My New Gouldians

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Wow. Doesn't even look like the same bird. Love seeing things like that.

[Animalzoo]

Wow! OMG Im so torn now....the boyfriend would kill me

[Animalzoo]

He's on board!

The shop closes between 2-4 so I'm going there at 4 with a friend of mine who speaks fluent Spanish. She can translate for me. My boyfriend normally would help but he's working till 8 tonight.

I can't justify paying the full asking price though so this all depends on whether the shop see's sense and allows me to rescue the poor thing at a deal price.

....watch this space

[lovezebs]

Animalzoo

Thumbs up to you...

Haggle, haggle, haggle, lol.

Good luck.

[Animalzoo]

ok, I have some good news and some more good news.

I have him! Now nick named baby vulture!


I was fuming when I got there though as the drinking bottle was empty, and not just low, totally dry! The water in another was very low. The 2 compartments where I bought the other 2 on Tuesday were still not touched and had the seed and water left. Completely uncleaned out. I swapped the water bottles but irrelevant I wasn't leaving it like that.

The shop were willing to do a good deal of 10€ for the baby vulture. Deal Done.

But I didn't stop there, I wanted to 'save' some more. So welcome these two as well....





So all 3....


I got them all for 50€, so in effect baldy came free.

The two from Tuesday with the red faces are settling in really well and today were happily munching on the eggs and greens I have provided. They are also demolishing the millet!

Baldy is really alert and quite calm considering. The man in the pet shop insisted it wasn't ill and that it may have become stressed but the feather loss is 'normal' and that it will be back to normal by May. What a load of tosh.

The others, well, is the yellow one male? He also has very thin feathers around his face. Now this one he told me was a young bird, so maybe going through an adult molt? The leg ring says 2015. Is it me or does he look to have white patches on his back. Is this a sign of having a little pied in him?

The black face looks fine generally. Is this also a male? The only query is all 3 of their feet are very dry and crusty. Will the feet correct themselves with the right diet or could it be mites?

The baldy one I'm guessing at female. There is also feather loss on her under carriage around the vent area and under the wings. All in all, a mess. But I'm glad she looks awake and is active.

Baldy and the black head have 2014 rings.

We have new cages coming in a few days so I'll be moving all 5 to a much larger flight cage so they can actually fly!!! I'm wondering when the last time they could do this was.....oh i can't wait

I know its not over yet, but already I feel better. Sadly I had to leave one behind but all in all it looked ok (apart from crusty feet) but I cant save them all I'm just feeling good about todays result.

[debbie276]

Baby vulture looks like a hen.
Hard to tell in the picture but the yellow looks like a hen.
The black head one looks like a male and with the black feathers in the breast color I would say he needs good lighting because he looks melanistic.

I would treat for mites and de-worm all of them. The I would just watch closely for signs of trouble. It terrible that this store had these in such horrible shape and doesn't seem to have a clue about their care.

[lovezebs]

Animalzoo

Hey Sue, when you go shopping, you go shopping (a girl after my own heart )

That store owner, should be flogged through the streets of town....

It goes without saying, that good nutrition is of the outmost importance with these kids.

Regarding the mites, I have no experience, so I can't say. However, Baldeen, definitely has some sort of a problem, so personally, I would treat all of them.

Reg. genders.
I would guess two boys, and one girl (Baldeen).

Baldeen (poor girl), is in sad shape (I'm still growling over the shop owner). She will need eggs, a variety of greens and veggies, and a really good quality seed
mix. I would also add some vitamins to the drinking water. I would also buy a birdie iodine block, and grate it into bits, adding it to their grit or mineral mix. She may or may not grow all of her head feathers back, and it might take until next molt, but hoping for the best.

Reg. Black head.
This bird looks melanistic, (note the dark bluish breast feathers) , which denotes being kept in dark conditions, without enough sunlight, and without enough Vit D). He will need natural sunlight, and a vitamin containing D3. Eggs, should also be helpfull.

Reg. Yellow-mellow.
Does his right wing always droop like that? (noticed it from the above picture ). If it does, than he might have an old wing injury. Can he fly alright?

