Duck, Duck Goose? No, Gould, Gould Zeb!!!

[lnlovesorange]

Hello all, been absent a little while, BUT I am recovering well, and the birds and I are doing very well. I had to share this with my fellow finch lovers. I recently made a decision to get my Gouldian finches out of the cage they are in (30X19X36) as they don't utilize the bottom of the cage AT ALL, I think they are actually frightened of it. But I think my younger zebras will... as they are so curious... So In trying to switch cages, just thinking of some ideas. During free fly time, I always open all the cage doors, so everyone can come out. The Gouldians have yet to come out, I don't think the breeder gave them free fly, so they are scared to come out of the cage. Anyway, during free fly, I had the cage doors open and two of the cages facing each other, hoping maybe the gould's would jump into the new cage. Well, My nosy Melvin (adult NG Zebra Finch, father to 4) was being nosy on their cage, and picking at the greenery, and messing around as Zebras do, and he fell between the 2 cages, and flew into the Gouldian cage... OH MY what a site!!!! They have never actually "met" as they all have their own cage, and the Goulds don't come out to free fly, so it was quite something, I was watching them CRACKING up. As everyone knows, gould's and zebs are quite different, in that Zeb's are "touch" perchers, and also preeen each other, and goulds don't. So my poor Melvin, in the cage trying to make friends, goes to preen one of them and get close and the gould pecked at him (not dangerously, didn't even actually hit him, just a "don't you touch me with that beak, I don't know where you been..." kind of peck) But it was something seeing them together for the first time, the interaction was priceless.. I did get to snap a few photos and wanted to share them with you!!! Hope everyone is well, enjoy the photos!!!

https://goo.gl/photos/MufkNkpzaQFURCns8 (tried attaching, but it said this file was too big, just love the look on Liam's face (PB Gouldian) looking at Mel!!! LOL

[amandap]

Ha ha! This made me smile.

[wildbird]

So funny! Poor Zebra looks so displaced. Great pictures!

[Atbird]

Very cute. Canaries are "eewww, don't touch me" type of birds too so I can just imagine the gould's reaction.

[MiaCarter]

Oh that's funny!
I love, love, love watching interactions between new birds, especially different species. You can see the little gears turning in their little birdie heads!

That's so funny that you said that your goulds aren't perch cuddlers, as mine are the exact opposite!
I'll have all 6 pickled together on one small 6-inch pedi perch. In fact, their tendency to stick together like pickles in a jar inspired one of their names - Pickle. (At the time, it was a reference to the nest. For the longest time, it was the "family nest" with mom, dad, the 3 juveniles and 1 baby! It's a miracle that Sydney survived as she grew up in a nest with 5 full-size birds in there every night! Though she did suffer a broken toe early on so she has a deformed foot. I fully believe that their "pickling" tendency is to blame for that.)

Zebs and gouldians together is so funny because they're so very different. Zebs are very touchy feely, whereas I don't think I've ever seen my gouldians preen each other.

I have a zebra finch - Squeepers - who is just in loooove with the male gouldians. Whenever one passes within a foot of him, he starts serenading them with his singing! They give him an odd look like "what's with this guy?!"