New to Lady Gouldians

[terriergal]

I'm not sure why you wouldn't - I thought people colony bred shafttails?

[lem2bert]

lovezebs

Beautiful little birds...thank-you for posting the great picture ! Who knows maybe someday !!!

[lem2bert]

terriergal

Unfortunately I have never seen any for sale in my area.....but they are beautiful little birds.

[lovezebs]

terriergal

Maybe they are colony bred in large aviaries, but my experience has been that even in a very large flight cage (f030) they attack each other, grabbing the other male by a wing or by the head as they fly by and hanging on while the other bird flaps around helplessly.

Have you kept males together?

[Switsof]

Just want to share my stupid experience as a novice gouldian finch owner.

I bought a pair last night and after exploring their cage they fell asleep. When I woke up this morning, I found the male still sleeping and the female already woke up, so I assumed they hadn't drunk nor eaten anything.

Then I observed them for few hours in the morning. And I didn't notice that they drank nor ate and I noticed they eyes blinked often.

So I did a research on internet and there is a page saying that if they blinked, it's a sign of dehydration and I should put their beak to water.

I offered water to them with big spoon. The female took a sip or two but the male not.

So I finally decided to catch the male one with my hand and put its beak on the water bottle, only the beak mind you.

But I guess the bird got so stressed and it did squeak, but I thought maybe the water was not enough, so I put the beak again to the water.

Then it died on me... I was so sad and cried my eyes out while saying sorry to this beautiful creature.

So yeah, don't repeat my mistake.

I bought another one but female cos I have the impression the 1st female is more easy to upkeep as she didn't refuse water when I offered with spoon and so they keep each other company.

This afternoon I noticed one of them spread their wing away from the body, and according to the same site, it's also sign of dehydration.

But I just tried to offer water with big spoon like before, and they didn't take it, but I just put more water bottles everywhere hoping they will sip maybe when I was not looking. I also put cut tomato, oranges thinking that hopefully the fruit juice would be something to hydate them.

Now it's nearly midnight and they are sleeping.

Well if you guys who have experience a lot with these types of birds, please do not hesitate to post any tips.
But pls no nasty comments. Cos when my robo hamster passed away cos of old age, I found some girls who are hamster owners were not that kind..

Thanks.

[lem2bert]

Switsof

I am so sorry about your hamster and your Gouldian. My birds were also skiddish about what was in their cage when I first brought them home. I put open feeder dishes one for water , one for seed and one for fresh veggies very high in their cage. Gradually I am lowering the dishes , but not too fast . I have canaries and they use every inch of their flight cage, but the gouldians seem to be slower at trying new things, especially at the bottom of the cage. Maybe your new birds are just nervous about the water bottles. I have never had a bird that refused water from an open dish.

Not the best way to welcome a new member , but welcome from Massachusetts and keep us posted on your new little ones

[Barbara]

Switsof I agree with Betty I always keep open water and seed also millett not only with new birds but when I change there cage,just for example I know Betty and I gave her a pair of gouldians and they were eating vegetables and all there fruit at the very bottom of the cage in a tray all there seed and water were low in the cage,but going to a new house and new cage they would not go to the bottom to eat so what she is doing is what I also do start at the top and lower dishes this way they learn to go to the bottom and get more flying room.I think birds are use to drinking in open water so the water bottles would be so new to them maybe if you put water bottle of a open dish of water so the get to know.good luck with your babies

[terriergal]

terriergal

Maybe they are colony bred in large aviaries, but my experience has been that even in a very large flight cage (f030) they attack each other, grabbing the other male by a wing or by the head as they fly by and hanging on while the other bird flaps around helplessly.

Have you kept males together?

I don't think i have, other than dads with their juvenile young, or juveniles together. I think I did have a male do that to a young female once though (not his mate) in a large flight cage. Or it could have been a society he did it to, I can't remember, it was a long time ago.

Good to know, I'll have to keep an eye open if I get any more pairs. I have the one pair now. 5 Babies (all 5 eggs hatched!) are just fledging and now one of the adults is chasing the other around the cage every so often. Sigh. I'm pretty sure it's the cock chasing the hen, but the weird thing is when she was incubating and feeding I don't think he ever helped. Now he's trying to hog them to himself.

Then hen had a split band on her leg but lost it at some point so I can't tell which one it is until I go and re band one or both of them (in the next week or so along with the juveniles). So I'm assuming it's the male.

One other thing I read, about shafttails - they can't even tell if other birds are male or female until they sing their little song. So maybe males will just attack any other shafttail male or female that they don't recognize, thinking it's possibly an interloping male. (If this is true, and if males will attack other males, then obviously if the less dominant male sings, he's gonna get targeted, then).