Showering with naked birds: How to

Gouldian finches need to drink water about 2-3 times a day. I have a water thingo for them, as well as an old TV dinner tray (curried prawns and rice) that I change the water in each day, ideal for a birdbath. I keep both of these in the shower, but it's my shaving mirror that Elizabeth and John Gould seem to find the best drink in town. They don't bathe every day, but they never fail to join me in the shower.

For a treat, Gouldian finches love a spray of millet, as the second photo shows (click thumbnails to embiggen). They get very excited when they hear me go to the box of millet sprays outside the bathroom, and when I bring it to them they're like puppies when they see the dogfood.

Gouldians are said to be almost impossible to get near, and it's certainly true of Johnny and Lizzie. But because they share a small space with me, viz The Ponderosa, they're not as skittish as most Gouldians, and will even sit on my hand and eat -- if hungry enough.

They love the warmth created when I shower and will always perch above me when I do. I guess it's like a sauna for them. As long as they're not exactly above my head (for obvious reasons) I don't have a problem with that because I've always wanted a couple of naked birds in the shower with me. The good thing about Gouldians is that they weigh only about 15 grams and their poop is negligible -- and these guys do it all in the shower, not on my bookshelves. My canary, sad to say, was three times their size and a peripatetic shitter. He had to go whence he came, ie, to the cage of a friend in Sandy Beach. Gone, but not forgotten, dear Fairfax of the Loose Bowels.

Here's an Australian Museum Fact Sheet on the Gouldian finch for those interested. It's pretty good, except for this:

"The Gouldian Finch is mostly silent, although a high-pitched whistling 'ssitt', may be uttered from time to time."

Not so. They chirp just like any other little birdies, and Johnny sings a few times a day. He's not exactly Placido Caruso, but it's a delightful song and it goes on for quite some time. As a matter of fact, he's singing up a storm as I write, just after 9am. The fact sheet also neglects to mention anything about Gouldian bathroom behaviour, nor the use of TV dinner packaging.

Tagged: gouldian, finches, gouldians, birds, pets, australia