A Gouldian Love Story

[Brette]

I've kept finches for about 15 years, I've always had a big flight cage with at least 6 birds of various kinds. I stopped replacing them about 2 years ago when I started to have some ethical dilemmas about keeping birds in cages. This left me with 2 birds, 2 old gouldians, a pair that had been together for 8 years. The male is 12 years old and she, 8. The old lady died about 3 weeks ago. One day she looked fine and the next, she was at the bottom of the cage. When I found her dead, the male was sitting on the perch closet to the bottom of the cage, closest to her. It broke my heart.

I kept my resolve to not buy any more birds. But i noticed some disturbing behaviour in my male gouldian who was now alone. He called out to her, or i guess to anyone who would still hear him, especially when the windows were open. He became depressed and didn't move around the cage much. I came to the conclusion that it was more cruel to leave him without a buddy than to own another bird by a long shot. So last week, he got a new friend.

This is a May-December relationship if I've ever seen one. I bought her from a breeder, she is about a year old, and as i said, he's 12. The age difference doesn't seem to matter. He started courting her right away, doing the little gouldian hop for her and sitting by her side. She seems pretty taken with her new situation. On nice days, the patio doors in front of their cage is opened so they can see and hear the world. Her new home here is a far cry from the breeder cage she had spent the last year in with 8 other birds, in the basement of the finch breeder's house. It was an adequate situation but not as stimulating as living here. She is perky and happy and the old guy is completely smitten with her. He is singing right now and she's having a bath with the sunshine streaming into the cage.

So i guess this means i will always have finches! I will never have just one. They are social creatures and I knew that when I got into the hobby years ago. Thanks to everyone here for the valuable insight and health tips that allowed me to keep my gouldians healthy well into their old age.

[finchandlovebird]

What a beautiful story. I had never heard of Gouldians living that long; what a great miracle

[MiaCarter]

This is a lovely story!
I have a similar pairing, also with a 12-year-old finch and a hen who's about a year and a half! They're so sweet together.
I'm so happy to found your little guy found love again!! Indeed, a lone finch is usually a sad finch.

Like you, I have some ethical reservations about keeping birds in cages. I avoid wild-caught birds or breeders who are using them as breeders. I believe wild animals should remain as such (exception: if it's not possible to be wild due to a disability.) Their freedom and happiness should not be sacrificed because I want a pretty bird.
With my guys, I let them out for free-flight daily. It's not the wild, but it's better than a life in a cage.
I also try to provide as much mental stimulation as possible. I try to keep lots of nesting material in there, as they spend lots of time building and re-building. I also provide a little hay foraging bin and I have some nice nature shows recorded, with birds and wildlife. They actually seem to watch the tv at times and they definitely love the birds, as they'll reply to the vocalizations.
It's no match for the wild (but the wild is dangerous!) I like to think they have a fairly nice life.

[Corkysgirl]

Such a sweet story! It's so hard because seldom do two birds...mates die at the same time. I too have an old man bird. He's 10 and 4 months, with his young bride of 1 year. The only problem with them is when he mates with her, he forgets what his doing mid coitus...looks at the ceiling...or just stops. I know this is not the norm for him because he was very serious about his...procreation up until this time. I like the idea Mia has of playing videos of wild life for her birds. I've been playing male finches singing in hopes that my male juvenile will copy their song...and not his father's "not too attractive song." I think I'm going to play them now for that purpose also. Maybe they will feel more at home in "the wild!" My parakeet and all the birds seem to love it!
It sounds to me like you rescued your new female from a not so great life! It's a win win situation...and love is in the air!