High-strung Goldbreast!

[h2olilee]

I recently acquired a male Goldbreast Waxbill and he isn't settling in very well and I'm not sure what to do to help him. He is a wild caught, which I wasn't too thrilled about learning when I went to pick him up (I assumed wrong that he was domestic bred-- my bad!). I had him for three weeks in quarantine in a separate room and he was okay for that period. Then I put him in my double flight cage with 3 owls and 2 fawn societies where he has been for the last week. He does a high pitched, quick, incessant cheep all day long while flying back and forth around the cage. It's quite annoying. If it stresses me out, I'm thinking it probably bothers the other birds as well, though they aren't showing any signs it does. So I'm wondering if he will eventually settle down? How long should I give him? Is there anything I can do to help him? I feel really bad that he was taken from the wild.

Also, he is so far only eating seed that I scatter on the bottom of the cage floor (not from the dishes or hoppers) and only drinks from the bath dish on the floor (not from the water tubes). I'm sure he is needing more nutritionally but he isn't in the slightest bit interested in any of the other foods offered which the other birds all eat (mixed veggies, greens, sprouted seed, herb salad, egg food, pellets, millet). I ordered some of the canned mini mealies so hopefully he will eat some of those and I can sprinkle on some supplement too.

Any advice to help him relax and settle in would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you!

[cindy]

He needs to be with some of his own kind...wild caught do not settle in as well as domesticated bred birds.

Is there a way to get another male or a hen for him?

I had wild caught tri colored munia that were the same way but kept in their own cage. They literally bounced off the walls of the cage if you approached the cage. I received them as part of a trade and a friend was to have me send them to him. During their stay here it was very difficult to get them to accept veggies and boiled egg food. They preferred dried egg food, white proso and Goldenfeast Australian Blend (my goldbeast relish this!!!) The two I had here were eventually sent to my friend and are now doing better living in a flock of tri's.

If the goldbreast is a wild caught then chances are he is feeling pretty lost and stressed without his own kind since he grew up in a flock. See if you can find another GB for him.

[h2olilee]

Thanks Cindy! I am looking for a hen for him but I'm having a hard time finding an Oregon/Washington source of a domestic bred female Goldbreast. I got my male from The Finch Farm, but theirs are wild caught, which I don't want. Hopefully I can breed them too and and help keep them from being taken from the wild, even if only by a tiny bit. (And also hopefully not feel so guilty about my Jabari)

[lovezebs]

h2olilee
Hi Gina.

Poor little fella. He is probably missing his family group, and his flock, and his freedom... I can't begin to imagine how difficult it is for these wild caught birds.

Regarding food. I haven't had much luck with canned meal worms. For some reason, no one seems to like them. I would recommend freeze dried meal worms by Kaytee, carried by Walmart in the wild bird section. I pulverize them into bits, and all my birds love them ( from waxbills to canary). An even better choice, are live mini mealworms, sold in chain pet stores like Petland and Petsmart. My guys practically fight over them. Other live foods, would probably be appreciated by your little guy.

As others have mention, another Goldbreast waxbill would be highly recommended. More than one, would be ideal.

Also, I would add all sorts of plastic or silk greenery to your flight, both on the inside and outside of the cage. This at least will offer him some hiding places where he can feel more safe.

Goodluck.

~Elana~

[cindy]

Gina let me look around there may be a breeder or two I can refer you to. I know a few breeders of different species out in your area. I will be setting mine back up. If I have young in the future I do ship.

The difficulty with wild caught is they are use to a very different diet than our domestic birds... provide a variety, soak some millet strands over night in a bit of water and grapefruit seed extract or a tiny bit of ACVinegar. .rinse well and serve, try grated boiled eggs. Mine will not take mealworms at all.

[h2olilee]

Thanks again Cindy. I have contacted several breeders around, but no one has any or is not breeding them anymore. If you know of anyone breeding them it would be much appreciated! I would prefer getting one within a day-trip driving distance, but if worse comes to worse I'd consider getting one shipped. I guess it's better than traveling from Africa!

My male has recently started eating from the seed hoppers which I was very excited to see him do! I'll just have to keep experimenting with other different foods. Also, I think he has settled down a bit now, he's not quite as high strung as he was. He's with owls and societies that are fairly laid back, so I think that helps. When I do find a hen I plan on setting them up to breed. And I have a pair of societies as back up fosters just in case.
Thanks so much!

[cindy]

try here....
http://www.finchzone.com/availability.html

http://www.birdproduct.com/?s=gold+breast&x=0&y=0