attributes & dispositions to further develop the breed.

Breeding is a whole pot of hot water you do not want to get involved in.

Breeding is a delicate prochure and if you up set the birds in any way they can kill the babies, not sit on the eggs, I know of one person that everything seemed fine the hen went in to the nest box and cracked open the egg and killed the chick.

How old is your birds?
Although small birds can start breeding as early as 4 to 5 months this does not mean it is good for the hen. These birds should really be over the age of 1 year before allowed to breed. Think like this a girl can have a child at 13 right but that does not mean the body and bones are ready for it, or that she is mentally ready for being a mother she is still a child herself.

When it comes to breeding if the HEN gets EGG BOUND you can lose she can DIE from this with out seeing a AVIAN VET ASAP not tomorrow but NOW. The same goes with the chicks, lots of 1st time parents do not feed their babies this leaves it up to you and if you have NEVER handfed a chick you can KILL the chick, to save its life again would take a VET ASAP.

This can cost lots of $$$$$ do you have this, is it fair to bring a life into this world where it may DIE and not even have a start, can you watch this happen, I know I could not. There are lots of birds out there now that need homes or that have to be rehomed all the time cause people can not keep them.

Responsible breeders have buyers lined up to get their birds or sell them to some one that knows something about birds (other then feed seed and change a cage) birds are very sensitive animals.

Selling them to a pet store would be putting their lifes at risk pet stores are full of ill sick birds (I can vouch for this having worked at many over the years). Babys have no immune system yet to fight off any illness and PET STORES are loaded with ill birds

Keeping them would not be fair either what if you have males and females from this group and they breed back to each other, or the male breeds with the mother, or the father breeds with a daughter this is inbreeding and can cause gentic and health problems in the birds.

Let me put it another way if you had a brother/sister would you marry him/her?

Breeding birds does not bring in money if that is the reason you are doing this, then it is a very poor way of thinking, there are lots of back yard breeders that sell their birds to birdie mills (like puppy mills for dogs only they are for birds) and the pet stores can get these little birds at a dime a dozen.

I was at a Bird Fair just recently that these birds were going for very cheap. Pet Stores get away with selling them at a higher price cause they have a mark up they do this (I know from having worked Pet Stores and seeing this 1st hand) for their profit. The birdie mills and other people that sell to pet stores make very little money.

At the bird fair Parakeets were going for 4 dollars a pop the profit does not out weigh the expense out of pocket here just to give you an example.

As a matter of fact there are so many birds now that they are always being rehomed cause people can not always keep them sometimes they end up at resuces sometimes at shelters just like dogs and cats. PLEASE rethink about breeding. Being I am involved in this to a degree I see this all the time.

One of the worst reasons to start up wanting to breed and WHY so many birds end up being rehomed as there is so many hobby/backyard breeders out there now that breed their birds, DO NOT have them on a proper diet, they are NOT vet checked regularly to make sure of the hen and cocks health before breeding so nothing gets passed on to the chicks that can be life threatening to their health.

This is not fair to the bird involved or chick that is hatched to have to possibly end up being rehomed cause for some reason or another the new owner cannot keep the bird, not only is this stressful and can cause physical problems such as plucking for one, the stress on the bird mentally is unfair to be shuffled from flock to flock.

IF you were only aware of how many birds end up being rehomed from so many people doing what you are planning to do and so many birds that end up in bad situations from this you would defintly NOT want to bring any more birds into the world.

I have heard more then my share of stories as to why a person can no longer keep their flock a few of the worst are, the bird does not go with my decor, and I am having a baby I have no time, or the bird constantly yells and wakes up the baby when it is sleeping. How many times I have heard of people that get a bird that have kids and these poor birds wind up getting hurt or maimed from the child or killed. Is this fair to any chicks you may bring into this world to possiibly have to be put through this.

Rehomed birds come with lots extra emotional and mental baggage and can sometimes be unstable because of this. IS this fair to wind up having one of your chicks have happen to it. PLEASE rethink breeding.

People understand that with dogs and cats you need to spay and neuter them so they do not randomly breed, you can not spay or neuter a bird so it is up to the human counter part to take the preventive measures as far as controling the breeding and blood lines and and making sure that the birds are healthy.

Like I said also earlier breeders know what they are doing when they breed these birds they are looking for certain attributes & dispositions to further develop the breed.

