Obese gouldian?

[Roy]

Hi all,
One of my Gouldian males has an eating problem as in he just dosen't stop Every time I look he is sitting in the seed tray gorging away and he is nearly doulbe the size of all the other goulds in the same aviary, It's been going on for about the last three months since I got him. So I was wondering has anyone else had this trouble before? is there any sort of diet I could possibly put him on to trim him up a bit ? The seed mix I use is an even qauntity of white,french and jap millet and panorama and canary seed. Some greens once or twice a week. All the other goulds in the same aviary look in ideal condition?

[Jayburd]

worms? I don't know, but human worms make people continually hungry... I seem to remember reading something about this, will have a look.

[matcho]

My gouldian breeder friend told me "be kind, but too kind with their food" they will get fat and stay fat and forget about breeding . Something like sitting on the lounge and watching the cricket. I have seen regimes re "austerity diets" prior to breeding season somewhere on the forum. I also have a couple of birds that look like flying multi coloured blimps. How you deal with it I suppose means don't be so kind with all the extras but how do you put 1 or 2 birds in a full avairy on a diet without affecting everyone else? Ah, the joys of our fine feathered and beautiful friends.

[Myzomela]

Are you sure the bird is fat, or is it just fluffed and appears fat?

Most birds which are always hungry are not digesting their food properly or are unable to absorb the food they are eating. Consequently they are actually thin when handled.

If so, then this bird has a real problem. Could be anything from Macrorhabdus ( megabacteria), fungal infection, tuberculosis or one of many parasites- just to name a few. It would need to be removed from the aviary and ideally taken to a vet to try and find out what the problem is, if it can be treated and what effect it may have on the other birds in the aviary.

Use easily digestible food eg softfood and probiotics may help.

[Roy]

You have hit the nail on the head Myzomela Caught the bird today and yes he is a bit on the thin side so obviously he was just puffed up, I just assumed he was fat because of the over eating . I have put him into the hostpital cage and added some broad spectrum wormer to his water so will see how that goes for now.

[Jayburd]

good luck!!

[Roy]

Well sad to say he Went down hill rapidly and snuffed it last night all other birds seem fine thank god, have given dose of wormer to all birds.

[Jayburd]

sorry

[jusdeb]

Thats sad , are you sure that worms were the problem though ? Maybe worming a sick bird may have been too much for it ...hard to know isnt it ?

Often ( and ive done it myself in a panicked attempt to make things right ) , worming them is more harmful than helpful . Anyhoo watch the rest of them now hey to be sure it wasnt some funky contagious whatsit ...And fingers crossed it was a 1 off .

[Roy]

Yep I think the wormer may have been too much for him but having said that he didn't look that sick to start with really? seemed pretty perky and active so who knows. Oh well It's the game we play I suppose.