Moulting/molting: 3 Easy Tips to help your bird moult

Hi everyone, sorry for the relatively long hiatus - like most goldfinches, Leporello is moulting at the moment and a bit more tired than usual. So I thought I'd make a video on how to best help your feathered friend through this exhausting time of feather-changing!
If you found this video helpful, please leave a like and a comment, and subscribe for more videos every other Sunday. See you!
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Clip holder for cucumber and other vegetables (as shown in video): amzn.to/2BwMZKa
Eggfood for birds: amzn.to/2N65F59
Breeder-approved bird multivitamin: amzn.to/2LdnUUi
Gear used in making this video:
Camera & desk tripod: Panasonic HC-V180 HD amzn.to/2MlKxeN
Large tripod: AmazonBasics 60-Inch Lightweight Tripod amzn.to/2waxXnE
Lighting: Neewer 700W Softbox amzn.to/2LaXP8g
Disclosure: This description contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission - which supports this channel and allows me to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!
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Leporello the Goldfinch, 2017

[@mairylou8663]

Very helpful. Leporello is as handsome as always!!

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Thank you, Mairy Lou! :D

[@anaa9626]

My mom loves finches and I love parrots (we have 2 budgies) so now I just fell in love with this finch!

[@saleemshezad5644]

i love you

[@arielfernandez6358]

@@saleemshezad5644 ????........

[@saleemshezad5644]

@@arielfernandez6358 yes sure

[@VIFOTECStudio]

I like your explanation

[@marilynroberts9490]

Thank you for the well laid out video! Easy to follow, again Thanks!

[@danabinghammclaughlin919]

Writer here, been researching some stuff about molting for a thing I'm working on and this is a godsend. So succinct! Concrete advice! Yay!!

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Thank you, I've had a really bad day and this cheered me up! Glad to be of help!

[@jarrodeville]

Thanks for this. My Zebra finch started moulting last night and I was worried he may have been getting sick. I'll be sure introduce the slice of cucumber. Thanks again.

[@thel.a.texmexlady9637]

Thank you so much for posting this vital information.

[@paindemie5491]

How adorable! Thank you for the info and i find your voice really soothing. Subscribed!

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Thank you! Welcome to the community.

[@user-lp5vy7pf7e]

iam so proud of you...you are dialectical 💖

[@farhana1790]

This is really helpful thank you so much !

[@kennybonett1133]

interesting information as always thanks

[@ann-lc7ve]

Thank you, lovely video!

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Thanks, happy to help! :)

[@cherifabnb7945]

Thank you this is really helpful 😊

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Great, my pleasure! :)

[@InfrastructuraRomania]

Very interesting! Greetings from Bucharest Romania!

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Guys, thank you so much for all your love. Life has got in the way of making videos lately, but it appears that a 1,000 subscriber special is due. Leporello and I are working on one. Going to post it this Sunday. Stay tuned! 👍

[@conflicted_contortionist5209]

I love how interactive you are with us

[@joemicallef1008]

Hope Leporello is still around ! From your sweet videos I noticed that the bird needed to have his nails clipped Thanks for the informative and relaxing videos

[@hn_capone8475]

Brilliant video amazing once again

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Thanks, always happy to see you around! :)

[@hn_capone8475]

Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks leprello still looks beautyful 😚

[@regal_cat]

And my bird was moulting I gave her protein Thx for posting the video ^¬^

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

You're welcome! Consistency is key - a bit of protein (no more than 1/4 of total food) every day over a few weeks is better than lots at once. Thanks for watching!

[@Elias-ib6eh]

Many thanks ! Great tips Leop. looks cute and well discplined My goldfinch is currently passing in a moulting period. Multi-vit. is doing a great job. I usually use muta-vit product from versele laga.

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

My pleasure! I agree, Versele Laga are generally excellent, their vitamins as well as their birdfeed. Hope your little one gets through moulting season well!

[@Elias-ib6eh]

many thanks and I wish that leop. stays in good health. I named my goldfinch "ROMEO" - well looks a bit tired but will get out of this spiral soon best :))

[@ssk9361]

i love your caring for animals , you're an angel coming from heaven😇😍 you should have wings too ^^!!

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

That's so sweet! I'm just doing my humble part.

