excessively aggressive gosling?!

my little Smith is now 28 days old, i got the little fella as a gift when he was only 3 days old. Lately, even as a small ball of yellow poof he has been very agressive towards me? i dont understand why but what was once a nibble here and there had become very rough pinching and harsh pulling of any part of my skin he can reach. i hold him and pet him for many hours out of a day and he even left me a bruise on my cheeck where he managed to latch on and not let go.. he has tried to put my whole pinky in his mouth too! i belive he is a White Chinese Goose, and a gander too, and i fear as an adult he will be too agressive..
how can i stop this now while he is a gosling? any tips or advice, hes my special little guy but he wont even let me grab him now without nipping at me.

rebbecka said:

my little Smith is now 28 days old, i got the little fella as a gift when he was only 3 days old. Lately, even as a small ball of yellow poof he has been very agressive towards me? i dont understand why but what was once a nibble here and there had become very rough pinching and harsh pulling of any part of my skin he can reach. i hold him and pet him for many hours out of a day and he even left me a bruise on my cheeck where he managed to latch on and not let go.. he has tried to put my whole pinky in his mouth too! i belive he is a White Chinese Goose, and a gander too, and i fear as an adult he will be too agressive..
how can i stop this now while he is a gosling? any tips or advice, hes my special little guy but he wont even let me grab him now without nipping at me.

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Is he an only goose? I was thinking you had another. Being an only gosling is very confusing they don't know what they are being around only humans and no contact with their own kind. I'd suggest a non breakable mirror to start so he begins seeing another goose. They also do alot of nibbling and biting since this is their way of feeling since they don't have hands so anything will go into the mouth. But biting is not good so I'd try and keep him from access to your face for sure. You could try holding his bill and saying no bite not sure if it will work, and he is too young for harsh training as we do with adults that get out of line so it's a dilemma I have an adult Embden gander who is a biter but I have been able to break him from it by getting the upper hand and being aware of where he is when I am out with them. He is not bad but during breeding season he is. again I ask @jchny2000 for advise since she has goslings now and I haven't encountered this in my goslings. Don't give up on him there has got to be a way to train him this young.

he began with another gosling, but it died shortly after its arrival, it was very tiny and sickly. i do plan on getting him a friend but i am unsure because of his foot? and yes, any tips would be great

That is unusual behavior. Is he kept in a confined area with limited grazing and other things to do? If so that might be part of the problem also. I agree with Miss Lydia that if it is a lone gosling that might also be a major contributor to the poor behavior. Personally if he bit me I would lay him out on his belly with his head on the ground and hold him there long enough to get the point across. Then I would pluck a couple feathers out of his little rump. Typically in a gander fight the victor will seal the win with a feather pluck.

rebbecka said:

he began with another gosling, but it died shortly after its arrival, it was very tiny and sickly. i do plan on getting him a friend but i am unsure because of his foot? and yes, any tips would be great

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Sweet pic. Can you get a real good pic of his foot so we can see what the problem is? are you giving him any Brewers yeast or poultry vitamins that have the B vitamins in them. Another gosling would be great they really do like to have one of their own as a companion.

Speilb said:

That is unusual behavior. Is he kept in a confined area with limited grazing and other things to do? If so that might be part of the problem also. I agree with Miss Lydia that if it is a lone gosling that might also be a major contributor to the poor behavior. Personally if he bit me I would lay him out on his belly with his head on the ground and hold him there long enough to get the point across. Then I would pluck a couple feathers out of his little rump. Typically in a gander fight the victor will seal the win with a feather pluck.

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I can see this with an older goose but I am not sure with a baby. I have laid my adult gander out many times. I have never had to deal with this in a gosling though. I think she def needs to give him a mirror though so he can see another gosling and this will also prepare him for one if she can find another.
I don't mean to go against what your saying Speilb just not sure if I could do it to a gosling.I do agree goslings need stimulation like grazing and being out in sunshine not cooped up inside a brooder all day. Never alone though at young ages they need to have someone looking out for them.

Miss Lydia said:

I can see this with an older goose but I am not sure with a baby. I have laid my adult gander out many times. I have never had to deal with this in a gosling though. I think she def needs to give him a mirror though so he can see another gosling and this will also prepare him for one if she can find another.
I don't mean to go against what your saying Speilb just not sure if I could do it to a gosling.I do agree goslings need stimulation like grazing and being out in sunshine not cooped up inside a brooder all day. Never alone though at young ages they need to have someone looking out for them.

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Miss Lydia, feel free to mean to go against what I am saying; I am not sure I am right either. For me it would be worth a try since it communicates to adults it might well communicate to goslings as well...or it might not.

these are the best i could get of it.. sorry. he was biting me and squirming around. its no longer red or warm, but is bigger than the other ankle

rebbecka said:

these are the best i could get of it.. sorry. he was biting me and squirming around. its no longer red or warm, but is bigger than the other ankle

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@rebbecka I am glad to hear the redness and heat is gone, you never said if you have been giving him extra B3 which can be in the form of niacin or Brewers yeast or poultry vitamins that have the essential B's in it? this could be an injury and his ankle joint has a bad sprain or it could be a nutrient def. but water fowl need B vitamins for strong healthy legs and even for neurological health. Can you tell us what the goslings day is like maybe that will help us help you figure out what to do about the biting.