Do you have a question that you have not found an answer for throughout this website or in my FAQ? Use this link to send your question directly to me. Be as specific as possible about the symptom or behavior in question...
Dr. Rob is a world renowned avian veterinarian in Sydney, Australia. He was the veterinary consultant for the Northern Territory Nature and Conservation Commission for a scientific study of the disease status in the wild population of the endangered Gouldian Finches as it related to a "Recovery Plan".
Tailai O’Brien is a Parrot Behavior Consultant who has worked along side Dr. Marshall and has developed special regimes for successful bird training and behavioral development. Fill out her Questionnaire so that she may help you with your parrot’s bad behavior.
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Faye from Bahamas asks: I want to purchase one gouldian finch. Is it ok to buy one or do i need to get two?
Hello Faye, As with all finches it is best to have more than one as they are flock birds and need social interaction. It doesn't matter what sexes you chose if you do not chose a pair (male and female), but two males are usually preferred. Best of Luck, Rob
Phillip B Kozlowski from Aurora, Indiana asks: How long after installing Vinyl Flooring before it will be safe to place my Gouldians back in the room?
Hello Phillip, You need to wait until the fumes from the adhesives and new vinyl have dissipated. This info may be best coming from the manufacturer. All the Best, Rob NOTE: A request to the manufacturer yielded no help. They insist that after 30 years of manufacturing flooring, they have never had an incident of fumes harming exotic birds until 2 weeks ago. At that time they had a report of a cockatiel that died after moving into a room that had been recently recovered. Phillip's vet suggested 2 weeks of airing the room should make the fumes harmless.
Luis Bellmas from Ft Lauderdale, FL asks: Hi Dr. Rob. I recently acquired my first few pairs of Gouldians. I live in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida where our temperature can range between 35-100 degrees Farenheit with usually high humidity. My original plan was to house them in an outdoor aviary, but now I'm not so sure. We are expecting some cooler weather this weekend and I would like to know what is considered a safe temperature range for these beautiful birds?
Hello Luis, Gouldians enjoy very hot weather in the wild. They are one of the few finches that thrive in very high temperatures up to 35 degrees C (96 degrees F). At these temperatures they need plenty of fresh water. Fluctuating cold temperatures and humidity associated with these colder temperatures is the problem for Gouldians. Temperatures under 10 degrees C (50 degrees F) and humidity levels above 75% are not healthy for Gouldians as they have not developed an immunity to the "wet" diseases associated with these conditions. Good luck with your decision. Rob
Lynn Durnin from Langley, BC asks: Dr. Rob, I would really like to know what type of cage floor bedding is the safest - besides newspaper. I have a beautiful oak cage and I would like to put a natural product of some sort on the cage floor. I have been using a product called woody pet - which basically is little wood logs - the thing that worries me is when it gets wet it seems to break down and I see the birds always pecking at it and I am worried they are eating it? I hear corn cob can get impacted and a friend of mine uses oyster shells - but it stinks. Any suggestions as to what I can buy here locally that you feel is somewhat safe and doesnt have an aweful smell ? Thanks
Hello Lynn, Personally I like to have a clean floor so I can see the droppings. Wood and shavings are extremely susceptible to dangerous moulds especially blue Penicillin and Mucor moulds. Rob
Diana Moore from Moorpark, Ventura County, California, USA asks: Dr Rob, Thank you for answering my query so quickly. I have central air and heating, my "bird room" has an office area and my aviary is on top of a large bookcase about 3 feet high, it is about 7' wide by 5.5'wide and about 29" deep. I keep news paper on the floor and roll up one layer each day. I have a living air purifier in the room. With the Nuns in the "hospital cage" I have nowhere to keep all the birds outside of this area as I live in a condo. I will freshly clean and sanitize by whole house filter. How else might it be possible to address my possible "spore" problem? Thanks again, Diana
Hello Diana, Check that there is no dust accumulating above bookcase. This may be a source of the problem. Disinfect with KD. Good luck, Rob
Diana Moore from Moorpark, Ventura County, California, USA asks: Hi Dr. Rob, My aviary sits atop a low, wide bookcase. You had mentioned dust filtering down from the top of the aviary as a possible cause of my problems. I have bought many of your products and Laraine's too, so I am ready. I did find quite a bit of dust on top of the boards (2) which stabalize the open top of the aviary and on the plastic covering (we used the same type as used over lighting in offices it has little squares which let in light and air, I used the KD on all these surfaces and on a ladder on everything not normally cleaned on a regular basis. I have run a few of your treatments as well and I think the birds are improved but not all better. I am using your S76 and KD in the water, with spray of pyrethin. I ran the seed/turbo/e-powder/f-vite and continue this as well as the herbs in bowls which the birds enjoy. I think I want to run a doxycycline/megamix (already ran just Megamix before the doxcycline came) as two of the Goulds are a little better. Still a little dry around the eye and stuck in the molt, the third is always a little worse. They preen a little too much and rub their eyes on the branches (I cleaned all the items in the aviary with KD as well). Is running this treatment a good idea? Thanks so much, I feel we will get there and my birds will be like Laraine's, Diana
