Is my gosling normal?

[Aimeeg1986]

Yeah the problem is lack of information mostly, many times it’s intentional. Pet stores aren’t going to want to tell prospective buyers that buying a parrot is like buying a loud destructive perpetual toddler that will need their constant attention for 10 to 80 years, no they just allow the misconception that a parrot is like a goldfish to live on, it just sits silently in it’s tiny cage in the corner of a room and for stimulation and sustenance only requires a handful of seed everyday, and that’s perfectly fine for them, they don’t need anything more.

Totally agree, unfortunately they do it with all pets! Especially reptiles, I’ve got all sorts of animals and without groups like this I’d be lost.

 

[Leader Bee]

Yeah the problem is lack of information mostly, many times it’s intentional. Pet stores aren’t going to want to tell prospective buyers that buying a parrot is like buying a loud destructive perpetual toddler that will need their constant attention for 10 to 80 years, no they just allow the misconception that a parrot is like a goldfish to live on, it just sits silently in it’s tiny cage in the corner of a room and for stimulation and sustenance only requires a handful of seed everyday, and that’s perfectly fine for them, they don’t need anything more.

I think i mentioned my friend getting a budgie on these forums just before i got my own geese; I haven't seen him since then but i imagine it's been in a tiny cage for the last 6 months or more if he decided to keep it

 

[Goosebaby]

Totally agree, unfortunately they do it with all pets! Especially reptiles, I’ve got all sorts of animals and without groups like this I’d be lost.

True, the pet industry is horrible, the farming industry is equally destructive to animals in other ways, factory farming is the reason why knowledge of poultry and livestock care has been disappearing and why farm animal welfare has suffered, small farms have an interest in the welfare of their animals, when an animal got sick it was treated if it was something treatable, now the answer is to cull even for something benign because it isn’t cost effective to treat several hundred hens, turkeys, or whatever for something benign.
I’ve seen veterinary medicine suffer as a result of it. All of the vets I knew growing up were brilliant, but that generation has been retiring and it’s hard to find the old “farm vets” anymore, and every vet was a farm vet, the last several years I’ve had the misfortune to encounter the worst kinds of people that happen to be vets, many of them cons too. most of the vets coming out of the veterinary colleges won’t see poultry or livestock now, only cats and dogs, and on top of that several in my area refuse to even see large dog breeds now.
The latest bizarre thing I’ve seen is vets advertise themselves as “farm vets” for business, but they won’t actually see most farm animals, usually they’ll only see horses but there’s one in my county that only treats goats, but not just any goat, she only works with pygmy goats.

 

[Goosebaby]

I think i mentioned my friend getting a budgie on these forums just before i got my own geese; I haven't seen him since then but i imagine it's been in a tiny cage for the last 6 months or more if he decided to keep it

Poor birdie

 

[Aimeeg1986]

True, the pet industry is horrible, the farming industry is equally destructive to animals in other ways, factory farming is the reason why knowledge of poultry and livestock care has been disappearing and why farm animal welfare has suffered, small farms have an interest in the welfare of their animals, when an animal got sick it was treated if it was something treatable, now the answer is to cull even for something benign because it isn’t cost effective to treat several hundred hens, turkeys, or whatever for something benign.
I’ve seen veterinary medicine suffer as a result of it. All of the vets I knew growing up were brilliant, but that generation has been retiring and it’s hard to find the old “farm vets” anymore, and every vet was a farm vet, the last several years I’ve had the misfortune to encounter the worst kinds of people that happen to be vets, many of them cons too. most of the vets coming out of the veterinary colleges won’t see poultry or livestock now, only cats and dogs, and on top of that several in my area refuse to even see large dog breeds now.
The latest bizarre thing I’ve seen is vets advertise themselves as “farm vets” for business, but they won’t actually see most farm animals, usually they’ll only see horses but there’s one in my county that only treats goats, but not just any goat, she only works with pygmy goats.

I’ve noticed that too in the uk, luckily I have an avian and exotic specialist vet just up the road from me but the amount of other vets claiming to treat these animals but having no experience is unreal! I’m so lucky also that I stumbled across this group and that so many lovely and experienced people have helped me so much get ready for my little goose, there is next to no information about geese on the internet, when you type in gosling you either get stuff about ducks or interviews with Ryan gosling come up lol it was so frustrating.

