Escaped Gouldian Finch!

[jak2002003]

I am so upset with myself right now.

I have been saving my money and finally bought my first pair of Gouldian finches. They were so beautiful (and expensive). I only had them for 2 days, when I noticed the male was holding one of his legs up and could not use it.

I caught up both finches to have a closer look and I could see they both had scaly leg mites. I did not notice at the pet shop as the birds are so tiny. I remembered one of the birds at the shop had a foot missing (now I think from this disease).

Anyway I finished looking at the females legs, put her back in the cage. Then started to look at the male. Just then a storm started with strong wind and we had a power cut. It was too dark in my house, so I opened the door and sat with the bird in my hand on the step outside. Thats when I noticed the male also had some fine cotton around his leg, cutting off his circulation! I tried to get the thread off, but I was so frightened of hurting him, so I must has loosened my grip............then he was away into the distance!

My heart sank! How could I be so stupid! I should have just waited to the next day. I just wanted to help him.

Now I only have a singe female with bad feet looking very sad on her own. I hung her cage outside on a large tree in the hope the male would come back. But she is so quite and not calling to him.

Well its been over 24 hours now and no sign of him. I hate to think of him slowly starving to death, not able to cope because of his bad leg. I feel its my fault.

I went back to the pet shop to complain about the birds health. 'Strangely' their cage of 15 gouldian finches had vanished.....the lady said she had sold them all....(in 3 days ...right?!)

So now I have this ill lonely female. The vets in my area will not treat small birds so I will just have to keep on with the vasoline.....but already she is looking a mess with oily feathers and I am worried about the stress of catching her each day to treat her.

I wish I had never bought them, and such a waste of money (something I have not got much of right now). I did not think I would get so attached to a small bird like a finch, but I can't stop thinking about his loss.

 

[Orps]

I lost a male LGF a couple weeks too. I accidently didn't not latch the cage correctly and it opened and the bird flew away.

Are you going to keep the female and treat her or are you going to return her? Surely they would let you return her with her problem? Wouldn't they?

BTW, there are chemicals you can buy to treat mite. I think SCATT is the more commonly used. Have to buy it online. Can't get it at petstores or vets(since most of them do not specialize in birds).

 

[jak2002003]

I realise I got conned when I bought this pair.

I never kept Gouldians before and I did not know the legs should be orange instead of grey. The were adult birds, not chicks, so they should have had orange legs.

I paid a lot for them. I spent a lot on a huge fancy cage and toys and stuff. I should have looked more closely, I was just too excited. I noticed one bird in the shop cage had a missing foot and one had missing toes........I should have thought something was wrong.

My female keeps biting at her legs. I took her to the vet..but they would not treat birds. I live in Thailand and the vest here only treat dogs and cats mostly.

I went back to the shop. The woman was hiding and would not come out for ages. In the end I asked if I could see the other Gouldian finches again. She said she sold them all! I know that was not true...its impossable to sell over 15 expensive finches in less than 3 days! I did not want to return the female to her...I knew if I did she would not treat it.

I got a friend to drive me around all the pet shops in my city (Chiang Mai), but none sold Gouldian finches!!!!!!!!!

So now I want to home treat my lone hen. Will she survive on her own for a few weeks until, or if, I can find her a mate?

I will have to use vasoline / petrollium Jelly, on her legs, but its going to be difficult. I am so afraid of injuring her as she is so small and the legs are so thin! Also I know that her feathers will get covered in the grease.

Maybe it was good I did not find her a mate. He would have got the scaly leg mites from her too if I put them together.

I did get a small vile of liquid to put on the back of dogs necks to kill fleas and mites, but I don't know what it is. Its all written in Thai language, and after translating from a friend, it does not say what chemical is in it. Also I have no idea how much to put on my finch!!!! So frustrating.

Hope you found another mate for your bird.

 

[Orps]

Goulds are very expensive birds. I paid a lot for mine too. And they are hard to find.

I would try looking for the chemical SCATT online. I'm sure someone sells them online in Thailand

DO NOT use the flea/mite treatment for dogs on your bird. The active ingredient in those drops are VERY Toxic to some birds.

 

[Shelleypg19]

How sad for you. You will still enjoy your little female Gouldian. Perhaps you could get it a friend of another type of finch? Best of luck to you.