Newly purchased gouldian on deaths door

[Brette]

I bought a little friend for my gouldian this evening who is currently in a hospital cage with a heating pad, sitting on the bottom. Hes puffed up and very still. He looked alright when i bought him but i didnt handle himto check breast bone and did not see him interacting with the other birds, the owner just brought him out to me. Vent was dry.

Is this just stress? I havent seen anything like this in any of my birds when i aquired them. A bit of fright yes, but this is ridiculous. Im afraid i will lose him overnight.

[Brette]

Okay, crisis averted, es back on his perch. I had the portable heater aimed at him and heating pad, seemed to do the trick. The woman i got him from had him in a very quiet, hot hot room, i wonder if he was just on sensory overload, or chilled once he got to my place.

Im not used to having to coddle my gouldians. They got outside in summer and even fall and they seem to enjoy any action that goes on. Guess its just what theyre used to. If its just stress, i hope he puts his big boy pants on soon and quits being a wimp.

[cindy]

is he eating and drinking for you?

[Brette]

Nope. Hasnt touched a thing.

[lovezebs]

Brette

I'd be very cautious with your new boy.
If he's not eating or drinking, you could lose him very quickly.

[cindy]

Have you checked his breastbone, is he thin? Birds can hide various illness, the vent can be dry and stress like a move can bring out the illness and symptoms. Keep a heat lamp on him, offer him some grated boiled egg, millet.

I would not place him with your other birds just yet, I would quarantine him and watch him.

[lovezebs]

Brette

Just forgot to mention, Gouldians, don't handle sudden changes in temperature very well.

You mentioned, that the breeder kept him in a 'hot hot room'. If he was suddenly removed from a very hot environment, to a much cooler temperature, it could really shock his system and cause major stress.

[Derk]

Brette
Hi Brette. I also just purchased a Gouldian and lost it and a CB I bought at the same time. Fortunately, a rare occurrence.

How long was the ride from the breeder to your place? How warm was the car? I think sometimes people forget about this part. I have heard about birds dying because of car air fresheners as well as various fumes from engines and radiators etc.

There were two other birds in the lot I purchased. I have them in a smaller than normal cage to keep them quiet, along with a heat lamp, and plenty of food and water. They seem to be fine so far, but they did eat and drink almost as soon as they had food.

I hope your birds settles in quickly and decides to eat something!

[Brette]

Thanks guys for all the advice. He made it through the night with heat in a covered hospital cage. I don't see seed husks which worries me but he's on his perch and seems less fluffed but still not active. he has easy access to both food and fresh water (I put antibiotics in just in case) The seller refuses to take him back so i guess i will have to look at this bird as my little rescue bird project. The original owner got him a few years ago (so she says) so he's young and hopefully will bounce back.

Not much more i can do I think. Now it's a waiting game. I hate it when my birds are unhappy.

[Babs _Owner]

Brette

The seller would not take him back after 24 hours of purchase?

If the seller kept the bird in a very hot environment, he would HAVE to understand the bird would be chilled even in the car ride home. Im sadly surprised the seller didnt get the bird slowly acclimated to room temperature before you arrived.

What a mess!

[Sally]

I would not put antibiotics in the water unless you know what you are treating. I offer NV powder to new birds, it is a glucose/electrolyte solution that helps stressed birds. Morning Bird makes a similar product called Vitalize. If you have egg food available, I would offer that, along with spray millet and perhaps some veggies, in an attempt to stimulate him to eat.

[lovezebs]

Brette

If your boy is stressed from the move and feeling cold, I would offer good food and warmth.

Antibiotics, are only to be used if there is some sort of an infection present, and not as a preventative approach (which might just give him diarrhea and make things worse).

Spray Millet, an all around favorite with all birds should be offered, along with fresh water. Make sure he understands how you serve food and water. I would make sure, that you have open seed and water cups, untill you know he's eating.

The breeder you bought from, is a person I personally would not deal with again. I care about my birds, and would not hesitate a moment to take one of them back if it was unwell.

[Brette]

He wasn't purchased from a breeder, he's a 2 year old bird that someone was selling on kijiji. (All my birds are hand-me downs).

Update: The bird looks better and has eaten, I've taken him off the heating pad but I've left his cage semi covered in the bathroom where I have the heat cranked over 80 degrees.His previous owner was under the mistaken impression that gouldians are hot house flowers. Why do people do this to their birds?? My previous gouldians are testimony to the fact that they are pretty toleratant of lower temps. (last one died at 13 yrs old and he loved going out in the summer and even warm days in the fall, they all have). I'm seriously wondering if I'll ever be able to treat him the way i treat my other birds when he gets over this. It'll be a bummer if they're all out on the patio and "bubble boy" will have to stay indoors, away from the "deadly summer breeze".

Thanks for the tip about antibiotics, I've tossed it out of the hospital cage.

[Brette]

Forgot to mention, I've also given him eggfood laced with vitamins. Too soon for greens and carrots? I give this to my birds regularly but I don't want to invite a round of diarrea in this one.

[lovezebs]

Brette

I think he should be ok, if and when he becomes acclimated. That however has to be done gradually, so that he'll have time to get used to it (and of course once he's feeling better).

Gouldians, are not hot house flowers, but can be sensitive to sudden changes in temperature and cold drafts.

What part of the world are you hailing from? Wondering about your weather.

Personally, I would love to have an outdoor flight, but our Canadian winters, definitely make it impractical (especially when most of my species originate from Australia and Africa).