FINCHforum

Right,i have treated both my gouldians with mite spot on for air sac mites, the male hasn't showed any signs at all but hasn't sung since ive had them, the female seems more active,has stopped clicking but still coughs every now and then especially at night, her tweet is very raspy as well still.

If the air sac mites wasn't enough,i have now found out that what I thought was my Goulding finch male dancing is infact stargazing! he dosnt do it all the time but for a while every day he twirls his head around and upside down from what ive read onling there is no cure and he will only get worse until death!

Is this true? and has anyone else experienced this? my mate is very kind and has said he will sort me out another pair of birds at some point, hes also very confused as hes never had these problems before with his finches, I'm not having the best of luck with my return to finches.

On the plus side though my society finches are doing very well and seem happy as lary

Luke

Good luck

syks

Are you sure your boy is twirling?
Or does he just engage in this behaviour when he's nervous?

I have seen birds do this behavior when they're nervous or stressed, and have no where to go to get away from whatever is scaring them.

How big is your cage by the way?

http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/features_twirling.php

Good article to read through.

lovezebs wrote: syks

Are you sure your boy is twirling?
Or does he just engage in this behaviour when he's nervous?

I have seen birds do this behavior when they're nervous or stressed, and have no where to go to get away from whatever is scaring them.

How big is your cage by the way?

http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/features_twirling.php

Good article to read through.

Hi,yes I'm quite sure he is twirling as he will do it at random times even when everything is calm and peaceful, he dosnt do it all day or anything but he has done it every day since ive had him, my cage is 6ft long but I have it divided in half with 2 society finches in one side and the 2 gouldians in the other so they have 3ft each, its not a very tall cage though but its the exact same cage the birds were in when I bought them.

There is pics I posted of it in another section on here.

This is the cage they are in except I have taken the nest box out and moved the perches further apart so they have more flying room

syks

Do any of your friends' other Gouldians (who are related to this particular bird) display this behavior?

If that's the case, then I would strongly recommend to him not to continue breeding that line of birds, as in some cases it appears to be genetic and runs in certain lines.

Regarding your boy and girl, I would suggest offering the best diet, of high quality Finch/Canary seed mix, greens and other veggies, hard boiled eggs for protein, and crushed egg shells, oystershell grit, and cuttle bone for Calcium. I would also find a good quality Bird Vitamin, which contains Vitamins and minerals which they may be lacking in their diet.

I would also suggest placing your cages higher up in the room, perhaps hanging them on the wall, or placing them on a higher cabinet or shelf. When birds are so low down and close to the ground, it tends to really freak them out. Consider what a bird's natural instinctive behavior is in nature to any danger, it flies up to the highest possible spot. Even in a cage or flight, that's what they try to do. If their cages are higher up, it gives them a greater sense of security.

Good luck.

Head twirling can be a problem that is sometimes bred through geneticle faults, it is normally a problem seem in gouldians and I've also seen this with European goldfinches aswell,

they don't necessarily get much worse with the condition but is just annoying when this is seen as a fault because very rarely will the bird lose the nervous like condition if ever,

Any birds that are seen with this condition certainly dosen't mean that they are liable to die and the bird should live quite a normal life

thanks for your advice, I have now got them a bit higher up on a taller unit, I have been feeding them a good quality seed and every other day I have been putting cucumber and chopped brockley heads in the cage, the society finches love it and eat some all the time,however my gouldians don't touch it really, they seem to almost ignore it.

Only once have they nibbled at the brockley heads but rest of the time don't touch it.

Think I will have to look for some vitamins for them and try some different veg and fruit to see if I can find something they will enjoy.

No my friend has never had this before in any of his gouldian finches and has won awards showing them, none of his other birds are showing signs of air sac mites or twirling which is why hes so confused.

Thanks for the advice so far

Luke

hi mate looks like sound advice you have go there .Looking at your picture is your wallpaper upside down

Maybe put in some carrots one of my zebs never ate veg until I put carrots in then they started to eat the cabbage and stuff