[@emachimia]

Your videos are very helpful. I was getting worried about Ciàula stopping singing, getting so quiet and starting scratching himself. I noticed that he was loosing some plumage, but I was assuming that it was too early to start moulting. I eventually found an answer on the timing from the UK geographic zone, that I am pleased to share with you. It could make sense to analyze, if these results are confirmed at different latitudes, as European Goldfinches are at home in a geographic area that spans from Maghreb to Russia and India. Timing and duration of moult in adult European Goldfinches In summary, based on PMS, which was judged as giving the most reliable estimates, 95% of adults started moulting between 13 July and 16 August, with a mean start date of 30 July. The mean duration of primary moult was 77 days (se = ± 4 days), with no significant difference in these respects between the sexes. All body and tail feathers were moulted within the period of primary moult, but moult of the secondary flight feathers continued for up to about another 15 days beyond the end of primary moult. www.researchgate.net/publication/249062728_Timing_and_duration_of_moult_in_adult_European_Goldfinches www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00063650902792031 Ciàula likes just wild food. I have to collect thistles, larch cones from the forest and now rapeseed plants. He ignores boiled eggs and cucumbers. I fear that he will ignore the protein products from the pet shop as well. I bought some green peas powder, it has a high protein content and I could mix it with wild seeds. He gets plenty of water to bathe. I do not know, if I should add some products (distilled vinegar?) to help him against hitching. The problem is that he drinks the water he is bathing in and I do not have the time to replace the water more than once per day. Some breeders spray their birds with a vinegar-water solution. Vinegar disinfects (the low pH is a well know antibacterial and antiparassitic agent) and apparently helps digestion. I am worried about the vinegar possibly harming the eyes.

[@Serel25]

Do you have any advice on preventing and treating mite?

[@abdelhalimchouli7531]

Welcome back ❤ ... Can you do videos on how to breed goldfinches easily ?

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Hi there! As you know, there's no way to bread goldfinches easily 😂 This channel is about keeping goldfinches as companion pets and friends, not breeding stock. But there's a channel named Goldfinch Fans which has good videos about breeding, I believe. Hope this helps!

[@abdelhalimchouli7531]

Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks thx a lot ^^ keep it up

[@regiloginghello3145]

Hi can i treat any singing birds with these tips.

[@notorious7074]

Beautiful video! You’re a great commentator!

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Thank you! Scripting definitely helps :D

[@notorious7074]

Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks You’re welcome. Nice feather collection by the way!

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Cheers! The feather collecting has practical value, by the way. Birds usually moult in a certain order: body/downy feathers from back to front, wing feathers from smallest to largest, finally tail feathers. So if, for example, you start finding more tail feathers than any others, this is a sign that your bird isn't moulting properly and you need to make adjustments to lighting and nutrition. The more you know!

[@notorious7074]

Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks Awesome! Most owners collect feathers for fun, but that’s pretty amazing!

[@Blazemalta]

Glad to see Leporello again.. yes its moulting time and in a few weeks little Leppi will be back to his charming self again... Kal's red mask is coming out at a quite fast pace but it still has a long way to go. At the moment it looks orangey.. hope it turns into a nice 'Ruby red'. Are dandelion leaves good for Goldfinches? I boil an egg for myself and give a bit to Kal instead of that egg food you mentioned.. He eats both the white part of the egg and the yolk.. are they both good for him? Hope to see more interesting vids.. nice day... -Kev.

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Heeyyy! Glad to hear Kal is doing well, how about Gigi? Kal's mask coming out orange is normal - the red colour takes a few weeks to build up in the feathers, this is natural. Dandelion leaves, I honestly don't know - some dandelion species have this milk juice that is toxic, don't they? Then again, the kind that one would eat for salad (rucola?) should probably be fine. Chickweed is really good, if you manage to find it - you can also dig up some and take it home in a flower pot, and it will fill the entire pot in no time. Nice job on the egg, yes, both parts of the egg are good for your birds, if they take them! Many birds only like the yolk, which is richer in fat and nutrients, but the white part, which is almost pure protein, is good, too. (By the by, just the other day someone pointed out that there is a message feature, and I finally saw and replied to your message from a few months ago - YT seems to not send out notifications for those, sorry again!)

[@Blazemalta]

Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks I gave Gigi to my cousin who is a bird enthusiast. My mum looked after Kal when I was abroad.. and my cousin Gigi with the plan that I see his condition when I get back and if all looks good I'll tell him to keep him (or her). All was good when I got back so I told him to keep him. Saw a few in London flying by.. recognised their calls. No photo opportunities though. I remember that when I had an iguana it was always mentioned on books that dandelion greens are a good source of calcium and minerals. Yes I did send you a mail a while back but checking my messages on YT I can't see yours. Kal is getting really tame. Such a difference when you try to tame a young one. They're used to being fed by their parents so they accept us providing for them more easily. Going to subscribe to your channel using my wife's mobile.. all add up don't they!!

