Bully Gouldian?!

[Sandra]

I am not sure what this means.

My female Gouldian pretty much rules the cage. The male is on the scared side ....

The pass little while, the male makes some strange noise that sounds like baby birds waiting to be feed. He will keep his beak open and kinda twist his head side to side while he keeps his body and head low.

What it means? The female is usualy standing next to him pretty straight high on perch when he does that. Is the female 'bullying' him or Maybe they just dont get along and needs to be seperated?

BTW I just have 2 Gouldians in a 28" X 14" cage.

[debbie276]

What are describing even sounds like he's asking to be fed. How old are they?

[Jasmin]

What you're describing is the behaviour my hen has when I go anywhere near her or the cage. I noticed it got worse when there were babies in the nest.

The rest of them either stare at me or fly away, but she stays put, looks straight at me, opens her beak and moves her head a little side to side.

I understood the open beak to mean a sort of "get away, you're in my space" warning.

But then again, my Gouldians do many many things I can't explain!

[Sandra]

From what the breeder said, my Gouldians are about 5-6 months.

Is weird because he's having that behavior more and more. He will stop if I approach the cage tho ... OR he will beautifully sing and 'jump' on the perch near the female

Could it be he doesnt like the seeds I'm giving?

[Sandra]

I just noticed his upper and lower beak moves sideways in opposite ways. He does that on and off while doing what I described on first post.
I must say, that noise he makes is annoying. We finally having a break now that he's set to sleep on perch away from female.

[Jasmin]

Sandra, if this keeps happening, are you able to post a short video? It might help identify if something is wrong. From what you're describing... I don't believe their beaks are supposed to move sideways. It's and up and down motion.

[debbie276]

Does he act like these chicks in this video?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dRvdquE3us

[Sandra]

OMGosh, yes!!! That's what he does. Except he doesnt go to the female's beak to be fed. he moves sideways just like that and gets so low on the perch.

Why would he do that for? How long are baby Gouldians being fed for? What should I do? You think he'd ask to be fed because he doesnt like the new seeds?

I thought the female was bullying the male

[debbie276]

I'm guessing he just doesn't want to grow up In time it should stop. He doesn't have any nodules on the sides of his mouth does he? I'm sure it has nothing to do with the seeds your feeding.

[Sandra]

No he doesnt here's a pic of my Gouldian. He just started wanted to be fed .... I hope he will stop lol .... One thing for sure, he did not do that when I got him about 3 weeks ago ....

Just as a test, I put the breeder's regular food today. Yesterday I had put ABBA food but they dont seem to like it. They like the Ecotrition Organic Blend a lot!

[debbie276]

Beautiful birds! Yup, he's all grown up don't know why he would keep begging for food. I'm sure in time he will stop. By the way just thought I'd point out that he is a SFYellow so from that pairing you could get Yellow bodied hens.

[Sandra]

Beautiful birds! Yup, he's all grown up don't know why he would keep begging for food. I'm sure in time he will stop. By the way just thought I'd point out that he is a SFYellow so from that pairing you could get Yellow bodied hens.

Thanks Debbie,
I got them to be enjoyed. BUT would eventually like if they breed ... I did hear doesnt usually work well on their own.

I'm not familiar with genetics, so dont really know 'ranking' of Gouldians based on their colours.

[debbie276]

And that is the best reason to have them! I personally don't think gouldians are hard to breed as long as you know your birds and set them up for success.
enjoy

[L in Ontario]

Thanks Debbie,
I got them to be enjoyed. BUT would eventually like if they breed ... I did hear doesnt usually work well on their own.

Do you mean that you think Gouldians are difficult to breed? They're not really that hard. If they have the right conditions and a nest they like - it will be more difficult to get them to stop breeding.

Anyway whenever you are ready to start breeding, we'll be here to help and support you.

[Jasmin]

Super beautiful birds!
they look very healthy and their feathers are so shiny!

Hope that strange behaviour stops, whatever it is. Maybe he's just a mamma's boy