You did a good deed today Sue, and may the Bird gods reward you.

And may the fleas of a thousand camels infest the armpits of that store owner.

Good luck

[lnlovesorange]

Animalzoo
You did a VERY good thing today. You made my entire day with this post. I only hope that you didn't find them too late (as that happens a lot with these IDIOT people that THINK they can just sell birds and not take care of them) You reminded me of Elana... (@lovezebs) look back, she has a FEW posts like this one about how disgrungtled she was, then the next day we are all looking at her new bird!!!! LOL (love you Elaina!) Everyone here gave you really good advice, Debbie and Elaina know their stuff, and you seem to know what you're doing as well, so I don't have anything to add, however I wanted to commend you. People don't treat birds like other pets and it's a Shame. People find out I have a "bird room" all the time and think I'm nuts, but it's completely normal for dogs to sleep in people's beds with them? Anyway, I'll start ranting. Thank you, thank you for saving those birds, and sharing the story with us. Please keep us posted on their progress

[Animalzoo]

lovezebs
debbie276

Thanks Elana and Debbie. Great support from you guys.

Re. Black head boy - i had never heard of being melanistic. I had wondered why the purple of the breast colour was blended with black. Now i know its not right i can concentrate on the road to recovery. I have 2 UV lamps in their room as the window is small and doesn't allow enough light in. All my birds are in here and it looks like the midday sun x2 in there! Its great. So he'll be getting the vitD he needs.

Yellow-mellow has normal wings, he was bent round when I took the photo so its just perspective. What do you think to the white blotches on him? An interesting colour or normal for them?

I've already provided a multi-vit supplement to their water. Im not sure about an iodine block? Not seen these at all in my pet store travels.

Eggs, greens, millet and good seed are staple foods under my roof. Im interested to know how you handle mites debbie276 as I've been provided a drop on liquid by the avian vet for my budgies but that's so I can focus on specific birds. Is there a spray instead? Deworming.....can I also buy online or vets only?

lovezebs I love your description of the camel fleas, very apt!

[Animalzoo]

lnlovesorange
Thats very kind of you and of course I'll keep you updated xx

[lnlovesorange]

debbie276 How come the tips of their beaks aren't colored? Like my RH's & OH have red and orange respectively tipped beaks... is it because of the conditions these birds were subjected too? And the blackness of the beaks of the original 2, you said that was a sign they were female and in breeding? (I only have male Goulds) Just wondering, Please don't take any offense to this Sue, but it makes me realize how beautiful my birds are, and happy they are so because it means I'm taking care of them! (and i'm sure yours will be beautiful before you know it!)

[Animalzoo]

Oh no its fine lnlovesorange. Ask away, im learning too and intrigued. Im curious why such badly looked after hens would be ready for breeding? Or is it just their age?
I didn't realise males have red/orange tips on their beaks based on their head colour. Its all a lesson for me:)

[debbie276]

The bald one has a blacken beak like a in breeding mode hen.
The yellow has a yellow tipped beak but a black Head which makes it genetically YH, called BH YTB (BlackHead YellowTippedBeak ) the way the color is smeared amd not just on the tip makes me think hen also. The Pastel (yellow body) birds can not produce the color black, that is why BH's are visually white headed. Therefore the beaks of the hen in breeding mode gets a smeared red or yellow beak, depending on the head color instead of black.
The BH male I can't see a color on the top of the beak which may only be the lighting in the picture or the condition of the beak is so bad you can't see the color.

I would search online for Scaley mite treatment and see who has something in your price range and area. Closer to you may help shipping costs. Either Scatt or S76 would be good but I'm sure there are others.
For worming again you could search online, look for something like worm out gel. Don't count on Scatt or S76 for worms. While it will kill some it doesn't handle all of them and you want no chance of leaving any type behind.

All the best

[debbie276]

I've already provided a multi-vit supplement to their water. Im not sure about an iodine block?

I'm sure there is iodine in the vitamin supplement. Eggs also have iodine in them and too much iodine is dangerous. I'd skip adding any other sources.

[slwatson]

debbie276

Dolly Parton breasts!