Need advice -- torn on whether to keep gosling or return him to farm after four days of raising him

[joya250]

Hello All,

I am completely new to all things geese. I am torn and need advice.

I live in Panama. My boyfriend brought a newly hatched gosling home three days ago. He "rescued" it from a friend's farm. The friend was out of town and so wasn't able to separate the newborns from the adults. Three babies were killed shortly after hatching, and this gosling would faced the same fate or would have died that night from the cold. (We're in the mountains, so yes, it gets cold up here!)

I have fallen in love with this cute little thing, and have been caring for it for the past four days. I believe it has already imprinted on me. I would totally keep him… BUT I have a beloved 17-year-old cat who is majorly ****** off at me. My cat is in the end stages of his life (seizures from kidney shutdown) and the last thing I want is for him to be upset with me.

SO… I can bring the gosling back to the farm. My concern is now that it has imprinted on me (he adores me, it seems)… how tramatizing this may be for him (or her). Though it's still so young (tomorrow is day Four)… so maybe I should do this sooner rather than later.

What should I do???

I want to do the best for this gosling, but cannot bear to see my cat so mad at me.

Thank you in advance for your advice. I am really struggling here…

Joy

 

[servpolice]

I agree with keeping the gosling.
I wouldn't take him back.
A solo gosling will stay tame so I suggest you should keep it! The thing is when you put it back the gosling won't like the goose as she has bonded with you too much.
She won't go near the goose and will get cold and die unless there's warmth somehow?
It has bonded too much with you and won't see the goose as it's mother so she won't get the warmth it needs.
I had a solo Chinese gosling years back and there was a flock of five geese with a lot of goslings. The gosling joined the other goslings but kept coming to me or my sisters to say hello and I decided it was time it could sleep with the other goslings which turned out to be a mistake as it died outside from the cold.
Not trying to make you feel bad but like Miss Lydia said just put the baby in the box with a mirror.
You won't regret keeping the baby!

 

[pattyhen]

Bless your heart for keep him. Please keep us posted with pics. I'm glad he is doing better with the cat. They might be best friends shortly.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hello All,

I am completely new to all things geese. I am torn and need advice.

I live in Panama. My boyfriend brought a newly hatched gosling home three days ago. He "rescued" it from a friend's farm. The friend was out of town and so wasn't able to separate the newborns from the adults. Three babies were killed shortly after hatching, and this gosling would faced the same fate or would have died that night from the cold. (We're in the mountains, so yes, it gets cold up here!)

I have fallen in love with this cute little thing, and have been caring for it for the past four days. I believe it has already imprinted on me. I would totally keep him… BUT I have a beloved 17-year-old cat who is majorly ****** off at me. My cat is in the end stages of his life (seizures from kidney shutdown) and the last thing I want is for him to be upset with me.

SO… I can bring the gosling back to the farm. My concern is now that it has imprinted on me (he adores me, it seems)… how tramatizing this may be for him (or her). Though it's still so young (tomorrow is day Four)… so maybe I should do this sooner rather than later.

What should I do???

I want to do the best for this gosling, but cannot bear to see my cat so mad at me.

Thank you in advance for your advice. I am really struggling here…

Joy

@joya250 Welcome to BYC If you know that the farmer will keep the little one safe and care for it then I think it would be fine to take it back. The trauma would be if they put it back with the geese unless they could separate the mother from the rest till the gosling is old and sturdy enough to keep up. alot of times goslings get trampled to death if there is a large gaggle and they freak out about something. Most of the time geese are very Nuturing towards gosling even if not their own. Both sexes.Gosling are very demanding especially if only 1 because they are social and need the attention of others of their kind and if they don't have it they look to us which can be hard especially if your dealing with a sick animal already. It's very sweet of your boy friend to save the gosling now if he can help his friends understand the need to keep it safe I think it will be okay.

They really are endearing aren't they.

