My New Gouldian Boys

[rcharrod]

I just recently joined the forum, and was posting a few days ago about my new Gouldians, Jake and Reggie. See pictures below (hopefully). I've had them home now for 3 days, and still have some concerns.

First, they still haven't taken a bath. I've tried three different bath options, tried bottom of cage, tried one of those covered baths that sits external to the cage. Still nothing. And they are right next to a separate flight cage with 4 Societies who bathe like crazy - thought they might be able to watch and learn!

Second, they have only today begun to make any audible sounds other than a few squeaky peeps here and there. I have seen many videos of male Gouldians singing in much more abundance than these guys. (As I type, Jake has started to sing something for the very first time). Maybe more is still coming...

Lastly, they don't seem as consistently active as I thought they would be. Maybe it's that their current flight cage (only 25" wide) is limiting them, but they spend a large portion of the day just camped in one place on a branch. Reggie flies around some, at times, but Jake hardly ever moves, only to get food or take a drink. They look fine to me, certainly no obvious signs of distress.

Possibly some of this will change when they get into their new flight cage next week (will be 40x20x36) - we shall see.

Any thoughts would be appreciated, as always!

[ranchnanny]

Rcharrod... I had the same problem but I was persistent and kept the exterior bath hanging there with fresh water everyday. I put it next to a perch they used a lot and they finally started sitting at the openibg taking drinks. I sat there watching them one getting a drink when another came up to the opening and pushing the other into the bath. That's all it took now they use it several times a day .... silly birds.

Give them time they'll warm up to it.

[debbie276]

They look a bit rough to me. I'm sure with a well balanced diet, some hard boiled eggs and mineral mix they will perk up and sing the day away.
Did you happen to quarantine them and treat for air sac mites and/or worms? If not it may be a good idea to be sure they don't bring any bugs into your flock.

Best of luck

[wilkifam]

Gouldians are definately NOT the enthusiastic bathers that Societies are. Some of mine bathe well, some don't. They do look a little rough, almost like they should be going into a molt soon.

What@debbie276 says.....

[rcharrod]

Regarding molting, I have noticed a fair number of small whitish-gray feathers on floor outside cage...

[lovezebs]

rcharrod

I agree with Debbie. In fact, it looks to me like Reggie, is starting to molt, maybe Jake too. Could you take a close up picture of Jake's beak, it seems to have a bit of an odd shape to it, or maybe just my imagination.

I wouldn't worry too much about the bath. If you put them in with the Socies for a while, they will get the hang of it in no time.

I would however concentrate more on their diet. Make sure, that they are getting an optimum diet, especially if they are going into molt, or are just generally not in the best of shape.

Did these guys come from a breeder or a Pet shop? Do you by any chance know anything about their background, or how old they might be?

~Elana~

[rcharrod]

Elana,
I got them at a bird fair outside of Chicago. The sellers were a couple of burly Russian (I think) guys. They had three male Gouldians in a very small cage, and a bunch of canaries in a separate cage. I tried to ask a few questions, but their English was not real good. Under the assumption that the fair (which is well known and has been around for a while) has some screening criteria for its sellers (breeders, I assume), I purchased two of the three. The one bird that I didn't get had a lot more light spots mixed into the normal red parts on its head. I tried to ask if it was molting, but didn't really get an answer I could understand. Since I wasn't sure, I bought the two with the best looking plumage. And I did not ask how old they are...

[debbie276]

Their beaks look like they're flaking to me. Light flaking is perfectly normal but too much can be a nutritional problem.
Do you know how old they are and if they already went through their annual molt?