Hello Diana, I definitely think a trial treatment of Doxycycline/Megamix is warranted in this situation. Rob
Jeff and Levonne Bell from Illinois asks: Our birds are kept in a Plexiglas aviary. I use corn cob and natural pine bedding which is changed every 10-14 days. Their diet consists of seed, millet, fly larvae, hard boiled eggs, fresh veg's which are offered each day along with a vitamin supplemented water that is changed daily. The vet suggested they may be stressed and we should offer them meat, whatever we are eating for dinner. I have tried that but they really don't seem to care for it. I really don't feel their diet is an issue. One person had told us to remove the wax bills from the aviary, which we did with the exception of one orange cheek. Currently, the pair of Societies that are housed with them have fostered a Gouldian baby and he/she has just left the nest and appears in excellent health. We do use a Spanish Moss in the upper portion of the aviary that is fastened using chicken wire, this is also where the nests are located. Could this be the cause of dust or some other environmental problem? My husband designed and constructed our aviary three years ago and we have not experienced any similar problems until the past six months or so. Any ideas, and thank you for your past response.
Hello Jeff and Lavonne, The Spanish moss, the pine shavings or the corn cob could be the source of both the dust and fungal toxins. Perhaps a new purchase of either of these products is the source, whereas it wasn't a problem in the past. I would remove all three and replace the bedding with newspaper, at least temporarily, completely clean out the aviary for hiding mites, treat the birds with an S76 bath or misting and reassess if the itching and scratching stops. When you remove the bedding look for excessive dust or fungus growth that may have been started by a dripping water bottle. All the Best, Rob
Serge Micheli from Toronto, ON, Canada asks: Hello Rob, I changed the lighting to a bird light on each aviary this past weekend which gives off UVA and UVB rays instead of a regular fluorescent. This morning the birds were fine until these lights came on automatically with the timer and I noticed that they were flighty (very nervous) after this happened but fine when I came in the bird room with the natural light from outside. Once the new lights came on automatically, which is immediate, they became flighty. If I walked near the aviary they became flighty immediately if I moved to fast. Before the lights came on when I first walked in they were much better. I have never seen them this nervous before?
Hello Serge, It's the sudden light, especially the blue light given off by these UVA and UVB tubes which birds see much brighter than we do. You need a dimmer before hand so that the lighting isn't so abrupt. All the Best, Rob
Helen Robinson from England asks: Dear Dr Rob, I have a pair of canaries that are in a room that is at a constant temperature of 18 degrees. I have placed a bird light in their avairy and a Thermo Perch. The hen has just sat a clutch of 3 eggs for exactly 2 weeks then left them. Is the temperature in the room adequate or is this a factor in her leaving the eggs. She has just made another nest. Just to say also a few days after I got this pair the hen started clicking. Searching the internet I found this website and ordered your S76. Absolutely fabulous. It cleared it up in no time and I thought she was a gonna. Thanks
Helen, I believe that 18 degrees Celsius could be a bit low for canaries. I would prefer 20 toward 25. But I am not certain that this is what caused your hen to abandon the nest. If you could raise the temperature up, let's see what happens with her next clutch. All the Best, Rob
Linda Hughes from Rhome, Texas asks: Dr Rob, I know there are two theories about using cedar chips in finch and cockatiel nest boxes. I would like to use cedar chips on the floor of my finch and cockatiel natural flights. What is your thought on it. Linda Hughes
Hello Linda, The only problem that I would expect is mould toxins associated with excessive moisture in chips. Also, be very careful about water from bathing and dripping water bottles keeping the chips moist. All the Best, Rob
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Do you have a question that you have not found an answer for throughout this website or in my FAQ? Use this link to send your question directly to me. Be as specific as possible about the symptom or behavior in question...
Tailai O’Brien is a Parrot Behavior Consultant who has worked along side Dr. Marshall and has developed special regimes for successful bird training and behavioral development. Fill out her Questionnaire so that she may help you with your parrot’s bad behavior.