Breeding is not for the novice bird keeper as there are lots of things that cannot only go wrong with the hen but also with the babies. IF this should happen it cost lots of $$$$$ to have a vet see them and with out a vets help (and they will need one ASAP) they can die, do you have this kind of $$$$.

Vets when it comes to some things are very expensive and where YES they need to be seen annually by one to make sure they are healthy just as a dog and cat and need to have tests run to ascertain their health, let me tell you do you have an extra 4 to 5 hundred dollars running around that you can freely spend on an emergency from a egg bound hen or from a chick that is aspriating cause it was fed incorrectly. Please keep the birds in different cages so these problems are not encountered.

Has you ever had your bird to an avian vet for a wellness check, you should to make sure that they are healthy?
A Board Certified Avian Veterinarian should and can examine every egg laying bird. A Certified Avian Vet can test/screen and recommend treatments for any underlying disease the bird may have that you may be unaware of, they can help establish a sound nutritional program, and offer advice to prevent to egg laying.

Here are some sites for you to locate a board certified avian vet in your area if you do not already have one you go to.
http://www.abvp.com/finddiplomate.aspx
http://www.aav.org/vet-lookup/
http://www.aav.org/activemembers.html
http://www.birdsnways.com/articles/abvpvets.htm

Besides that the hen can become egg bound in which she would need to see a vet ASAP or die, it is best to have made contact with a vet let them get to know your birds before an emergency such as this egg binding, or the obstruction of the uterus or oviduct by an egg, is a common problem.

Here are some reasons that egg binding can occur one of the most common causes is an all-seed diet because it is very low in calcium as well as other essential vitamins and minerals.

Other causes include obesity, lack of exercise, oversized or mal-formed eggs, oviduct infection or damage, heredity and senility are all causes of egg binding these are things that are a danger to your bird in breeding.

Excessive egg laying is a time bomb situation. Egg laying is a natural, seasonal process in breeding birds and some pets.

However, it can also become an obsession that drains the bird of vital nutrients, ruins her pet quality, and predisposes her to life-threatening health problems such as egg binding this a failure in egg passage and laying in a normal amount of time

An egg that is inside a bird for too long can put pressure on the kidneys, liver, and nerves. This can cause them to not work properly, resulting in increased toxins in the blood that can cause death, this is another reason why in an emergency to see a vet.

Other problems are caused by a prolonged egg in the oviduct is nerve damage. The pressure can kill nerves leading to the feet and legs, which can paralyze all or part of the leg or feet/claws. I hear of this kind of thing more often then you realize, you may think it will not happen to me BUT it does and can and your bird is the one that pays the price; IS this FAIR to the bird???

Over breeding cockatiels will cause egg binding, prolapsed uterus, egg peritonitis and an early death due to breeding related problems in the end.
Upon speaking to my VET concerning Tiels and overlaying his comment was quote “these birds really should NOT lay more then one egg a month in a 12 month span, laying more then this in a year is harmful to their bones, they become hypocalcaemia and even just picking them up wrong or they land wrong will/can cause a break to these brittle bones.” One clutch a year is enough IF you are breeding these birds.
MY VET
http://www.avidid.com/stoddard.html

Yolk peritonitis is another reasons for not breeding

If an egg breaks inside the female, yolk peritonitis occurs a life-threatening situation may result. Peritonitis is an inflammation of the abdomen (peritoneal cavity) due to the presence of egg contents, and the fluid from that egg leaking into the abdominal cavity from the oviduct and the ovaries.

The condition may be fatal as a result of bacteria and secondary infection. From the yolk getting into the blood stream and poisoning your bird, it is also something difficult to treat although some birds do make a full recovery if caught early.

This is why it is important for a veterinarian to remove the egg and not the owner.

Here are some sites to read about egg binding
http://www.aav.org/commondisease.htm
http://justcockatiels.com/egg_related_problems.htm
http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/birdinformation/egglaying.php

If your bird has laid an egg remove it boil it for 1 min, cool them out replace them at about the temperature you removed them from the hen. She will after a while become tired and bored of sitting on them and will lose interest in them. This will keep them from getting broken, runny or smelly till your hen has grown tired of sitting on the eggs.

IF she should lay more do the same with these eggs. One way to keep track and know which eggs you have already boiled is to place a small black mark on the egg with a black felt pen or marking pen.

LET the hen get rid of her mommy instinct by sitting on the eggs, HOWEVER be aware that IF you have a NEST up in the cage you are encouraging the pair to continue breeding.

