Twirling

Twirling is one of those things where we really know very little about what is going on with the bird. The following is my interpretation of Twirling based on my experience with two birds exhibiting the symptom; online research; discussions with aviculturists, vets, and audiologists and ENTs; studying the chapter on Twirling in Agnes Rupley's Manual of Avian Practice, and my experience working for a company that develops medical equipment that diagnoses balance disorders in humans.

Twirling is one of the most interesting and devastating problems in finches. It is not really a condition in and of itself, but instead, a symptom of another problem. I find it easiest to understand if I equate it to dizziness in humans.

Causes

Twirling is a problem with the balance system of the bird that results in the bird being unable to hold its head up straight. The potential causes of Twirling are similar to the causes of dizziness. They include such things as head injury, exposure to toxins like lead or certain antibiotics, a virus, a vitamin deficiency, or bacteria or yeasts that may cause ear infections. Agnes Rupley, in the book Manual of Avian Practice, also includes Aspergillus, Cryptococcus, toxoplasmosis, schistosomiasis, and Sarcocystis as possible causes.

Symptoms

In a bird exhibiting Twirling symptoms, the head hangs down to one side or the other (usually consistently to the same side in my experience), such that it ends up upside down against the breast (head tilt). There are varying degrees of Twirling, and the symptoms may start out minor (an occasional head tilt tick to one side, perhaps with difficulty hitting the perch when landing), become progressively worse (constant head tilt), and even result in the inability to perch, where the bird moves only in circling motions around the floor.

Depending on the cause of the Twirling, the bird may eventually die. If the cause is not fatal, the bird can live indefinitely with Twirling symptoms as long as it can find food and water. Water should be provided in shallow dishes, or the bird could end up in the water dish and drown. Whether or not the quality of life is acceptable must be determined by the aviculturist.

Twirling is often confused with Stargazing. However, whereas Twirling involves head tilt down and to the side, Stargazing involves throwing the head far back until the bird is looking above its head or even behind itself. I have seen birds with stargazing take off into flight from this position - looking like they are doing a backflip in flight.

Stargazing, in my experience, is an environmental/psychological condition (whereas Twirling is a physical symptom) and is not serious. It is usually the result of moving a bird to a different (usually smaller or shorter) cage or flight. The bird seems to be trying to get his bearings - unsure of where the cage limits are. This condition will usually resolve itself as the bird adjusts to its surroundings or when it is returned to a larger/taller flight.

Treatment

Because the causes are so diverse, a given treatment may work in one case but have no effect in another. The most commonly discussed cause is the ear infection. This cause is also the most treatable. Ear infections can be caused by bacteria or by yeasts. Thus, in some cases, an antibiotic might cure the infection. In other cases, an antibiotic may be useless but an anti-fungal like nystatin might work. If the cause was indeed an ear infection and the proper medication was chosen, it may take quite a bit of time for the damage that has been done to heal. In some cases, the ear cannot completely heal and some degree of Twirling symptoms may persist for life.

I took in a rescued Gouldian finch exhibiting really severe Twirling symptoms. In her case, the cause was likely an ear infection. The vet prescribed the antibiotic Vetisulid. The antibiotic resolved the ear infection. After two weeks of treatment, the bird could perch and occasionally hold its head up. Two weeks later it was a little better. If I remember correctly, in six weeks she had perfect head control again. Of course, that bird had many other problems and four months later, she passed away. However, the Twirling never returned.

If the cause of the problem is a head injury, there is not much that can be done. It is possible that the bird will improve if the injury heals.

If the cause of the Twirling is a virus, it is very likely that the bird will die. There is little that can be done to treat such viruses and all you can do is wait and see.

I had a masked grassfinch a long time ago with an Avian Gastric Yeast infection. After fourt 10-day courses of treatment with Amphotericin-B, the AGY was finally eliminated. However, the bird rapidly developed Twirling symptoms and died despite aggressive antibiotic treatment. The vet suspected a virus. However, I have read that Dr Rob Marshall has connected AGY with Twirling symptoms in severe cases. Whether these Twirling symptoms were brought about by damage caused by the AGY (or perhaps by aggressive use of the highly toxic Amphotericin-B) or by something else, I cannot say.

Some have proposed a vitamin/mineral deficiency as a potential cause. If this is the case, improving the diet (particularly B vitamins, vitamin E, and selenium) may help. However, I do not personally know of any cases where diet changes have helped. Some have also suggested a genetic predisposition toward Twirling (perhaps a genetic problem that interferes with absorption of certain vitamins) and recommend not breeding a bird that has ever shown Twirling symptoms.

If you have a bird with Twirling, I would advice isolating it in a hospital cage. If the cause should be viral, you do not want to take the chance of infecting the rest of your birds. Place the food and water on the floor so the bird always has access, but be sure the water dish is shallow so the bird cannot drown in it. Adding a vitamin supplement cannot hurt and may help if the cause is indeed nutritional. I would then advise a trip to the vet to get a medication for an ear infection. Your vet will have to try to determine whether an antibiotic or an antifungal is called for. I recommend treating for the ear infection because it is the only cause that you can actually do anything about. If you cannot find an avian vet, you can get nystatin from a pigeon supply store like Jedds or Foys. But remember, nystatin won't help an ear infection that is bacterial in nature.