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

...bird enthusiast, I presume?

[@Blazemalta]

Helllo Again.. I'm so happy. I'm so happy. I'm making giant steps with my Goldie. When I am letting him out of his cage to fly around the room, he always lands back on his cage. Even if on rare occasions he does land somewhere else it will be brief, and he will return to the top of his cage in less then a minute. That is a really good sign and a lot and a lot easier to handle rather then him going to the other side of the room. He flies two or three times around the room, and returns to his cage that I keep an arms length away from me. My dream has come true.. a tame male Goldie!! He is not singing like an adult yet since he is still a juvenile, but we're getting there :) Thanks for your vids.. I learnt a lot from them. Nice day !!

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Heeeey! That is so awesome to hear!! Felicitations on your taming success :) Goldie is obviously recognising the cage as his safe zone, which is so vital in building trust. It also seems as if you're doing a really good job of building rapport, seeing as he's comfortable when you're nearby. Nice! You'll probably know this already, but male goldfinches tend to have a window in which they learn 80-90% of their final song - which is in the first year of their life. If you want Goldie to be a great singer, one should play him videos of goldfinch songs you like; he'll pick and memorise the phrases over time. As he gets older, you may even hear him practising some chirps in his sleep. :)

[@nealkentsley3025]

Three very good com and use fullneal germeny

[@HurryUpOfficial]

Hi..i have one pair of zebra finch bird but finch bird not laying eggs..what i do? Kindly tell me

[@anorhanono440]

Hey there, again! I have an urgent question on molting? As you know from my previous plea, I have two gouldian finches, Dulce and Zeca, being the first the female one and the latter the male finch. Both have been molting for nearly a month now, and just yesterday I found out Dulce had so many fewer feathers on her right wing! It came to my attention when I noticed a speck of blood on the perches after I woke up. She had some issues in her first months with us where she would beak her own paw, sometimes bleeding a little. It had stopped for quite a while, and this incident led me to believe she went back to doing just that. Turns out she plucked some of her wing feathers on her own, and I'm afraid this might be unnatural, given she can't fly properly anymore?

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

This _is_ unnatural. Please take your birds (both of them) to the nearest vet immediately, preferably one with an avian training. Birds hide their illnesses until very severe, so doing this quickly is of the essence! Let me know how it goes!

[@beepbeep9043]

make sure you go to an avian vet and not just a regular vet. i had to go to a regular vet for an emergency treatment and the level of care between the emergency and the avian vet was night and day. in fact the treatment at the emergency was so bad she ended up getting worse bc they gave me meds in syringes that were way too large for her mouth and didnt explain thoroughly how to administer it and it was my first time giving meds so I didn’t know any better. she ended up getting barely any of the medications and ended up with a bad infection in her foot and losing use of it. they also charged at least 50 percent more than the regular vet and wanted to do unnecessary sedation and xrays and when i went to avian vet for the same issue they didnt need to do any of it and were confused why the emerg vet wanted to. so definitely try to get into an avian vet. is it possible something in your birds environment is causing them stress? Not having enough stimulation?Fighting over toys and perches? Cage is too small? Not having a good diet? Fighting with the other bird? Hope you can figure it out and that your bird will be ok!

[@flowerrain2402]

HELLO! I love your videos ssooo much,, miss you and I watched all your videos. I wanted to ask something, can I give cucumbers to my canary?

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Hi there, long time no see! Yes, not only can you give cucumbers to your canary, you should - they are full of minerals and are a great food for your bird!

[@sanjai.r7574]

My parrot molting many features it can help my bird

[@khalilboussaha3061]

How many times in a week i need to use vcombex ?

[@silverbushb448]

I never knew that about cucumbers....interesting. I assume they're likewise especially nutritent-dense for Budgies, too...?? Thanks :-)

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

That's right, budgies will profit from cucumbers, too! :)

[@stingray1307]

First time follower I like to buy a Mediterranean goldfinch any feedback where to buy it ,leave on Tampa Florida.thnks

[@bahibak0000]

Is it good to give the goldfinch grapes because i hear that make them diarrhea Actually they told me don’t give them cucumber or grapes and I was surprised to see that you give them cucumber!!!! Thanks

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Who told you that?! Grapes are bad for seed-eating birds, they are much too sugary. Cucumber on the other hand is not only fine but helpful.

[@rebeccawelsch9112]

My cockatiel is molting right now. 11/7/2019, 3:56 p.m.