LET the hen get rid of her mommy instinct by sitting on the eggs, HOWEVER be aware that as long as you have a NEST remaining up in the cage you are encouraging the pair to continue breeding.

Even IF it is two females together living in the same cage one will take over the domiant male role, eggs from this are always not fertile but then should be allowed to sit on these eggs and become bored with them, this can take anywhere from a few days/weeks to several months depending on the hen.
Just follow what was written above about boiling eggs. IF you throw the egg out before the hen is done sitting on it this will increase her hormones to lay more which is NOT healthy for the bird.

HAVE you EVER hand fed a chick at all?

HAND FEEDING PROBLEMS YOU WILL ENCOUNTER
There is also the hand feeding problem, lots of keets and tiels are 1st time parents and do not always know how to care for their young.

This leaves it up to you to do this for them.
Hand feeding can be tricky to say the least for the most experienced breeder.

Not only all the things listed below can go wrong but you will have to feed the babies every 2 hrs for the 1st few weeks can you do this as you will lose sleep, and have to take them where ever you go, and make sure they stay warm at the same time.

You can make the formula to hot and burn a crop this is not a pretty site (the crop is burned all the way to the outside of the body) and it is a very painful way for your bird to die and you to watch it die.

You can also give the bird sour crop, which is a bacterial infection, this is caused by the food not digesting and just sitting in the crop rotting, this happens more often with the smaller birds and with inexperienced hand feeders, you will need to see a vet for this.

You can also aspirate your bird, which is a form of pneumonia and means you can feed the food to fast or even to slow, possibly even have it in the wrong position of the mouth. The food is then inhaled into the lungs instead of the crop, and your bird has just drowned, this is called aspiration. Chicks rarely survive this.

Here are some sites that discuss hand feeding problems and what can happen to a baby bird
http://www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/pdfs/babies.pdf
http://www.avianwelfare.org/issues/articles/unweaned.htm
http://www.parrotparrot.com/articles/aa090799.htm
http://www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/babies.html
http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/2580/pages/articles_dir/crop_stasis.html
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/6884/handfeeding.htm
http://www.cockatielcottage.net/feeding.html

This one is a story of what happen to one bird, I know the person who posted the story so I know it to be true
http://www.cockatielcottage.net/taylor.html

The other thing is you must always make new baby food up and it must be fed at a certain temp that is not to hot or to cold, you must never reuse baby food that has already been heated once, this can get very expensive and using reheat food may have bacteria in it that is not good for baby from being left out (even though it maybe not be with covered bacteria it can start to grow that fast, even refrigerated) over night that can cause more problems.

HOW TO DISCOURAGE BREEDING
Put your bird to bed early say by 5 or 6 PM. By allowing your bird to stay up late you are mimicking the long days of spring or summer, making your bird think it is time to breed.

An early bedtime will help to turn off her/his breeding hormones. For this to actually work well you will need total darkness and silence for it to work, to have a TV or radio playing while the cage is covered will not do it.

If you have a nest box up get rid of it.

If your bird has a cage mate of the opposite sex separating the two will with any luck help to turn off the hormones.

Some birds will exhibit breeding behaviors with their favorite person or with a toy or item they love. The signs they give on this are vent rubbing, tail lifting, and regurgitating food.

To discourage them doing this with anyone put your bird back on its cage or if you have a play pen in the area you have the bird out in return the bird to that for a short time out for the bird to cool down each time.

If this is with the toy then eliminate the object or toy.

If you see this continuing then try to reorganize the cage or move it to another location of the house. Occasionally putting the bird in a whole new cage will discourage the though and urge of laying.

Ways to discourage egg laying
Place wire grate in the cage bottom to avoid access to newspaper, bedding or other possible nesting material

Remove nest box if one there

Remove items or toys that stimulate sexual interest.

Limit petting to the head, neck and upper body area.

Move or reorganize the cage when she starts to act “nesty” — this may present just enough stress to divert her. If she has already laid one or more eggs, allow her to lay a full clutch of 3-5 eggs and sit on them for 3 weeks or until she abandons them. This frequently reduces the total amount laid in a given time period.

Do you know anything about the AVIAN reproductive system.
http://www.holisticbirds.com/hbn03/summer03/pages/reproductive.htm
http://www.jobird.com/eggdevel.htm http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww36eiv.htm

SYMPTOMS OF AN EGG BOUND HEN
If you believe your bird is egg bound this is what you need to look for to get to a vet for assistance.

