Gouldian wing flapping

Post by **Sally** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 1:12 am

One of my male Gouldians sits on the perch flapping his wings constantly. Sometimes it is just a light fluttering, other times it is full flapping, like after a bath, except he does it all day long. Otherwise, he looks normal--recently molted and his feathers are in great shape. Has anyone else ever had this problem (if you can really call it a problem)?

Gunnar · Post by **Gunnar** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 1:37 am

Sounds like it could be twirling, Does he move her head around alot or stare up at the cieling?
Not sure thats it, but thats my first thought.
Here is more info on twirling
http://www.finches.org/f-twirling2.mgi

Gunnar

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 1:41 am

I have seen parrots do this for exercise.

Post by **Sally** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 11:30 am

Thanks for the link, Gunnar. I hadn't considered the possibility of twirling, as I thought that was more extreme, but he does tilt his head back a little when he is doing the wing flapping. He has no trouble flying up to the spray millet hanging from the top of the cage, nor going from perch to perch, or floor up to perch. Maybe he is in the early stages of twirling. The only avian vet in my area works mostly with hookbills and larger birds. I'm taking one of my cats to my dog/cat vet on Tuesday, so I will print out that article, and see if she will give me some of that medicine. Won't hurt to try!

And Crystal, it also could be exercising, since he doesn't seem to be declining. I really need to build a large flight, so they can get some good workouts!

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 2:58 pm

Is your cage really tall?

Post by **Sally** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 4:46 pm

This cage is 36" tall - 30" long - 18" deep.

Post by **Hilary** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 7:05 pm

I have a hen that flutters her wings when she's nervous....

Post by **Sally** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 10:29 pm

When I checked everybody just before lights out, he was sitting in the swing at the top of the cage, singing his heart out! Course, all my males are singing, as they have come into breeding condition, and they can see the females across the room.

tursiopschic · Post by **tursiopschic** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 7:58 pm

He's not just doing this as part of his mating dance?

Post by **Sally** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:52 am

I don't think it's part of the mating dance--when he sings, he doesn't do it. I will soon be setting them up for breeding, but if it looks like twirling, he will not be used for breeding.

tursiopschic · Post by **tursiopschic** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:41 pm

Good luck with him, hopefully he is ok.

Marigold · Post by **Marigold** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 6:28 pm

I had several gouldian cocks that did that. I bought them from breeders that had them in large Flight Aviaries.

I thinkit was because they were not use to the smaller cages.

The one I bought in Dec doesn't do it any more but the one I just bought 08/18 does and keeps hanging off of the side of the cage. They are in 30x18x18 cages.

Hope · Post by **Hope** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 12:49 am

I have a male that does the wing fluttering. He will stare towards the top of the cage usually where the light is and sometimes takes short flights like he wants to go higher. He also was raised in a large aviary, where my others weren't and they do not have this behavior. I may try to give him some flight time in the room.When I see him do this I feel sort of guilty

Marigold · Post by **Marigold** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 12:13 am

Hope wrote:I have a male that does the wing fluttering. He will stare towards the top of the cage usually where the light is and sometimes takes short flights like he wants to go higher. He also was raised in a large aviary, where my others weren't and they do not have this behavior. I may try to give him some flight time in the room.When I see him do this I feel sort of guilty

I think he will get use to the smaller cage.. My cock that I got in Dec is doing great.

kiwi & mango · Post by **kiwi & mango** » Sat Nov 10, 2007 1:11 pm

is there no other reason for a gouldian to flapping his wings? My male for the last few days sits and flaps his wings...sings...and is like any other normal day. No tilting his head back...no falling off the perch. I placed some water in a dish at the bottom to see if a bath would be what he needed but nothing for three days...so it came out since it had poop in it....

So any other reason he maybe doing this?
thanks