Moulting or something more sinister ?

[Annie]

A big hello to everyone as I'm new to this forum and relatively new to keeping finches.
(I hope I'm posting this thread in the right place but if I'm not please educate me. )
For about a year I've been keeping 10 gouldian finches (all male) in my aviary and up until now I've not had any problems. Recently I noticed though that my birds were all looking a little shabby which after much reading, I put down to them going through a moult. I started them on Mould Aid and another product with for memory is a calcium and iron supplement. I also read that boosting the protein in their feed is ideal at this stage so I offer them meal worms, boiled egg, apple, spinach - none of which they'll eat - and I pick the seeding grasses for them which they absolutely love.
I'm hoping some people far more experienced that me can take a look at a couple of photos and tell me if they think it's just them moulting or something more sinister. I should add that I recently heard some clocking coming from one of my birds so they have now all been treated for air sac mites. Strangely the only bird that i noticed making the tell tale sound, is actually the healthiest looking and full coloured bird ??
Now to figure how to post pics !

[Diane]

Certainly soundls like the moult and its the right time of year. A couple of photos will help.
A How to here....viewtopic.php?f=35&t=449

[branchez]

Hi Annie and a big welcome to the Forum.
Jack

[Annie]

Thanks Diane. If only loading pics was as easy as that tutorial makes is seem. I've resized them several time and still they won't load. I shall keep trying.
Thanks for the welcome Jack.

[matcho]

Annie,

It this this time of year for the goulds to moult. They are so gorgeous when they are fully coloured. Mine look like sh.t at the moment. In regards to the "clocking", I would call it "clicking", which is an indication of air sac mites. You say treated, but they need a second treatment 10 or so days later. Remove all water the afternoon before treatment to ensure they ingest the treated water,no greens. Sounds like you are going OK. Welcome

Ken.

[Annie]

Oops, sorry Matcho, a typo on my part. My brain said clicking but my fingers typed what suited them.

I followed up the treatment for air sac mites a week after the first round but after reading a thread on here about the lifecycle of the mites I'm wondering if a 3rd would be beneficial. Any thoughts ?

[Diane]

If you are still having trouble with your pictures you can send them to the forum email address and I can resize them for you and send them back if you want to try posting them your self or I can post them under your name so all you have to do is edit the post and add your own words.
viewtopic.php?f=239&t=11961

[Cacoonkitty]

Hi, and welcome to the forum I would recommend that you do one of a few things, Gouldians are quite susceptible to getting Air sac mites, if they are also moulting this will increase the stress levels and therefor can elevate the problem...now I have managed to get round this very easily and very well with the help of a few things....

Firstly I contacted Dr Robert Marshal he is a world renowned Avian vet based in Carlingford in Sydney (Carlingford veterinary surgery) , specialising in Gouldians, he assessed my birds and gave me a special diet supplement to give them that I can get via the main now I have had an appointment with him..you may also be able to get a phone appointment too.

I give them fresh water every morning which at this time of the year I supplement once a week with S76 an in water at 1.25 mls per 500 mls - a great treatment for airsac mites, worms, and lice it seems to work very well !!

I feed fresh greens daily consisting of steamed green peas, endive, spinach chopped up in tiny bits which is consumed very quickly , I also offer raw corn on the cob, and Lebanese cucumber to munch on.

I feed green and grain seed, then I alternate this every other day with my normal good finch mix which I supplement using a special vitamin/oil paste from Dr Marshals range, along with a mineral powder and a protein type powder all from his prescribed range and he sends me this in the post. These supplements keep my birds in great condition and free of airsac mites and I have seen a really lovely noticeable difference in their condition since I bought them and started using these products.

I also supplement the water with a Vetafarm Vitamin D3 a few time a week..my birds are also kept outside so they get natural sunlight in the morning and later in the afternoon which does wonders for their well being and health due to natural lighting and air.


I suggest contacting Dr Marshal to advise , I cannot recommend him enough, he was very nice, reasonable in costs and his products are easy to use and obtain and are often cheaper that the commercial stuff in shops that really we know nothing about ! Hope your little ones will do well x

[finchbreeder]

I also supplement the water with a Vetafarm Vitamin D3 a few time a week..my birds are also kept outside so they get natural sunlight in the morning and later in the afternoon which does wonders for their well being and health due to natural lighting and air.
Question/suggestion - If your birds are outside getting natural sunlight and you are giving them extra vitamin D are they being overdosed? I would ask Dr Rob about this. As birds kept outside in the sunshine should not need extra vitamin D accept perhaps in the middle of winter in some locations.
LML

[Cacoonkitty]

This is true, I will indeed ask him...but from what I believe he said I could keep giving this to them as I don't give it very much just a few times a week maybe twice...I took all the supplements I have along with me and he adjusted the diet I have for them and wrote me a new one, which included a gap few other but also my current ones..he didn't try to replace all of the sups I'm using..just helped to level things off...he was great and the consult was not very expensive really..