Sitting on the floor a lot: She may sit on the ground lots to lay, but if she is there all the time for long periods of time, she may be having troubles.

Extreme straining: You may notice her contracting in the abdomen area and panting/breathing a great deal. This is a sure indication that she is in trouble.

Visual clues: Such as a large distended looking area roughly around her vent. You will see this whether or not the bird is egg bound if she has an egg, but if it is very noticeable and she is not passing it and it is there for a long time, she will/can be having troubles.

Larger droppings: The presence of the egg in the oviduct means that there is less space for the bird to expel droppings, and you will observe that your bird goes less frequently. When she does go, you will see her strain hard, and a rather huge size dropping will come out.

These big poops can be incredibly large, like the accumulation of 10 normal sized budgie poops, the kind of size you would imagine from a larger parakeet/parrot.

The bigger the poops get, the nearer the egg is to the cloacae, where it is due to be expelled. If they are large for days, your bird is likely to be having difficulty expelling that egg.

DIET
Diet is another thought as the hen depletes her calcium level in her own body not to mention vitamins with each egg that is formed (its takes calcium to form the egg). A cuttle bone will help in replacing what she has lost so will pulverized crushed up eggshell. The other idea here is IF she will not touch either try some shaved off cuttle bone in the birds food.

Make sure the shell is washed off well before doing this as salmonella can be carried on the outside of the eggshell. You can then mix this in her food or a hard-boiled egg.

Also the birds should be on a varied diet of greens, veggies and fruits.

If a cycling bird does not get an adequate supply in calcium, it can result in her eggs being deformed, soft-shelled eggs and hypocalcaemia, which affects her bones.

You should also make sure your bird is on a balanced diet of veggies, greens, and fruits. Diet can also play a factor in a birds personality, as it can in a bird that is ill and has not yet been seen by a VET to establish if it is in good heatlh with a full scale work up.

Birds that are on Seed and Pellets
A good brand will:
Not contain any preservatives.
Not contain any artificial flavorings or colorings.
Not contain sugar.

Read these sites you may find it helpful
http://www.epah.net/birds/avnnutrition.html
http://budgies-n-tiels.com/contents/diet.html

FOOD
Birds should never be on an all seed diet as this shortens their life spans compared to one that is on a healthy diet; make sure to add greens and veggies and fruit.

Just to give you an idea of possible lifespan differences a budgie on a seed only diet is only 3-5 years VS a budgie on a good diet is 10-15, and cockatiel on a seed only diet is 5-8 years VS a cockatiel on a good diet is 12-20 years get the idea.

Some birds tend to not always eat new food but never be afraid to offer it up its takes some time for a bird to get used to new food. As long as the bird nibbles at it and plays with it he is feeling the texture of the food.

Do not give up it takes time, and patience, and eating it with the bird right in front of them. Try making yummmy noises and such, telling them how good it is

Birds should not have grit this can cause crop impaction, if your bird should get this he will not be able to digest it and in time this will cause problems in his digestive tract.

I am not big on pellets as there are so many additives, which can be harmful over time to your bird.
Protein levels in pellets are usually to high for some cockatiels to handle and can result in renal disease and gout for this breed of bird and some other breeds as well.
Iron toxicity and vitamin D toxicity have both been connected with feeding of pellets also, these problems have just started to have started surface with in the last couple of years.

We do not hear often enough concerning young parrots weaned to pellets with not the proper amount of some nutrients have resulted in perosis or more commonly know as a twisting of leg bones.
Low levels of choline in the pelleted manufactured diet can be the cause of this.

The fact of just acknowledging these few health problems should make any of us rethink as to how healthy this really is for our birds.
http://www.naturallyhealthypet.com/foodbetter.htm
http://www.companionparrot.com/articles/idiot.html
http://www.parrothouse.com/pamelaclark/feedingcompanion.html
http://www.africangreys.com/articles/nutrition/pellets.htm
http://www.qi-whiz.com/pu/pellet.html
http://www.macawworld.com http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww22eii.htm http://www.plannedparrothood.com/diet.html

From this site below regarding this matter
http://www.holisticbird.org/diet/debatepellet1.htm
"Pellets, on the other hand, are not part of a bird's natural diet. Additionally, it is very easy for a grain miller to add poor quality grains, including those that are moldy, dirty, and insect infested, into a pellet mix.
Once everything was ground up and pressed together, who would know?
The purchaser also has no idea if the quality control is in place. Too much or too little supplementation can be added by a careless mixer and you won't know until your birds start dropping dead or getting ill.

