new to goldians

[shanny2]

I am gonna get Goldians soon and I would like a lot of info on them could you help me please thankyou

[L in Ontario]

The best thing you should do, Shanny2 is go through the Finch Information Center - llinked on the left side of your screen - and read everything you can. It's really loaded with so much valuable finch information.

[shanny2]

because I am getting 4 goldians in december 1 pair for free and 1 pair for $60 and I want to know heaps about them

[Domenic]

Here are the best places to start:

http://www.finchinfo.com/birds/finches/ ... _finch.php

http://www.gouldiansgalore.net

http://www.mfgouldianfinches.com

Just to let you know, it's spelled gouldian. You won't get many search results for goldian if you are looking on a search engine.

[shanny2]

ok thanks for that and these gouldians have inspired me

[B CAMP]

Welcome to the forum ,if you fill in your profile with where you live it makes it a lot easier to answer questions sometimes ,have you checked out the finch information center there is a lot of good reading there

[CandoAviary]

Gouldians have inspired me too I have many and love every one of them You will love them as they are hardy, vibrant, and calm. I agree with others, research and learn as much as you can about the species you plan to keep.

[shanny2]

Gouldians aren't hardy are they

[Sally]

Depends on what you mean by hardy. They won't do well in windy, wet conditions, but many people keep them in outdoor aviaries year round, with proper acclimatization. Where are you located? That will be a big factor on how you can keep them. If you put your location in your profile, it makes it easier to answer questions, as some answers are location specific. I mean, how I keep birds in north Texas is a lot different that what a finchkeeper would do in North Dakota!

[shanny2]

im from Australia

[CandoAviary]

Australia is probably where they would be their hardiest.... this is where they are from
If you have healthy birds, on a good diet, with plenty of fresh air and sunshine then you have a hardy bird. Most any finch would not prosper in damp, drafty conditions but I assumed you would be housing them well... Offering a habitat that provides shelter from the harsh weather or if indoors , draft free rooms with good ventilation and a well rounded diet.
I think a lot of finch species get their reputation for being difficult is because they suffer from illness that are not detected until too late. A good quarentine would sort this out. Also many keepers offer small cages in artificial light, in air conditioned homes with an inadequate diet. This is what makes them 'fragile' in my opinion.

The gouldians I keep outdoors are by far more robust and healthy all the way around. After bringing the birds indoors for the winter for breeding in cages they become different birds. I have yet to have a sick bird when housed with adequate sunshine and fresh air.... though I have lost my share from caged birds. I believe the added stress of being caged, along with the stress of breeding and rearing chicks has a lot to do with it...... though the few I have bred outdoors have sailed through the breeding/rearing process without a glitch
I am new at breeding these birds, just got serious in breeding this species three years ago but so far this has been my observations and experience.
I think doing your research is the best thing you can do. I did the same when I tackled this species. I read article after article about how fragile these were. I stocked up on meds, air sac remedies and suppliments of all kinds thinking that this would be a requirement for keeping gouldians..... Most are still in the refrigerator or freezer. When I bought stock I quarentined and except for a few, I have had healthy thriving birds every since. Maybe I have just been fortunate with beginners luck

[solo_birdlover]

I'm thinking about getting Gouldians too. Their beauty and what I hear about their character is making it harder to resist getting some. In fact, I've been wanting to buy some ever since I first saw one -about 2 years ago- but from reading about them I kinda got the impression they're not easy to keep and that they're susceptible to diseases, which made me decide not to buy them. I'd really hate to see a bird get sick, suffer and die while in my care. Just yesterday I was at a pet store and I was looking at 2 Gouldians there -not with the intent to buy- and noticed that one was struggling with breathing and it had signs of what I thought might be air sac mite problem. Of course I alerted one of the employees there and he said he'd have their vet take a look at the bird, but that's what's making me reluctant about buying Gouldians. However, I had a short conversation a while ago with a breeder and he said there was nothing to worry about and that treating air sac mites is simple.

Anyway, I'm more tempted than ever to get a Gould or 2 but should I be worried about problems like air sac mites or any other ones or can I put my worries aside as long as I take care of my birds and keep their environment clean ? BTW, I'm picky about my stuff and always try to keep things clean.

[B CAMP]

solo_birdlover
I think they are a great choice yes they can get air sac mites but you can give preventive for that. All of our birds can get sick but you just do the best you can and with all of the very knowledgable pepole on here you will have all the help you need

[Domenic]

Most gouldian owners here on the forum know that gouldians get a bad rep, and for no reason. I have lost a gouldian to sickness, but I don't find them more difficult to keep than any of my other species, nor do I find them more susceptible to illness.

I think, with our human nature, people see a beautiful bird and automatically assume there has to be a catch. That's why it is so easy to believe the negative things we read about them.

[shanny2]

where do air sack mites live?
and what do they look like?