Handling Gouldians . . .

[JerseyGuy]

Is it better to administer medications in a birds drinking water, or to take the bird and administer the medication on the skin. IMO it is better for the bird that they be handled as little as possible and use medication that can be placed in their drinking water. Does anyone have any thoughts on this. I'm just really 'freaked out' about opening a cage and trying to grab hold of a bird. I feel it is just very stressful for them.

[Sally]

I use a small net, since I am slow with my hands. If I used just my hands to catch them, we'd be at it for ages. With the net, I can catch them much quicker with less stress. While you have them out, it is a chance to check their breastbone to be sure they are maintaining their weight, and check feet and toes to make sure all is well, clip toenails if necessary. My net is similar to this mini:

https://birdproduct.com/product/bird-net-mini/

There aren't a lot of medications that are applied directly to the skin, but Scatt is one of them. One thing I like about using Scatt is that I know that the bird gets a full treatment when I put one drop on their skin. With treatments in the water, you just have to guess that the bird took in enough.

For newbies, those first few times of catching a bird are more stressful for the owner than the bird IMO, but once you've done it a few times, it gets easier. Yes, it is more stressful to catch them than to put things in the water, but you will need to catch these birds from time to time anyway, so you may as well get used to it.

[JerseyGuy]

OMG. Don't tell me that. It was ok when I had Parrots, but my Gouldians are so small and lovely, I don't want to hurt them. Eeeks. So do I order the SMALL size ?
I'm petrified!

[Sally]

No, you want the mini size that will fit inside the cage. Check the measurements against the size of the door opening on the cage to make sure the net will fit through the door.

[Stuart whiting]

Is it better to administer medications in a birds drinking water, or to take the bird and administer the medication on the skin. IMO it is better for the bird that they be handled as little as possible and use medication that can be placed in their drinking water. Does anyone have any thoughts on this. I'm just really 'freaked out' about opening a cage and trying to grab hold of a bird. I feel it is just very stressful for them.

Being onest Patrick it really depends on what the symptoms are

Sometimes the bird will need medication administered in the birds water but yer birds are gonna need their nails trimmed regularly and if the bird accidentally cuts itself for example amongst numerous other reasons you'll need to deal with this etc so don't ever be afraid to catch any of yer birds up,

You will get used to it as this is something that will definitely need to be done at times

[skyjump100]

JerseyGuy
I catch mine regulary as I do like to check their health up close. Also, as Sally said, you will most likely need to trim nails at some point in their lives so practice makes perfect

Ive got it down to a fine art now without a net and the more you handle them the more they get used to it.

[Stuart whiting]

JerseyGuy
I catch mine regulary as I do like to check their health up close. Also, as Sally said, you will most likely need to trim nails at some point in their lives so practice makes perfect

Ive got it down to a fine art now without a net and the more you handle them the more they get used to it.

Totally agree Simon

[Ryan722]

Medication in the water is a way lot easier but is not nearly as good as catching the finch and giving it medications. If the medicine in the water changes the color the finches will not touch it. It can be stressful but they will get over it. The chances of them injuring are low most of the time.

[ac12]

Like Sally I do SCATT directly onto the skin of the leg.
Since I only have to do this 2 times during quarantine, I find this OK.
- First time is when I transfer from the transport cage to the quarantine cage, so I have to handle the bird anyway.
- 2nd time I have to catch it.

I decided that SCATT is easier, for me than S76 in the water.

Change to in the flock birds, then I go for S76 rather than SCATT, as it is too much of a PiA to catch ALL the birds, one at a time and administer the med.

I have certain birds that seem to grow their claws and beaks much faster than others, so I have to catch them to trip their claws or beaks.

For in the cage, I use a sheet of crinolin (sp?), from Joanne Fabrics. The birds can see through it, so it isn't as scary as a towel. Also the crinolin being a sheet, is BIGGER than a net that I could fit through the cage door, which makes it easier to catch the bird. But I have to use 2 hands in the cage to handle the crinolin.

[Paul's Amazing Birds]

In a smaller cage, I just turn the lights out and use a small flashlight on and off to locate the bird in the dark, Catching a bird in the dark can be easily done with a net or without.

Paul

[Stuart whiting]

In a smaller cage, I just turn the lights out and use a small flashlight on and off to locate the bird in the dark, Catching a bird in the dark can be easily done with a net or without.

Paul

Well to be onest, I strongly wouldn't advise that what so ever, probably one of the quickest ways of giving a bird heart failure and I know this from experience

When I was a young kid in me early teens I was told about catching up birds this way and at the time thought nothing of it until a hen zebra finch actually died in my hand as a result from catching her in the dark

I vouched to meself that I'd never ever catch birds up this way ever again

Imagine trying to catch a rare expensive finch in the dark, far to much of a gamble for my liking

[JerseyGuy]

No, Sorry, I for one will not attempt that one, and I won't try and catch a bird with my hands either, not a bird who is erratically flying all over the cage. That is crazy. I will use a net.

[Paul's Amazing Birds]

Well both methods of catching birds have merits. A net can be incredibly stressful too - particularly if you have to chase the bird around a bit. In my case, my garage lights are all on a portable wireless on/off switch that I can keep in my pocket. My outside aviary lights are all on a dimmer switch but those lights are rarely used at all. In larger spaces like that I find it best to first use a 20x30 trap to reduce their flight space. For me, reducing the light is just a quick and easy way to capture birds for medication or sale. They stop flying in the dark and you just wrap your hand around it. One time, with a net, I had a canary go into shock for a few minutes. Other than that, over the years I never lost a bird when I have to occasionally catch a few.

[Stuart whiting]

Well both methods of catching birds have merits. A net can be incredibly stressful too - particularly if you have to chase the bird around a bit. In my case, my garage lights are all on a portable wireless on/off switch that I can keep in my pocket. My outside aviary lights are all on a dimmer switch but those lights are rarely used at all. In larger spaces like that I find it best to first use a 20x30 trap to reduce their flight space. For me, reducing the light is just a quick and easy way to capture birds for medication or sale. They stop flying in the dark and you just wrap your hand around it. One time, with a net, I had a canary go into shock for a few minutes. Other than that, over the years I never lost a bird when I have to occasionally catch a few.

Yeah mate I can go along with that, as I suppose it all depends on the species that yer try to catch and obviously how you go about it