The fat in a pellet mix is more likely to be rancid than the fat contained in fresh unhulled seeds. It is much more difficult to hide poor seed quality. If the seeds are dirty or if they are moldy, you can reject them. You don't have to feed them to your birds.
With pellets, you can only hope for the best. There's no telling what they contain.
If you feel a need to add supplements to a natural diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, and seeds, you can tailor the amount and kind of supplement to the needs of your bird. When you feed pellets, you are stuck with what has been added by the manufacturer."

From this site
http://www.tri-statebudgie.org/q&a.html
"Q- I have been feeding my budgies a mixture of Harrison's high potency pellets, seeds, and Harrison's mash. I've been trying to convert them to a pellet diet for a while - they seem to eat the mixture (i.e., a little of everything). Two weeks ago one of my little guys was diagnosed with kidney disease and my vet said she has a few weeks to live. A member (who has bred birds her whole life) of our local bird society here on Long Island told me that Harrison's has been known to cause kidney and liver disease. I've been so devastated over this - she suggested I give them an all seed diet - Harrison's provides excessive vitamins - and to give them aloe detox to try to save my little bird."

I prefer to feed not just the seed but also mikes mash, sprouts, or soak n cook, along with veggies, greens and fruit.

The sites below deal with all the above mentioned food items.
http://www.sproutmix.com/
http://www.landofvos.com/articles/kitchen2.html
http://www.parrotchronicles.com/septoct2002/germinate2.htm
http://www.qi-whiz.com/pu/pate.html
http://ww.irdsense.com/mash.html
http://www.parrotchronicles.com/spring2002/feature3.htm
http://www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/20facts.html
http://www.africangreys.com/articles/nutrition/sprouted.htm
http://www.herbsnbirds.com/sprouting.htm

Foods you should avoid are avocado, chocolate, onions (said to be toxic), Eggplant and Potato (both from the night shade family and are potentially toxic) Milk (birds are lactose in tolerant), caffeine, mushrooms, black olives, Lima beans can have traces of toxicity left in them if not cooked thoroughly or fed in a large amount. Lima beans contain Cyanogenic Glycosides, when in contact with stomach acids, the cyanogenic glycosides release cyanide.

Soup beans are also recommended not to feed. Rhubarb, and the seed and pits to many fruits contain toxic chemicals, alcohol. Too much pasta and peas and raisins can put the iron levels to high so do not over feed these.

Diabetes is often caused and/or aided by excess iron in the diet being to high and too much sugar, if your bird should ever come up with liver problems look into this as it is one step from the liver to the pancreas.
IF your bird should EVER turn up with a diagnosis of being Diabetic or even a small possibility to this then you should have your vet run an iron test panel on your bird, excess iron is sometimes the cause of Diabetes.
You want to eliminate iron as the cause, because that kind of diabetes is sometimes reversible
In birds with diabetes this is because of an overproduction of glucagons. Female Tiels that are over weight & obese that may be over the age of 4 can be prone to develop diabetes.
Also all IOD (Iron Overload Disease) is not caused by excess iron in diet although that can be the reason, some is genetic.

Spinach can block vitamin A absorption, spinach should be fed in moderation only.

Sugar can make them hyper like a kid, and too much salt is as harmful to them as it is to us. They do need some salt but only some, and usually they can get this in some of the foods you feed. Too much vitamin C does double up on the iron intake, which is not safe in birds. Soybeans can cause digestive problems.

Try to stay away from Iceberg lettuce as much as you can it only makes the dropping loose and runny and it has no real nutritional value. This does not cause diarrhea but because of the water content of this food item (many food items have a water content to them) this does increase the amount of urine expelled from the body.
If the bird is really sick it would be hard to tell cause the droppings may be runny (more urine expelled), masking the correct signs IF the bird were ill.

