The first time I saw the Lady Gouldian Finch it was love at 
first sight. This beautiful finch took my breath away. However, I was warned not to raise this bird because it was temperamental and weak, requiring controlled temperature and humidity. That warning scared me away from this incredible bird for over six years.
I acquired my first Gouldians from my sister who had been raising them outdoors in Southern California for about a year! At that time, I did not have an outdoor aviary, so my first few pairs were housed in my home in Ellenwood, Georgia.
Addictive Hobby
My experience in keeping pet birds dates back to 1984. I started with a pet canary and today have about 25 breeding pairs of Gouldian Finches. At one point I had 56 pair of breeding Gouldians, but have since whittled that down a bit. This hobby is addictive! If you are a newbie, I’m sure that you will soon see exactly what I mean.
I hope through this web site to help others avoid my mistakes and to also provide information which I have gained through trial and error, and the excellent guidance of Dr. Rob Marshall of Sidney, Australia. When I was getting started, very little practical information was available throughout the veterinary community to save a sick finch. Unfortunately, in some parts of the world, this is still the case. Therefore, your best bet is to keep your birds as healthy as possible from the beginning.
Breeders Helping Breeders
The veterinarians which I approached for help (including a major University Veterinary School) when I was getting started, were unable to provide me any information helpful to my birds. I have garnered much of my knowledge from other breeders, which they had gained from still other breeders over the years. It is my belief that only through the exchange of this knowledge can we hope to promote the well being of the Gouldian Finch. My sincere hope with this website is to share as much of this knowledge with every lover of the Gouldian Finch.
Raised in Outdoor Aviary
In 1991, when I brought home 20 pair of Society Finches to use as foster parents, my husband decided that we needed an aviary, since our home was not big enough for 60 plus finches. My first aviary was neither heated nor air-conditioned, so the temperatures varied from 45° to 105° F. The humidity also varied from 45% to 98%. After 10 years in these conditions, we moved to an older home. It was at that point that I decided to bring the birds indoors where I could control the excessively high humidity levels that the birds had been experiencing here in Georgia.
My concern with the humidity levels stems from the fact that the Gouldian Finch comes from a rather arid part of Australia. While it is true that they do experience a wet season in the Northern Territory, this is not a constant, year round. Living here in Georgia, the year round high humidity results in overall dampness and mold growth, which presented mounting problems for my Gouldians as the years progressed.
I still miss that first aviary out in the country, on the lake. But I know that my birds are now much better off with their controlled humidity in the new aviary. Now the humidity level goes from 30% to 45%. I still have no heat or air-conditioning in the new aviary, so the temperatures now extend from 60°F in the dead of winter to 95°F in the middle of the summer.
There have been several times when I have contemplated moving some of them back outdoors, but right now I am not quite ready to take that step.
Unquenchable Interest
The Gouldian Finch has been my passion and specialty for over 20 years. I hope thru this website to share this passion and the knowledge that I have gained with anyone who asks.