[@honeylamb23]

Thank you for this helpful video! Leporello is utterly Mozartian and charming. :) I did not know about cucumber containing essential nutrients; I now give my canary a slice of cucumber daily, and it perks him up immediately! I have a request: would you consider making a video on how to equip and sanitize a cage? I notice you use a substrate other than a cage grate and newspapers (is it wood chips?) What sort of substrate is suitable for a small bird, and how do you clean? Thank you!

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Hi there Sara! Thank you for your kind words, I'm happy to hear your canary is enjoying his cucumber! :) Yes, you are right, the substrate is beech wood chips, which you can buy at your local pet shop (shops selling terrarium equipment often have them, too). I've found it's the most natural and efficient substrate, as it's oil- as well as dust-free, so safe for birds. Newspapers are often printed with toxic ink, and the fumes can irritate a bird's sensitive airways; if you want to put paper in your bird's cage, I recommend going with blank paper or paper towels. As for cleaning, there isn't much to say, once a week I wipe down the cage bars and perches with hot water, clean the plastic bottom in the shower with hot water and soap, dry everything with a towel, and completely replace the substrate. That's it! That said, the water dispenser and food bowls I clean and replace every morning. I have three or four food bowls/water dispensers in rotation, so that the old, washed one can dry properly for a few days. The reason why 48hrs of drying is recommended is because bacteria, especially trichomonads, can grow in the microscopic cracks in the plastic, and they can cause severe crop infections in birds which can be deadly. These bacteria only thrive in water, so if you leave a water bowl/dispenser to dry for two days, you'll likely never run into problems with trichomonads. If your cage is smaller than the one in the video, you may have to clean it more than once a week. Just go with your instincts and by your nose, it'll usually be right! :)

[@honeylamb23]

So very helpful! Thank you for your detailed reply, especially for the info on trichomonads in food/water containers. Your channel is an invaluable resource!

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

My pleasure! :)

[@duniahobby5927]

I have white green orange yelow colour canary

[@thesilentmothtrapper4373]

Do you give him soft bill mixture.?

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Definitely not! Finches are seed and grain eaters. Soft bill mixtures are way too sugary for them and don't meet finches' needs. Leporello's food consists of 1/2 forest bird feed, 1/2 goldfinch feed, supplemented with seasonal grasses, thistles, lamb's lettuce, cucumber, and bits of whatever non-citrus fruit I am eating (though he doesn't like most fruit).

[@birbistheword9973]

I don’t have a goldfinch or canary but I’m watching this. I need tips for my molting cockatiel. He is really grumpy and aggressive during molting. He has a whole lot of pin feathers on his head. What can I do? And by the way, my bird doesn’t trust me enough to let me rub of the sheaths.

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

I can relate - Leporello is going through a similar thing. The problem with pin feathers is that they are quite painful, which generally makes birds grumpy. Unfortunately, the only one who could something about it would be another bird. Their beaks are the only thing that's equipped to gently deal with pin feathers. That said, if your bird is on his own, he will lose the feather shafts on his own accord after a few days or weeks, it'll just take a little longer. In the meantime, it is important to take care he eats and sleeps well. Hope this helps!

[@duniahobby5927]

I want to have a bird like that

[@hieptruong5664]

Thanks for your tips Could you please help to advise me on the take of the shama bird? The situation of the bird problem is related to the tail, it didn't grow after molting season. The historical is "during taking the shama bird, I forgot to close the door on the birdcage, thus he throughout the cage and escape to the outside. Then he goes to the other birdcage and enters the top of the cage, unfortunately, he was stuck between the birdcage and the cloth cover and he could not get out. At that time another bird inside the cage attacked him. So that one of main tail has dropped (the longest tail). When I found out and intervened, it was all over => The result is the bird gets panic and loses the longest feather. Unfortunately once again he was escaped on my hand and flight to the outside, then perched on a tree branch to calm down and singing. I tried to catch him but cannot, until the next day morning I have catch him by a bird trap with many worm meal. ( We may calling is people die for money, birds die for bait.)... After welcoming him back home, I tried to take care of him carefully with full foods like the worm, crickets, locusts, bird bran... and quiet rest. Just like that for a week, he started singing. So, I'm very happy when my pet regained the form. But life is not an as good dream, unstill the molting season comes. Unfortunately, once again the failed tail (the longest tail that failed while the 2 birds fighting) can not be gowned up, even though I was carefully taken care of him. With two molting times but the broken tail still doesn't grow back. This thing is made me very sad. Life would be very boring without a pet and a bird lacks up a long tail. With this situation, could you please help to advise me "How do tail feathers grow back?" I highly appreciate your help! Thank you, Hiep This is my best shama bird that I take care of him within 05 years ago. And I have brought him to the birds singing contest many times, he also gets many awards for me Here is the current video that he has sung a little bit with a "happy birthday" song, this sound is I taught him: kzbin.info/www/bejne/joLRmZureLCVbMk And here is the video of his is his natural sound kzbin.info/www/bejne/hGPboZyMqLB_b5Y

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Since the tail feathers haven't grown back in two moulting seasons, it is time to take the bird to a good avian vet. Only a trained doctor can help you at this point.