Here are some sites that will help with safe foods to feed plus more info on ones that are unsafe
http://www.ahc.umn.edu/rar/MNAALAS/Brdfd.html
http://www.birdstheword.com/birds/avian.htm
http://www.itsagreysworld.com/diet/food.htm#fruit
http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww21eii.htm
http://www.birdsnways.com/articles/efsep3.htm
http://www.parrotislandinc.com/articles/apeople.htm
http://birdmart.com/convert_other.html
http://www.pionusparrot.com/Nutrition.htm
http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww24eii.htm
http://www.epah.net/birds/avnnutrition.html
http://www.avesint.com/diet.html
http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww59eii.htm

Sites for birdie bread
http://www.birdiebites.com/
http://www.epah.net/birds/avnnutrition.html
http://www.theaviary.com/recipes/rec-b1.shtml
http://www.jolleyfeathers.com/jolleyfeathersbirdiebread.html

Vitamins I recommend are Avia and Prime they are they best two on the market in my own opinion, these are both a powder formula that you lightly sprinkle on the food and it adheres to it. Stay away from vitamins that go in the water as 9 out of 10 times it will detour them from drinking the water they need cause the taste is awful.

Below I have listed a few sites as to reasons why birds need vitamins like this.
http://www.multiscope.com/hotspot/vitamina.htm
http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww22eii.htm
http://www.naturallyhealthypet.com/vitamins.htm

This page is on different minerals that your birds needs to get to keep your friend nice and healthy
http://www.tuxford.dabsol.co.uk/masterbreeder/chap5/chap5minerals2.htm

For calcium a cuttlebone, or pulverized eggshell mixed in with scrambled eggs (make sure the shell has been sterilized first) is good especially if a hen is laying eggs as she is decreasing her calcium level with the forming of each egg.

Bottled or filtered water is best for your bird also NOT TAP, just like TAP is not good for us cause of all the chemicals in it neither is it good for you bird or any other animal.

Here’s an example, recently a friend of mine came back from vacation up in northern CA and said how much they just loved the tap water up there it tasted just great.

So I tried a bit it was ok left a tiny after taste but not to bad, so I gave my Macaw some to try, he did not even take a drink just but is head down to the water and backed away shaking his head. I gave him his normal water and he drank.

A few days after this a had a chance to talk to my friends buddy that had been with him up in this part of CA and asked him about the water. He told me the water contained IRON, not knowing the IRON levels that are in the water this could have made my bird very sick.

Do not think it is just cause my bird wanted his own water either my bird is used to drinking lots of different types of bottled water from Evian, Crystal Geyser to Sparkletts so this was not the case.

INFO ON NUTS
Also no peanuts (they also can contain aflatoxin contamination which is mold growth) or sunflower unless they are dropping weight form being ill to much fat content, and you do not want you these little birds having fatty liver disease which they can get easily.

Small birds are more prone to being over weight faster and easier then their larger cousins BIG Macaws. I even have to be careful with my small Mini Macaws' weight as he can be over weight just as easy as ANY small bird. DO BECAREFUL on any NUTS you feed your bird.

Almonds - source of calcium
No brazil nuts for your guys these nuts CONTAIN TONS of FAT they are considered a STAPLE for some of the larger MACAWS that NEED the FAT.
Cashews - good energy food
Remember everything RAW
Hazel nuts & filberts - rich in protein, complex, complex in carbohydrate, good dietary fiber, calcium and vit E
No Macadamia nuts (the ones I am telling you no on are for your large parrots only that really need these)
Pecans - High oil content but low in sodium, high protein and unsaturated fats, no cholesterol, good source of calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.
Pine nuts - even though they are fatty they are good weaning food cause they are very soft like cashews and pecans.
Pistachios - good nuts but can be fatty give sparingly but great treat
Soy nuts - lots of people say feed soy nuts others say not can cause health problem major so I stay away from things I do not have enough info on.
Walnuts - stay away from black walnuts most that you find in the stores are the English Walnut any way good source of vit B1, thiamin and calcium.
Star Anise - it smells like licorice and they smell real good after they munch on it.
Millet - Is the same as a lot of the seed you will fine in your bird seed mixes already, this seed can be very addictive kind of like some on hooked on smoking.

FEEDING A PICKY BIRD

Do not give up it takes time, and patience, and eating it with the bird right in front of them. Try making yummmy noises and such, telling them how good it is. This is something you really will have to do as birds are flock animals and will be more interested in trying this is they see you eating the food also.

Try eating away from the cage with a bowl that is meant just for these types of food, never mix with the regular food.

Let the bird see you eating it making all the goodie noises also if your bird has a sound they use for when they are excited use it copy that noise to get the bird more interested in the food you are eating, then when the are give them a bit, small bit hand feed at 1st hold it in your hand and get them to take a bite.

Once they eat or nibble this way then place it in the bowl. Make sure the bowl is not to small and cramped so they can get at the food easily.