 

[joya250]

Thank you for your response. I hate to say this, but there are cultural differences at play here. It is a Panamaian farm. They don't treat pets the same, less even "farm yard" animals that will one day end up on the dinner plate. So, yeah… bringing him back to the farm, there is a 60% chance he will die.

YES, I am finding Luzy (or Luz, because I don't know what its sex is) is very demanding! Luckily I work from home, and even though I am in a studio apartment, my landlord seems to be "okay" (I use this term loosely) with me having a goose roam around the grounds. Of course, right now, he is too young to be roaming by himself, and will not leave his "mommy's" side. Right now he is dozing in the crook of my arm, on top of my desk as I write this.

I do not plan on having any more geese. So I am concerned about Luz's happiness, as I cannot be with him all the time. (Currently enrolled in a two-month, four-hours a day commitment.) I am also concerned that he will become aggressive when he gets older. Currently he nibbles my fingers, but when he is bigger a bite will hurt!!!

I feel as if I almost have no choice. If I bring him back, he most likely will die.

 

[TomGallopavo]

Sounds like the best plan would be to put the cat down, he is suffering. Then get a new kitten and the two can grow up together. BTW, I have had many dogs and cats and struggled with that decision too many times...waiting too long.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you for your response. I hate to say this, but there are cultural differences at play here. It is a Panamaian farm. They don't treat pets the same, less even "farm yard" animals that will one day end up on the dinner plate. So, yeah… bringing him back to the farm, there is a 60% chance he will die.

YES, I am finding Luzy (or Luz, because I don't know what its sex is) is very demanding! Luckily I work from home, and even though I am in a studio apartment, my landlord seems to be "okay" (I use this term loosely) with me having a goose roam around the grounds. Of course, right now, he is too young to be roaming by himself, and will not leave his "mommy's" side. Right now he is dozing in the crook of my arm, on top of my desk as I write this.

I do not plan on having any more geese. So I am concerned about Luz's happiness, as I cannot be with him all the time. (Currently enrolled in a two-month, four-hours a day commitment.) I am also concerned that he will become aggressive when he gets older. Currently he nibbles my fingers, but when he is bigger a bite will hurt!!!

I feel as if I almost have no choice. If I bring him back, he most likely will die.

@joya250 If it was me I'd probably keep him/her get a non breakable mirror and give it to him so he can see another goose they love looking at themselves. and a nice stuffed animal to snuggle with. I could not take him back if I knew that was what would happen.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@joya250 what did you decide?

 

[joya250]

Hello…

Internet has been terrible the past few days, and I've been unable to access the forum.

Thank you to all who replied! You have all helped me make a decision. I will be keeping Luz. Today marks one week old.

My task for today is to try to sew diapers for him. I would just order them online, but by the time they made it down here, he would most likey be a different size. He'll be an indoor / outdoor goose. And I can't keep up with the poop cleaning when he's indoors! (Luckily I have a linoleum floor = easy cleaning!)

So… the adventure begins. I already love the little guy like crazy! I am concerned, however, about him becoming aggressive when he gets older. Especially because I will not be getting another goose for him to hang out with. (Though good suggestions on the mirror. I actually have three large panel mirrors on my wall -- so when he's taller he'll see himself.)

Also, any thoughts on how to break him of his habit of nibbling at my toes, etc? I know he is just exploring, and it doesn't hurt… but it soon will. He's growing exponentially!

gracias,
Joy

 

[Miss Lydia]

What a precious baby, so glad you decided to keep him/her. Get some toys for him to chew on things that he can't pull anything off of and swallow no strings, buttons, shiny things etc. Maybe parrot toys or some dog or cat toys. Your right he is just exploring his new world and toes are fascinating. When I had 2 goslings inside I bought a couple of baby toys one was a ball that had shiny things attached [they couldn't pull them off] and they loved playing with it and a big stuffed animal thrift stores are great places to check out if they have them in Panama they had a large one it was a bear and they would literally climb under him to sleep then they had others of various sizes too. Thanks for sharing his/her pic keep em coming.