[@hieptruong5664]

Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks: thank you for your recommend, Actually in our country is doesn’t have the trained doctor for treating bird singing. Only have the trained doctor for treating the poultry, cattle. Hope in the future the long feather will be grow up

[@lightofeyezz]

1. Nutrition (fresh food, vitamins, protein) 2. Rest 3. Bathing

[@saghirafridi4022]

How start my lark bird moulting any vitmins farmula

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Bondulance dispatched

[@otaku-chan3875]

I have an question my budgie doesn't clean his feathers there really dirty his active and not sick but why is he not cleaning. please tell and my budgies don't take bath please answer m

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Does your budgie live alone? Budgies have a strong flock drive, they need another of their kind. They often let themselves go when they're alone and it's a serious warning sign. Two budgies will also preen one another.

[@otaku-chan3875]

@@leporellothegoldfinch Thank YOU so much for answering and my budgie is not alone and his a male, I have 16 budgies and I even brought female for him but he doesn't sing to anyone and just play with toys and tell me to clean his head . He doesn't get along with other budgies mybe his too attached with me and tell me to clean his feathers( but how am I serposed to clean his feathers )he doesn't like water as well he just runs away if I'm trying to clean him with shower. He even mate with me😶

[@ahmadshah7317]

My canary is molting from last three months what should I do I am so faster ted with it because I want to listen his melodies singing plz help me

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Provide good food and appropriate lighting.

[@inkyagi6060]

Is warm water bathing more beneficial than room temp?

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

I've heard the opposite - that lukewarm is best because warm water can strip the feathers of too much natural oil.

[@inkyagi6060]

@@leporellothegoldfinch thank you!

[@hotaruishere2133]

Why do birds get tired during moulting? Do they have to consciously make their feathers fall out somehow? Or are they actually just irritable because the pointedness of their feathers are uncomfortable/painful/scratchy?

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Feathers grow from the inside of the skin to the outside and are encased in a hard shell when they do. At the base, feathers are also lined with nerves. So yes, moulting _is_ intensely uncomfortable, and possibly even painful. You can tell that it must also itch a lot by the sudden increased preening efforts. Google "anatomy of a bird", and you'll see that all the fluffiness we love about birds is largely feathery bulk. Birds' bodies are tiny and frail, and feathers are a kind of armour against the elements. It takes a huge amount of energy to grow it. Moreover, growing feathers depletes the bird's body of nutrients, especially of minerals and protein, because these are the substances that feathers are made of. Just like with a car or with human nutrition, this process only works when there's enough raw material/fuel to make these things. This is why a balanced diet is absolutely essential during the moulting period. Birds that are fed wrongly will develop holes/deformations in their feathers or stop moulting altogether for an entire year, which often renders them unable to fly and will weaken them even more when the next moult _does_ roll around.

[@samsar785]

Madam is there any medicine or essential oil to keep the feather colours of Gouldian bright and attractive?

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Hi there, the best thing for bright and attractive feathers are a balanced, nutritious diet, daily free flight and enough light (supplemented by a special bird lamp, if necessary).

[@yaakine]

hey. can you make same videos in franche language. for large diffusion. your videos are very helpful. thank you.

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Hi there, thanks, unfortunately my French is not good enough. But I could add a Spanish translation if enough people are interested and if that would help.

[@yaakine]

+Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks : Esp? sure it help, but not me :)

[@duniahobby5927]

Good birds but in Indonesia not exsit in pet shop doninan canary or gold amadine

[@mouradtahraoui1497]

So sorry some people said that cucumber can harm birds by causing diarrhea. Is it true?

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

No problem, nope, it's not true - cucumbers are good for birds!

[@Hussainzidane]

I used to feed my two canaries cucumber everyday beside their other food but someone told me it’s not good, it would give them diarrhea. What do you think about that?