The information below on pellets you can print out take with you and compare to the labels at your pet stores.

PELLETS

Let's talk about the additives in pellets.

Ethoxyquin: Is listed and identified as a harsh hazardous chemical by OSHA. It was originally used to preserve rubber. This is not allowed in human food and some feel it is not a chemical that they want in their bird food. The FDA has asked manufacturers for voluntary reduction in its use in pet foods and is in the process of deciding whether or not to ban the use of it altogether. Bird’s bodies can not get rid of it like a dog or cat and it then builds up and causes problems. Ethoxyquin promotes kidney carcinogenesis, significantly increases the incidence of stomach tumors, enhanced bladder carcinogenesis and urinary bladder carcinogenesis. Cancers of this type are the most lethal and fastest acting, the swiftest effects being seen among animals.

Artificial Colors: Most people are aware of toxic side effects of artificial colors and flavors from coal tar derivatives such as Red #40, a possible carcinogen, and Yellow #6, which causes sensitivity to fatal viruses in animals. Artificial colors DO cause yellow feather discoloration in Eclectus.

BHT/BHA: These petroleum products are used to stabilize fats in foods. In the process of metabolizing BHA and BHT, chemical changes occur in the body. These changes have caused reduced growth rates and they inhibit white blood cell stimulation. In pets, they can exhibit reactions such as skin blisters, hemorrhaging of the eye, weakness, discomfort in breathing, a reduction of the body's own antioxidant enzyme, glutathione peroxidase and may cause cancer. According to Dr. Wendell Belfield, DVM, a practicing vet for some 26 years, both BHA and BHT are known to cause liver and kidney dysfunction and are banned in some European countries.

Propylene Glycol: Used as a de-icing fluid for airplanes, this chemical is added to food and skin products to maintain texture and moisture as well as inhibiting bacteria growth in products. It also inhibits the growth of friendly bacteria in the digestive system by decreasing the amount of moisture in the intestinal tract leading to constipation and cancer. It can affect the liver and kidneys and causes the destruction of red blood cells.

Salt: Added as a preservative, salt can irritate the stomach lining, cause increased thirst and aggravate heart and kidney problems through fluid retention.

Sodium Nitrite: Used in the curing of meats, this substance participates in a chemical reaction in the body that becomes carcinogenic. It is used also in pet foods to add color.

Sugar and other Sweeteners: The most common sweeteners in pet/bird foods are beet sugar, corn sugar, molasses and sucrose. They are used as preservatives and have the side effect of creating sugar addicts in pets. They require almost no digestion and are rapidly absorbed into the blood stream. These will provide sugar highs (just as humans experience) and subsequent lows (moodiness), inhibit the proper growth of friendly intestinal bacteria and they virtually shut down the digestive system while being processed. Sugar can also contribute to diabetes and hypoglycemia, cataract development, obesity and arthritis.

Go to your cupboard and get your pellets out and find out how many of these additives are in the brand you buy. If there is something else on the ingredients list and you don't know what it is, FIND OUT.

Do your research or ask questions of someone who can find out for you. Did you see the natural ingredients on your pellet ingredients list? Why not feed those items in their fresh, natural state instead?

How do YOUR pellets stack up?
(This list may need updating...check labels!)

Abba = ethoxyquin, artificial color, artificial flavor
Avian Special Needs = fish solubles, mineral oil
Avi-Sci =ethoxyquin
Breeders Blend=artificial flavors, salt
Hagen =salt
Harrison's = salt
Kaytee =ethoxyquin, artificial color, salt, BHT or BHA
Kellogg =ethoxyquin, artificial flavor, salt
Lafeber Pellets=ethoxyquin
Lefeber Nutriberries=ethoxyquin, propylene glycol
L&M Pellets=ethoxyquin, artificial color, artificial flavor
Pretty Bird Pellets=ethoxyquin, artificial flavor, salt, added sugar, BHT or BHA
Roudybush Pellets=ethoxyquin
Scenic=salt
ZuPreem=artificial flavor, BHT or BHA

I hope this can help you even IF you are not planning to breed you should be aware of all this with both birds in the cage. BY SEPARATING these birds to diffferent cages you will not have this type of problem. Even in different cages IF your female should lay eggs they will not be fertile ones you have to worry about.

Again with finches though they do better being left in pairs just boil the eggs IF she does this again.

Breeding should be left to Experienced Profeesionals.