Need help fattening up neglected goldbreast waxbills

[Brette]

So like a complete sucker, I ignored my better judgement and bought a pair of "second hand" goldbreast waxbills instead of waiting to find a good breeder to buy them from. I read they are really pleasant sounding little birds and very sweet.

They're in rather sad shape. The pair of them look like an unmade bed, messy feathers, a bit thin and they reek of cigarette smoke because their previous owners are heavy, heavy smokers. Their nails were completely out of control, extremely long and curled and they could barely perch. I have since trimmed them. Their vents are clean though and they don't seem to be ill. Just really blah and lackluster. And they need a bath BADLY but i don't want to have them wet until they acclimate.

This morning I placed some mashed boiled egg, cous cous, shredded carrot laced with bird vitamins and eggshells in the flight cage for them to hopefully nibble on. I'd like to shower them with protein for the next month or 2 to fatten them up and i need ideas for protein rich foods that don't involve live insects. I read freeze-dried blood worm is a possibility? The kind you feed to fish?

Any other ideas?

[nixity]

Are they under weight? Or are they visually just in poor condition?

If they are not under weight I wouldn't flood them with protein otherwise they will become over weight which is just as problematic and can cause similar conditioning issues.

I think a good molt will probably help tremendously - and a well balanced diet through the molt will help produce better plumage
Unfortunately you will just probably have to wait for them to actually start molting :/

[Brette]

Are they under weight? Or are they visually just in poor condition?

it's hard for me to tell about their weight really, they are so tiny compared to my gouldians. I've never owned waxbills before.

Poor condition for sure.

[franny]

They are pretty slim builds compared to gouldians, so they may not be underweight. But I don't think offering them a sprinkling of dried bloodworms on top of their eggfood would be overdoing it. Mine loves the bloodworms.

Also, I fed mine canned mealworms (from the reptile section of the pet store), when they were breeding. My lone girl doesn't care for them so much though, now that she doesn't have her mate, though I still offer one or two each day - sometimes they just go ignored.

Nixity is right. The best thing to do is offer good food such as eggfood, and just wait for them to molt.

I would go ahead, especially if they are indoors, and offer them a bath now, though. I don't think it could do any harm, as long as it's in the morning, so they are not still damp at night when it's time to roost.

[Sally]

You can check their weight by feeling for their breastbone. They should have meat on either side of the breastbone. If it feels sharp and protruding, they are way too thin. As franny said, GBs are very streamlined, so it could just be their build. I too would go ahead and let them have a bath in room temp water, most finches love to bathe and it is good for them mentally and physically.

As far as protein, freeze-dried bloodworms like you feed fish supply extra protein. You can just give them eggfood, or you can sprinkle a little of the FD bloodworms on top of the eggfood. Just give them time, they will come around.

[Brette]

Thanks for the tips everyone.

I turned them over and gave their breastbone a little feel and as it turns out, they're not emaciated. I guess I'm just used to bulkier type finches. And i think their shaby-looking, smoke-filled feathers threw me off. The bath is in their cage and they seem very interested, so hopefully they'll take a dip. They're extremely bouncy and happy this morning so I'm thinking they are feeling not too bad at all. I'll pick up some freze-dried blood worm today.

Goldbreasts are the cutest, tiniest, little birds and they make really pleasant little noises. I was always afraid of buying waxbills because they look so delicate.

[diinin]

So Brette, I just read this post, and was wondering how your little rescues are doing? I think it's soooo sweet that they were all happy and chipper the next morning, as if they knew they'd been rescued. Everybody says they are the happiest birds anyway. Can't wait to get mine.