Ask Lafeber

mysterious death of my 4 zebra finches

So this happened last year when my 4 pet zebra finches died suddenly the same day, one by one, ( like they literally dropped dead one by one) and I’ve always wondered what might’ve killed them. It still puzzles me because it didn’t seem like anything was wrong with them during the day when they died (they died at night). I always tried my best at taking care of them and even did research on what was good and bad for them, and they somehow unexpectedly died. Me and my family have come up with an idea on why they might have died, which is from smoke or odor. They were in the living room, which is near our kitchen, meaning they could probably smell odors or smoke that was not good for them. Even so, if an odor was too strong, we would move them to a different room, which was safe for them. Could this be a possibility as to why they died? (I also have 13 zebra finches as of now that are healthy and I love and cherish them) Thank you.

Hi Lina,

I’m very sorry for your loss. If there were no other birds in the house, then most likely your finches died from an airborne toxin. There are things that are toxic to birds but do not harm us. There are also toxins we can’t smell, and a bird dying is the first warning. Coal miners used to take canaries into the mines and if the canary died, the miners new to evacuate immediately. If you were using any type of heater, there may have been low levels of carbon monoxide that was enough to kill the birds. Cookware can emit toxic fumes, and even burning something can cause a toxic smoke that would kill a bird. Non-stick cookware is deadly if over heated. Room deodorizers, especially the plug in types, are usually toxic. Scented candles can be toxic. And most household cleaners can be toxic. The best thing is to avoid anything with a strong smell. I would get carbon monoxide detectors for your home. And you should also search for toxins for pet birds. You do not want this tragedy to repeat of course.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda