FINCHforum

Hi, I have 3 Gouldians amongst other finch species. The 3 Goildians are in a mixed indoor aviary with other compatible finch species. A couple of the Gouldians are currently going through moult and are doing fine. However, one male Gouldian sleeps a lot during the day. There are no visible signs of him going through moult and he isn't an old bird. He's eating and drinking fine, but is much more lethargic than the other birds and sleeps around 50% of the time during the day. Any suggestions as to what and if there is a problem? I'm relatively new to keeping Gouldians, I know they are more susceptible to certain illnesses than other species which I have kept over the years

A couple questions. Have any of your finches been treated preventatively for ASM? Is there a heat source for the male? If not, I'd take him out and put him in a small cage that has a heat bulb at one end of the cage, above a perch, so he can sit under the heat or not, depending on how he feels. Finches use a lot of energy to stay warm when they are sick. While he is in the sick cage, you can line the bottom with paper towels and check the droppings to see if they are green, watery, sticky or look normal. I hope he is alright.

No, none of the birds kept indoors have had preventary treatment for ASM. I have only lost one bird to this I believe, a canary in the outdoor aviary. The symptoms seem different with the Gouldian. I will seperate it now and give it a heat source as per your suggestion. I don't provide them with direct heat because they are never kept in cold conditions or with any draft. Thank you for your help