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Many people wrongly believe that. It's true that fresh food such as salad or cucumber causes canaries' droppings to temporarily become more fluid than usual. This is perfectly normal and has nothing to do with diarrhoea! It's the same as with humans - if someone eats watermelon, cucumber etc. or drinks lots of water, they'll be headed to the bathroom soon because the body strives to preserve the correct fluid balance. Unlike mammals, birds only have one "exit channel", so their droppings temporarily become more fluid when they've ingested cucumber or other water-rich foods. As long as your birds have access to their regular food (dry seeds) and bird grit, nothing bad can happen from feeding them thoroughly-washed cucumber. Note: Diarrhoea in birds is actually a life-threatening condition, so if you're not feeding fresh food and it occurs, especially when the bird is apathetic and fluffed-up, one should see a vet right away. Due to a bird's metabolism being so fast, the electrolyte loss which occurs in diarrhoea can quickly kill a bird. It is caused not by fresh greens but by bacteria, and especially leafy salad fertilised with manure can sometimes contain traces of such bacteria. I suppose this is part of the reason why some bird owners are so afraid of feeding their bird fresh greens. - That said, this goes mostly for leafy salads such as lettuce, so as long as you wash your bird's fresh food thoroughly, nothing bad will happen. Contrarily, fresh greens, especially cucumber, contain a great number of minerals and vitamins not available to your bird in dry food, and feeding your birds a balanced diet supplemented with greens will keep them healthy for a long time.

[@mrgajiyer4296]

Would misting be okay?

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

It depends - many birds panic when being misted by a spray bottle. If your bird likes it, however, then there's nothing against it! Just make sure to never mist a bird when they're in a cage, always do it during their free flight.

[@alaaafaneh3926]

Hello there!=D I would like to thank you so much for all your efforts in making these amazing videos, they are really well done and they help alot.

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Hello Petra, lovely to hear that you're finding this channel helpful, and also that you love goldfinches so much! Congratulations on your flock, by the way :) If you spend the majority of your day away from home, I strongly recommend that you keep goldfinches in pairs. The reason for this is that goldfinches have the intelligence of a 3-4 year-old human child, and they will suffer tremendously if they don't get any mental stimulation! Psychologically happy birds are both much easier to keep healthy physically as well as to tame. It is very hard to tame a goldfinch that isn't used to any kind of interaction (human or from other birds) at all. Also, goldfinches are most active in the mornings, so if you spend your mornings away from home (which is when they require the most interaction due to their biological clock), by all means, please do keep them with company! Here is a detailed explanation of a goldfinch's biorhythm: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z2exdIyCm8-qbdE Likewise, if you were to stay at home during the morning and only left the house in the afternoon, it wouldn't be as bad to leave them alone, as they are naturally inclined to rest in the early evening, anyway. Hope this helps! :)

[@alaaafaneh3926]

Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks Hallo! Danke sehr sehr schön für deine antwort :D Ich lerne Deutsch auch, also Ich liebe deutsche sprache! I just noticed that you speak german in one of your videos:D Thanks again pretty girl

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Das freut mich, gern geschehen! 👍 Yes, I am from Austria :) All the best, let us know how it's going with taming your goldfinches! 🙂

[@alaaafaneh3926]

Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks Ich war in Österreich vor zwei monaten! sehr schönes Land :D

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Oh, wie nett! :) Freut mich, daß es Dir gefallen hat!

[@chinmayhebli4129]

my untamed zebra finch plays very well n looks happy when nobody is closer to the cage..but when i put my hand inside the cage he freaks out..What should i do to tame him?

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Never, ever put your hand in your bird's cage. Your bird freaks out because he is a flight animal. He thinks you're a predator that's going to kill him in a spot where there is no way out. Always tame your bird with your hand outside of the cage.

[@chinmayhebli4129]

Leporello the Goldfinch - Birdtaming Tips & Tricks I am not just bird keeper bt a bird lover too.. I have kept birds in past..I know when they feel insecure..I just put my hand inside to change the water and food dishes..😅I appreciate your advice..Will try to be as gentle as possible.

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Oh, that's nice to hear. If it helps, you can get food bowls and water dispensers that clip on outside the cage. Depending on the make of your cage, you might have to put food bowls inside... but water dispensers (the clear plastic tube kind) work with any cage. Bonus, the don't get nearly as dirty as water bowls. Here's a video you might find helpful for your zebra finch: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mojIoHSpd8mCfNE

[@Mabaz]

Hello there! My canary is moulting out of season! Is that normal? what should I do? please help & thank you.