 

[Goosebaby]

I’ve noticed that too in the uk, luckily I have an avian and exotic specialist vet just up the road from me but the amount of other vets claiming to treat these animals but having no experience is unreal! I’m so lucky also that I stumbled across this group and that so many lovely and experienced people have helped me so much get ready for my little goose, there is next to no information about geese on the internet, when you type in gosling you either get stuff about ducks or interviews with Ryan gosling come up lol it was so frustrating.

I’ve expierienced the same!

 

[Leader Bee]

Its one of the main reasons I spent a good 2 years researching geese before I even got some. I know they're unusual pets and so I expected it would be difficult for me to find a vet (Should I need one) that would actually be able to see them; I live in Leeds and my closest avian vet is in York!

Lots of information for ducks out there than geese, you're right, seems they're the slightly more popular waterfowl to keep as pets (I suspect because people think geese are nasty and not cute like ducks) but my research also said that Geese are also some of the hardiest waterfowl around. I.E they don't suffer from nearly as many diseases like aspergilosis or mites or worms nearly as much as a duck or chicken might, so that was perfect for me.

I could have gotten a dog but it'd have been unfair to keep him shut up in the house all the time while I was at work and at least my boys can just be in the garden being happy....As long as my grumpy neighbour doesn't complain about them!

 

[Goosebaby]

Its one of the main reasons I spent a good 2 years researching geese before I even got some. I know they're unusual pets and so I expected it would be difficult for me to find a vet (Should I need one) that would actually be able to see them; I live in Leeds and my closest avian vet is in York!

Lots of information for ducks out there than geese, you're right, seems they're the slightly more popular waterfowl to keep as pets (I suspect because people think geese are nasty and not cute like ducks) but my research also said that Geese are also some of the hardiest waterfowl around. I.E they don't suffer from nearly as many diseases like aspergilosis or mites or worms nearly as much as a duck or chicken might, so that was perfect for me.

I could have gotten a dog but it'd have been unfair to keep him shut up in the house all the time while I was at work and at least my boys can just be in the garden being happy....As long as my grumpy neighbour doesn't complain about them!

I live in California and there are more avian vets here than in some of the other states but there’s only one within driving distance that I trust.
The closest to me, (40 minute drive) I scheduled an appointment with their avian vet “Dr.B” at 4pm to see “my gander Parsnip, a male goose” and asked repeatedly if he’d seen geese or other waterfowl before, arrived just before 4 but was told that they thought I was bringing a dog not a goose, and that their avian vet “Dr.B” now wouldn’t be in till 8pm and to see him I’d have to pay an extra $200.
The next closest vet (45 minute drive) tried charging me $400 for a CBC that costs their lab $25 to perform.
The next closest vet (hour and a half drive) overprescribed Parsnip’s brother Thor azithromycin which damaged his heart and then made the decision not to tell me he was in the beginning stages of heart failure so that I would keep bringing him in and paying them for more appointments. I only found out when their receptionist accidentally told me over the phone.

Now I’ve found Dr. Smith a vet who charges within reason, who is kind but doesn’t lie or sugarcoat anything, and who knows what she’s doing, she’s two hours away but worth it.

 

[lilolilman]

Is my gosling normal and very well behaved or is something wrong?
My gosling is a week old today I never intended to just have one goose but the other egg didn’t make it past day 20, I’ve read everything on the internet (which wasn’t much) about how my life will change forever! I will not be able to leave the gosling alone at all, it will be depressed on its own and it’s a lot of work! Obviously I was a little worried but at the moment due to uk lockdown I’m at home 24/7 so I went ahead, BUT...... my gosling is sooo chill, he eats and drinks and poops, he cuddles with one of my jumpers and a stuffed toy he does peep very quietly on an off but only ever shouts loudly when he sees my face, he’s never loud through the night ( I get my full 8 hours) he sits down to stretch his legs which I think means he’s relaxed? He sleeps in a brooder next to my bed but I can leave the room at anytime and never hear him call out for me, I think as long as he’s got his toy he’s ok, so I’m just checking that this sounds ok or what are the signs of being depressed? I’ve always thought with any animal if they are eating drinking and pooping they are fine, the only thing that has me worried is that he sits down a lot, he can walk fine but I don’t no how much goslings rest, thanks

Ps one of the photos are of his set up

That is a lovely brooder!!