Gouldian Just not looking right or stuck in Molt?

kiwi & mango · Post by **kiwi & mango** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:46 pm

I have a male gouldian that is 8 months old. I have had him for about 2 months. When we brought him home he was just finishing up his molt. He has blue back/white breast/black head. His head has not really changed at all, his feathers still look rather ruffled most of the time, and he still has many pin feathers on his head and body. I have watched his poop and I say it might and might is the key word be a little runny also it isn't as white in colour as my other goulds. He doesn't fly much (but can if he wants to) he is a little over weight and have tried placing food around so he needs to fly to them to eat or drink.

So now he has been with us for 2 months and really looks the same, no change so my thought he is stuck in his molt. I have placed him in a cage by himself and added heat not sure if that helps with the molt or not. Here is what my birds eat on a regular diet anything that can be added to help him would be great.
-Finch seed
-Egg Food (store bought)
-fresh egg shells every day in with egg food
-8in 1 treat
-Shaved cutle bone ontop of their treats
-Iodine in with water
-Vitamines in with seeds

Not sure if there is anything else I can add to help this little guy with his molting.....or is there a chance he is fine and not stuck? Do some coloured birds such as a blue back and black head take longer?

Also a funny thing our family has noticed since the day we have brought him home he has never slept side by side or perched with my other goulds. The three of them all cuddle up beside each other each night on the same perch he is on the other side of the cage also in the day it is very unusal to find him with the other three.

thanks everyone

Post by **Sally** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 5:22 pm

It sounds like he may be stuck in his molt, some Gouldians just take a long time to get thru it. Do you have anything like Feather Up or Feather Fast, supplements that help them get thru the molt? As far as him not cuddling, most Gouldians are not cuddlers, so I wouldn't worry about that at all.

kiwi & mango · Post by **kiwi & mango** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 5:27 pm

I have never tried feather up at all but will stop by the store and see if they carry it. I am in Ontario Canada and there are a lot of supplies that I have to order through different sites because they are not sold here at all.

Will the heat lamp or any diet help?

any ideas?

Post by **Sally** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 5:30 pm

Check with TammyS at JustBirdStuff, she ships to Canada, and she is in Chicago area, so maybe it wouldn't take too long to get it. I don't know if you will find either of those products at a pet store. It sounds like your diet is fine, and I don't think a heat lamp would do anything, unless he has bald areas.

kiwi & mango · Post by **kiwi & mango** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:53 pm

no bald areas, just pin feathers and looks a little roughed up with the feathers. They are laying down somtimes and then others all stuck up and his head should be black but it is still silver in many areas.
So feather up is about all that will help? anything I can add to the diet until I can receive it through the mail? I can't find it here in Ontario, I made a few phone calls and they don't carry it.

Post by **Sally** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 9:27 pm

He will probably be fine till the Feather Up gets there. You are already giving him eggfood, which is very good, because he needs extra protein right now. Gouldians have a different molt than the other finches. Most finches molt gradually, a few feathers at a time. Gouldians do this dramatic molt, pin feathers sticking out everywhere, and it can go on for several months, if not longer. As long as he seems healthy otherwise, I would not get too worried.

kiwi & mango · Post by **kiwi & mango** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 12:02 pm

I noticed since he has been in a cage by himself that he has not been eating the egg food...

With having three other goulds in the larger cage I thought that all of them were eating fromt he dish. Perhaps this wasn't happening, I will have to add somthing else to his diet to make up for not as much protien in the diet.

thanks

chrischris · Post by **chrischris** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 2:33 pm

K&M,

You might take a look at this place it's in St. Clemens (Near Waterloo, Ontario) they carry a lot of products that might be of interest to you.

http://www.exoticwings.com/shoppe/index ... =73_43_396

Chris

kiwi & mango wrote:no bald areas, just pin feathers and looks a little roughed up with the feathers. They are laying down somtimes and then others all stuck up and his head should be black but it is still silver in many areas.
So feather up is about all that will help? anything I can add to the diet until I can receive it through the mail? I can't find it here in Ontario, I made a few phone calls and they don't carry it.

chrischris · Post by **chrischris** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 2:40 pm

Hi Sally / K&M,

I had this Gould that took the longest to molt and didn't even do a complete molt. When she was finished after 3 months she looked rugged. The problem with her is that she went into molt in November and it just got too cold so it took her a long time to finish and she didn't do a complete molt.

Gouldians seem to do a more complete and fast molt with warm temperature.

Hope your gould is well.

Chris
p.s. If you can post a pic of it. A picture is worth a 1000 words.

Sally wrote:He will probably be fine till the Feather Up gets there. You are already giving him eggfood, which is very good, because he needs extra protein right now. Gouldians have a different molt than the other finches. Most finches molt gradually, a few feathers at a time. Gouldians do this dramatic molt, pin feathers sticking out everywhere, and it can go on for several months, if not longer. As long as he seems healthy otherwise, I would not get too worried.

kiwi & mango · Post by **kiwi & mango** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 3:36 pm

he has been sitting under the heat lamp alot of the time since I placed him in his own cage, he seems to really like being on his own. He is eating well and just taking a little bit of fun all on his own. I thought he might miss his freinds but he is a real cranchy pants with the other three so I think he is happy to be all on his own...

I think the heat will help even if he isnt' sick, I think with gouldians extra heat is great and really can't hurt.

chrischris- I will look at the site but I think the shipping even though it is not far from us would still be higher. The site I usually order from is so cheap on shipping (actual shipping amount is charged) I usually go back to her each time. But still have a look...thanks

chrischris · Post by **chrischris** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 8:38 am

which place do you usually use to order online?

Chris

kiwi & mango · Post by **kiwi & mango** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 12:24 pm

Hi chrischris
I have ordered from
http://www.avipet.net/index.html
in the past she charges actual shipping amount, the woman I usually do business with is Donna.

thanks

kiwi & mango · Post by **kiwi & mango** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 4:13 pm

once the feather up is started how soon does it start to help also what will it do regarding my other birds? I was going to keep him sperated for a while but I am having a little bit of a problem with my other male and younger female wanting to breed.

thanks

chrischris · Post by **chrischris** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 10:18 pm

I've never used feather up but I think it's just to supplement the birds with extra vitamins/minerals and amino acids needed during the stress of a molt. It will do nothing to birds that are not in the process of molting.

Chris

kiwi & mango · Post by **kiwi & mango** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:40 pm

well I believe the male is acting great, no problems eating or drinking or singing his little heart out even with only himself in the cage. The only thing I have noticed is his poop, very watery/slimmy compair to my other three finches and thinking perhaps I should give him some antibiotic just incase? or is that a bad idea?

thanks