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Hi there, oof! Did your canary moult last autumn? If not, then the moult is simply delayed and it's not big of a problem. If your canary already moulted late last year, then the reason is likely to be one of the following: 1) Too much/too little light (i. e. less or more light than the seasonal natural sunlight hours). 2) Stress. Sources of stress include moving, being handled without being properly tame and sudden changes in environment (new furniture?). 3) Too plain a diet. If you were only feeding your canary regular canary seed mix, now's a good time to think about investing in good quality feed + lots of bird-safe vegetables. Since your canary is moulting, it's absolutely paramount to provide a slice of cucumber and a source of protein daily. Both will help your bird get through this difficult time a little more easily. Also as mentioned in the video, letting your bird rest a bit more these days is a good idea, too. Hope this helps!

[@Mabaz]

I don't know if my canary moulted last autumn. It was gifted to me and when I asked for its age, I was told it was less than 6 months. There should be no reason for stress as it is given royal treatment. No new furniture to be seen either. The diet is varied and I give it treats at least once every two days. It might be a light problem! I usually extend its light exposure by 1 hour after sunset, then I change the light to a dim one for 10 to 20 min before turning the lights off. Could that be the issue? It started moulting in February, which is about the end of winter here where I live. Spring is starting and that's when I realised that my canary is moulting too late! Thank you for the help, I'll give it eggs more often and cucumber slices everyday!

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Awesome! Yes, light is a huge factor and birds are incredibly sensitive. A couple of autumns ago, when I temporarily let slip the habit of getting up with the sunrise and Leporello received 1-2 hours of sunlight less due to my not opening the blinds at the crack of dawn, he stopped (!) moulting halfway and didn't moult properly until a whole year afterwards. The lesson I learnt: These little creatures are still much more in touch with nature than we humans, and a seemingly small change can be huge for them. If you're extending the light every day, it might be that your canary's hormonal clock thinks it's late summer... which in nature would be the time to moult. All that said, if your canary is a youngster, there may not be any problem after all - in finches, the first juvenile moult generally takes place whenever. It's still a good idea to keep artificial light/dark times as closely in sync with natural sunrise/sunset, though - that way, your canary will have its first adult moult naturally in late summer/autumn next time around.

[@Mabaz]

This should be indeed its first juvenile moult! Alright, I feel much better now. Thank you very much! I will try to manage light in a more responsible and natural way from now on.

[@Mabaz]

Hello Again! I just managed to let my bird out for the first time. I secured the room and everything, but the thing I didn't expect is that...my bird doesn't know how to fly! I'm lost! What can I do to teach it how to fly? I'll be letting it out every other day. What else can I do? also, he doesn't seem to know how to get back into the cage.

[@syedzulfiqar8109]

What should i do for the face of my gold finch His face colour turns yellow from the red is there any way to get my goldfinch red face back

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Hey, don't worry, this is normal! Goldfinches replace all of their feathers once a year. The red feathers grow back in an orange colour at first, because the red pigment has to accumulate over a couple of months. If you feed your goldfinch a slice of cucumber every day and (some) egg food every other day, you can help him get a red mask more quickly.

[@syedzulfiqar8109]

The place where I live ( egg food or protein vitamin) are not available Can I give him boiled eggs in the summer

[@syedzulfiqar8109]

I have a few himalian gold finch also which is a little bit different from the normal gold finch after there periods they also change the color of their mask into yellow and never turn into red again

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Hi, the process for red feathers is the same in many birds (including flamingos!!), so don't worry, the red mask _will_ grow in by spring with a good diet (goldfinch mix, wild seeds, dark greens like lamb's lettuce and wild grasses). Egg food is widely available at pet shops and bird breeders, but if you really can't find it, boiled egg works just as well. Just make sure to boil it without any salt! Hope this helps.

[@syedzulfiqar8109]

Thanks a lot for helping me with your great experience I will apply all this things that you said and I will inform you the status of the bird soon Thanks 😇

[@testtest-yx4cc]

My bird doesnt take bath by itself. What should I do ?

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Good question. Simply keep patient and keep offering a bath daily. Leporello took several months to take a proper, daily bath and three years (!) to plunge in fully as opposed to merely dipping his head in - so you see, it can sometimes take a while. but birds will bathe eventually when they need to!

[@PhoenixVEM]

Is it common for Egf to not sing while molting?

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Yes, almost all birds don't sing during the moult, that's perfectly normal!

[@PhoenixVEM]

Thank you so much!! I miss his pretty voice!!

