Gouldians refuse to eat anything but seed!

[Howldaloom]

Hi my gouldians have lost alot of condition this year, such as loosing feathers *from matings* and not growing them back.
They are on an average foriegn finch mix *millet seeds and niger seed* and they will eat plenty of that.

But they wont eat soak seed, egg food, greens or fruit or live food just SEED!

I put vitamins in the water and alternate with iodine in the water. Plus they are getting feather fast on the seed *but not when they get vitamins in water*

How can i get there condition to improove without them eating other foods? I offer it daily. They just eat seed when rearing chicks aswell. nothing else.

And there condition has declined. Any suggestions?

[kosy1957]

Hi there
I know what your going thru as most Gouldians are the same. I have had Gouldians for many years and the only thing mine MIGHT TRY is Flowering thistles or very fine seeding grasses like the very fine Austalian Couch grass we get here in S.A Hope you find something closer to home to try but dont worry about it too much as if they are raising chicks then you have won the battle to get chicks. Henry

[Diane]

I read on an American forum that some breeders take the seed away at night and only offer the "alternative food" for a while in the mornings. The birds will be hungry and possibly try the new food.
Obviously this would be a risky tactic during the cooler times and when they have young, not something I would do during those times. However it might work if you have the time and patience to try this during the warmer months.

[jusdeb]

Yep fast them at night then be out there at the crack of dawn with the "other" food , then a couple of hours later pop the seed back in .

This works but is not ideal for people who work perhaps just doing it on weekends is enough to get them going , other thing to do is pop a canary in there with the Goulds and let the monkey see monkey do thing happen.

Only one more suggestion and thats to make them up some bird bread ...basically corn bread with extra eggs , apples , carrots and Ive now discovered spinach .
They all love it from Rainbow to Princess to Yellow Emblema.

[gouldianpaul]

I agree with the suggestions offered by the other members...i would also try some sprouted seed and softfood mix...and just keep persisting. I also have a canary in my juvinile holding avairy as a teacher bird...hoping the offspring will be taught by the canary who seems to eat anything...cheers, Paul

[BENSONSAN]

weied! Mine love bok choi and chinese brocolli or endive a silverbeet u can try these..or put a canarie in there and maybe he will teach them to eat they love green food.? You havent got any parrot finches do you they will teach them in quick time also. Mine eat maggots and all now but i think its just becuz they learnt it from my other birds.

Very bizzare they wont eat sprouted seeds. probably just me but ive never seen one that didnt go straight to it.

Ben

[jusdeb]

They are usually such sticky beaks that they will try anything put in the cage ...rest assured once one starts they will all follow.

[Howldaloom]

All the offspring i put in a large cage with bengalese and they eat just about anything thrown at them.

So I can still breed them with that feather loss? That wont bother them?

[jusdeb]

Dont think its a good idea , the little bodies have to deal with feather production as well breeding .
Myself I would be getting them back into good feather and then breeding them ...Just my opinion.

[Tigerfan]

i also would wait till the birds are in good condition before breeding. usualy my birds will try anything i put under there nose but when i first got them they would not even look at anything. i put a parrotfinch that i had in with them as a teacher and just as planned they all started trying new foods. when i got rid of the parrotfinch they continued to try new foods ect. try using a 'teacher bird' as that worked for me.. hope all goes well..