Bill promised me a suprise....here she is!

[Babs _Owner]

Probably a question for Debbie,

Here is my new gal Bebop! Bought for me by Bill !! The parents are a normal male RH PB GB, and a female BH PB BB.

The people selling her are frustrated because she is 4 months old and hasn't molted so she was sold @ $50. Shes been in quarantine for a few weeks and now eating eggfood and cuttlebone for the 1st time.

Question 1........is she green/split blue (I saw her parents and her mother is a definitely BB)

Question 2...........is she EVER going to molt, and can cuttle bone munching be a sign of molting.?

She has a vague green back, purple on her tummy...her head is a mystery, lower belly is yellowish. Her mouth "nodules" are barely there. Is she close to a molt?

Things that make you go hmmmmmm.......

[lovezebs]

Babs

Well, well, well... . Congratulations hon!!!

Oh happy day...... HAPPY DANCE time!!!

[Babs _Owner]

lovezebs

I just loaded a picture for ya! He found a sale!! She likes to climb in an out of a clown car, so I am suspecting shes society raised.

But all new questions arise! Is this her true color? has Bill been scammed? Is she really just waiting for her 1st molt. Her dad was greenback, mother was a blue back. He brought home pictures! But she looks rather washed out. Can a juvie get stuck in these faded colors forever? Is she really a juvenile?

And most importantly, being new at gouldians, what can I do to make sure she has the VERY best food for her molt.

In the pic she's eating Miracle Meal

[debbie276]

Gouldians can take as long or longer as 6 months to finish their molt. Not sure why the"breeders" were frustrated so sold her/him for 50 dollars. A good seed mix and hard boiled eggs for the extra protein, vitamins and minerals would be a very good start towards a successful molt.
She/he is the typical juvenile colors and I'm sure will color out in good time. As long as it wasn't too stressed with the move should molt soon for you.
And yes, it's Green split to Blue

Good luck

[Babs _Owner]

debbie276

She has an entire flight cage to herself, and I am happy that she is still a juvie. I've added finch seed, miralcle meal, multivitamin w/D, and calcium-iodine drops every other day.


She has the access to the sunniest window in the house. And what a blessing! Green-split to blue! Now to find her another gb-split-blue male!

Her brother molted much earlier! He looked like a rainbow with pincushions.

Thanks Debbie!

[lovezebs]

Babs

A sweet and pretty baby.

Yes, baby is a juvenile, and as yet uncoloured and unmolted.
Not sure what problem the breeders had with this little one. Looks like a typical youngster as far as I can see.

No, he/she will not remain this drab colour .

As for diet: I feed my youngsters good seeds, a daily variety of veggies, along with some fruit. Hard boiled eggs, mixed with crushed freeze dried mealworms and crumbled spray millet daily. Multi vitamine drop in water every second or third day.

I wouldn't overdo the calcium and iodine drops.

I offer both calcium and iodine in my grit mix. Bird grit, mixed with oyster shell, crushed egg shells, ground cuttle bone, ground iodine block and ground mineral block. I offer a bit of it on flight floor. That way they can pick and choose whatever they need.

Offer warmth and light. I've found that these youngsters appreciate extra warmth when they are molting, and like to sit close to a lamp during this time.

I think you will have a lovely birdling before you know it.

Oh, and by the way, what makes you think that this baby is a girl ?

[Babs _Owner]

lovezebs

Shes "bleeting" like my rainbow fart female.

And yes YES I will miix up her diet. remember all those socities stullled with swiss chard?


her now, shes quited stressed,,,,,,

[lovezebs]

Babs

All youngsters make that sound.

Poor baby, suddenly alone, lonely and scared.
I would definitely offer a lamp with a 40 or 60 bulb for warmth and comfort.

It's hard on these youngsters being uprooted before or (even worse) during their juvenile molt.
Usually, it's not the best idea to buy them during this time...... and yea, yea, I've done it myself (and I've been lucky). BUT, for future reference, it's really not the greatest time to rehome these babes, AND, good conscientious breeders would not sell younglings before they have completed their first molt.

Let me know how things are going, and feel free to spoil this little one.

[debbie276]

I also wouldn't over do the calcium and iodine drops. Too much can be worst then not enough. It should get all the iodine it needs from the other food. Definitely include hard boiled eggs to the diet which has iodine also.
It could be male or female, not seeing any hint to the sex yet in the picture.

good luck, keep us posted

[Babs _Owner]

debbie276 lovezebs

Okay I will stop the iodine and calcium drops. It is quite active (Hence the name Bebop).

It sure does sound like a female. I think they wanted her out because the Mom & Dad were already working on another nest of eggs. It was an owner with just two breeding goudians.

They also mentioned they were moving about 3 hours away in two weeks. Maybe thats why they wanted to get rid of her.

I keep calling it a her, well what ever it is. hahaha

[lovezebs]

Babs

Goodmorning

Bebop, is a cute name and would be ok for both a boy or a girl. Ifin it turns out to be a boy, Bubba, is always an option .

I usually just call them 'baby', rather than he or she, until it starts singing, or not, at which point you will know for sure.

The drab colours change very quickly with a good and varried diet. Look at my little boy Scout (named after your lost sweetie). He's now singing, so I know he's a boy, and observe the colours starting to come in, even though he hasn't really molted yet....

[Babs _Owner]

lovezebs

Ohh I am so excited!! Its bleating back and forth to the female in the next room making the same sound.

You sure even the males make this vocalization?

[finchmix22]

Babs
Congratulations! My golden juveniles did not finish their first molt until they were 7 months old. The cocks sang, but softly and the one hen juvie never made a peep or call. Go figure! You'll find out once she/he starts and finishes their first molt, probably within the next 3-6 months. Giving hardboiled eggs with to without dry eggfood mixed in help the molting process. Also, you can sprinkle the veggies with Feather Fast to help the gouldians get through their molt a little easier with a little less stress. Either way, when molting, they need a heat source, such as a red heat bulb in one corner of the cage, so they can warm up if chilled or stressed. Good Luck!

[Babs _Owner]

finchmix22

Thanks Deborah, I make sure I have a heat lamp in the corner of her cage She likes to sleep under it @ night

It has a soft red glow.

[lovezebs]

Babs

They make a bleep-bleep sound.