[@PriyankaRapolu]

Hey, I have a question, my cockatiel is one and half year old male. This is the first time I have seen him shedding so many feathers like 30+ only for a day. I saw no feathers shedding the day after. Is this also considered MOLTING? He looks a bit feverish and feet are warmer than usual. But he is pretty active. Coz it's only one day that I have seen him shedding feathers. We don't have good vets near by and I'm concerned. 😔

[@swiftiebee13]

Sorry, I don’t know. I have a budgie and there is feathers EVERYWHERE. Been happening for the last 4 days though, so I don’t know how I can help :(

[@PriyankaRapolu]

@@swiftiebee13 hi, that's normal for them to lose that many! U just give him/her some comfort and feed calcium, protein rich foods. Ex: carrots, sweet potato, kale, cilantro, one or two peanuts a day! And daily spray baths may help him. And always use fresh food and water! He should be ok! Happy molting 😊

[@swiftiebee13]

Priyanka Rapolu thank you so much! I’ll be sure to offer him some of that, but I will have to ask mum to go down to the store, we don’t have much of that.again, thank you!

[@PriyankaRapolu]

@@swiftiebee13 if you get any multivitamin drops, you can add that(according to the instructions) to his fresh food or fresh water. DON'T FORGET to change them(food once and water twice a day) daily as it might attract bacteria. And if you get cuttle bone or mineral block, u can give it to him as well.. hope it might help!

[@swiftiebee13]

Priyanka Rapolu I have cuttlebone for him, but he doesn’t eat it :

[@aliseena3916]

Feeding boiled eggs on regular basis might get dangerous too, Its too much fate don't you think?

[@Mad_Seng455]

его любимое лакомство это семечки так ещё и мою еду ворует со стола

[@borbytheborby7572]

My bird don't want to take a bath My bird doesn't like to eat cucumbers My county doesn't have those bird protein stuff please help

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

What bird do you have and what country do you live in?

[@danmemento7220]

What's on her ankle

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

A closed ring, which are mandatory in the EU. They can only be put on during the first days of a bird's life and prove that the bird wasn't caught in the wild (illegal), but bred in captivity (legal).

[@ycylchgames]

My finch is molting and is sick, I'm so concerned about her :-(

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Take her to an avian vet right away!

[@thegreatest1176]

I got a canary just today and i was tolled that he was going through molting, is it normal for him to not sing and just rest?

[@iiremkiiper8172]

My bird is being bald for such a very long time

[@aliyer6596]

Sorry but given cucumbers every day to canaries/goldfinches gives them watery droppings. In general they should have a variety of greens like kale, brocolli, watercress, spinach, apple, romaine lettuce, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower (also the leafs). One of them at least contains natural protein source, also what helps is dried mealworms rich in protein, bee pollen too and perhaps a little of sunflower seeds as a treat as it contains too much fat. You can also give natural canary grass seeds, millets (foxtail), honey spread over their apple as they love the natural sweetness, cooked rice, germinated sprouts too. You can add cod oil in their germinated seeds for better immune system and don't forget apple cider vinegar in either in their drinking cup (for cleansing their stomach from bad bacteria) and also in their bath for a glossier plumage. Don't forget natural sunlight too for sunbathing and absorbing vit D!! I have a pair of canaries myself so they get all of this, also flying free outdoor. :)

[@leporellothegoldfinch]

Hi there, you make some good points, but some things are incorrect. All greens cause more watery droppings to some extent, this is normal, temporary (5-15 minutes after ingestion) and does not cause any harm to the bird. Other greens are no better than cucumbers in this regard, by the way - especially herbs tend to be even more diuretic. I agree on offering your birds a variety of foods, though. However, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower and other cabbages should be given very carefully, as these are actually very hard to digest and can cause serious digestive upset in birds. Honey should generally be avoided, especially in combination with already naturally sugar-laden foods such as apple, and MUST be omitted from the diet of birds that suffer from Going-light-syndrome or funghal infections, as sugar-rich foods will gravely aggravate these conditions, often to a fatal degree. The latter two often are dormant or undiagnosed, so it's safer to avoid sugar in general, birds don't need it and the fewest will seek it out by themselves. Most of all, apple cider vinegar must be treated with absolute caution; bird stomachs generally do not need to be cleansed from "bad bacteria", they rather need physical help by means of bird's grit (which is indispensable). Vinegar in drinking water causes some birds to stop drinking that particular water and can result in dehydration if no other source of water is offered, especially when the vinegar concentration is too high (which it almost always is). Vinegar in _bath_ water bears, among other things, the additional risk of causing potentially dangerous eye irritations: in short, it shouldn't be put into bath water at all, as the actual risks far outweigh the potential benefits. Healthy birds will develop a glossy plumage on a good diet all by themselves, there's no need for vinegar. All that said, good on you for letting your canaries roam - free flight is definitely underestimated in importance.

[@brianzhang9592]

They wont eat cucumbers for some reason lol