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ladybriann · by **ladybriann** on Fri Feb 19, 2010 6:10 pm

Does anyone know if Gouldians do better in pairs? My finch flock includes 2 Shaft tail, 2 Blk cheek Zebras, 2 Pied Zebras, a American singer canary, and 1 RHWB Gouldian. They all live happily together in a large cage in the aviary room of my house. I had 2 Gouldians but one died last month

(he was old).

I'm wondering if I need to get another Gouldian. The one I still have just finished a molt, except for his head. He has a bunch of pin feathers on his head and no one to help him preen. I tried to help, by rubbing his head gently with my finger, but he is just too small. I feel so sorry for him because all the other finches have preening buddies except him. I've also noticed that he isn't singing like he used to, is he sad or just stressed from molting. He's has 24/7 access to a bird bath and he tries to rub his head on the perches which are manzania (sp?), and other natural branch perches.

I'd like to hear some thoughts on whether or not I should get him a buddy.

Please??

christie · by **christie** on Fri Feb 19, 2010 8:31 pm

Molting will keep them from singing. I would wait a few months and see if he starts singing again. Normally finches do best in flocks, but since you have a flock, I would see how things go before running out and getting another finch since you will need to quarantine it in another air space for at least 30 days.

ladybriann · by **ladybriann** on Sun Feb 21, 2010 10:33 am

christie wrote:Molting will keep them from singing.

Do you know if they just stop sing during a molt or do they lose their voice? I just noticed that he was going through the motions of singing, I could see his little throat going to town, but nothing was coming out. He also seems a bit puffed up today.

Right now I'm a bit paranoid. I just lost my canary last night. Late last night I noticed the canary sitting puffed up on a perch, he was making beak motions like he was trying to sing but nothing was coming out. I took him out of the finch cage and put him in the hospital cage. I set it up in the bathroom with a heat lamp and gave him Baytril (Baytril is an antibiotic that my vet always prescribes for my ill birds)until I could call my vet in the morning. Well, the canary didn't make it through the night.

I doubt that the canary was contagious. There have been NO changes in the bird room recently that could have introduced any kind of infestation. The only thing I can think of is maybe I got some bad seed, even though it is what I normally buy. The other birds(which are bigger birds, parakeets and up) show no signs of any illness (not even slight signs). It's just the finches, which eat a different seed from the rest. The Zebras look very fine and alert, but the shaft tails are puffed. Every one is eating fine and activity is normal, I guess I'll watch and see.

I won't get any new finches right now until I know everyone is healthy.

christie · by **christie** on Sun Feb 21, 2010 3:56 pm

It sounds like you do have something going on, I would get the gouldian and the other ones that are puffed up to the vet ASAP. Keep the room quite a bit warmer, or have a heat lamp nearby so they can get extra heat. Do not give medications to a sick bird until the vet gives the okay. If you medicate the bird, it will cause the tests the vet performs to be off and possibly misdiagnose the bird.

With my gouldians, they just stop singing during molt, they still have their voice.

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