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Post by indobird on Nov 25, 2009 20:39:13 GMT 10
Hello,
I'm new to Aussiebirds, newly living in Jakarta, and new to keeping an aviary. I'm only keeping very small birds. My largest are a pair of blue crowned hanging parrots. They're about 5 inches tall, really cute. Of course I would think that!
I hope to learn a lot from this site. I'm having problems already with my gouldian finches. I bought two pairs but one pair died within days of bringing them home. I don't know why. Are they hard to keep?
My other pair seem healthy and happy but it's only been a month so I'm very worried they might suddenly die as well.
Everyone else seems fine. I have some sunbirds, hummingbirds, pin-tailed parrot finches, nuthatches, etc. seventeen birds, all in pairs, except one java munia whose mate escaped the first day. I would have replaced her but he seems to have settled down with a pair of sparrows and I don't know if he's a male or female so I wouldn't know what to get for him anyway.
I will try to upload pictures if anyone is interested but I'm finding it a little difficult getting good photos as I have several trees in the aviary and they tend to hide in the branches or sit up at the top, which is about 12 feet up. I've tried photographing my hanging parrots hanging but I didn't get a very clear photo. Their hanging scared the heck out of me the first time I found them doing it. I thought they were dead.
Anyway, I don't have anyone here who shares my passion for birds so I was very excited to discover this site.
Susan
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Post by robert on Nov 25, 2009 20:52:32 GMT 10
Welcome Indobird to Aussiebirds. I am Glad that you have found us.
from Robert and Precious
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Post by silvercloud on Nov 25, 2009 21:50:34 GMT 10
Hi and welcome. You have a wonderful collection of birds. Yes gouldians can be quite difficult at times and can drop dead with no apparent reason. We'd love to see some pics sometime. ;D
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Post by indobird on Nov 25, 2009 23:21:58 GMT 10
Thanks for your kind greetings. I guess I'm relieved that I'm not the only one who's had bad luck with gouldians but I really hope my surviving pair makes it. They are really so sweet, affectionate with each other and friendly with me, especially the male.
I caught one of my hanging parrots nipping the gouldies today. She stopped immediately when I scolded her but obviously I can't be around all the time. There are two favored perches all the birds compete for, at the tops of the two highest trees. The gouldies were sitting between the parrot and her mate so hopefully her annoyance was specific to the situation and not a more pervasive aggression.
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Post by indobird on Nov 25, 2009 23:59:40 GMT 10
Robert,
Thank you for all the links. They make fascinating reading. I was thrilled to see someone with java finches - I call them sparrows - that look just like mine.
I have one who can't fly. She was like that when I brought her home. I feel sorry for her and keep hoping she will fly eventually but I also hope her life is still better in the aviary than the tiny cage in the market where I bought her. She has her food on the ground and I've put a little house down for her as well, though honestly she never uses it. The other birds often fly down to eat with her so she's not completely isolated socially, though obviously it's not the life I'd wish for her. I feel sorry for her when I catch her watching the other birds swooping around. However, she's safe and well-fed so it could be worse.
Since reading one of the articles you linked, Robert, I'm wondering if she would be happier if I took her out of the aviary and tried to tame her. The problem is that she's full-grown and the article said that it's impossible to tame adult birds. Still I wonder if my companionship would be better than the occasional visits from her airborne friends. On the other hand, she's settled and I wouldn't want to distress her.
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Post by robert on Nov 26, 2009 13:19:55 GMT 10
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Post by meandem on Nov 26, 2009 14:09:47 GMT 10
Welcome, what a collection. I too, would love to see some pics.  |
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Post by sypher on Nov 27, 2009 19:54:53 GMT 10
Welcome! I am sure you will find it a great place to find what you are looking for!
Shaun
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Post by Robyn on Nov 28, 2009 10:30:23 GMT 10
Hi there & welcome, Gouldian Finches are called the heart break finch up where i live.
I think it might be because they don't much like the wet coast. They do better in dry conditions.
Robyn.
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Post by indobird on Nov 30, 2009 10:33:04 GMT 10
Hi,
Thanks for thinking of me with regard to taming my sparrow, Robert.
So, I had a terrible weekend. My male gouldian was sick all weekend. I took him out of the aviary to try to give him some peace and quiet. He ate and drank all weekend but he was wobbly and puffed up. Even his little wings were drooping. It was awful.
This morning I found him dead in the cage. I knew it was coming. He is the third gouldie I have lost. None of my other birds have died. I feel terrible about the gouldies. I thought I was giving them a better life in my aviary but obviously I am doing something wrong.
Now I do not know what to do with my last gouldie. She was inseparable from the one who died, though they were only together a month, as all the birds are new. But they snuggled constantly and were always together in the trees. I cannot decide whether to get her a new mate, because she will be miserable alone, or whether that would just put one more bird in jeopardy. I have lost three gouldies and no other birds.
Jakarta is very wet and it is the rainy season. Though two-thirds of the aviary has a roof, it is humid. Maybe that is the problem but it makes me wonder how they survive in the depressingly small, overcrowded, cages in the market.
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Post by Robyn on Nov 30, 2009 13:38:20 GMT 10
That's sad indobird, but i would not buy anymore from the markets the fact that these little beauties are in over crowded cages in the first place would tell me that the birds are not healthy. Plus the weather conditions certainly wouldn't help. Wait till the rains stop & then look for a breeder to buy another one from. But i would wait to see if the last one survives.
Robyn.
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