Lady Gouldian finches are among the most beautiful finches that exist. Their colors are exquisite, rich and varied. If you have never seen a Lady Gouldian Finch in person, you are in for a treat!
I find that finches are like the potato chip commercial - "you can't eat just one!" The same is true of Gouldians, you will find that once you have one, you will want more! There are a number of Gouldian mutations - different head colors, breast colors and back colors. The most common Gouldians are the Normal Back Gouldians. A normal Gouldian has a green back, which is the color that is found in their natural habitat in Australia. There are also Yellow-backed Gouldians and Blue-backed Gouldians. All three back colors come in one of three head colors: Red, Black or Orange (also known as Yellow). There are also a variety of breast colors: Purple, White or Lilac.
If you search the Internet for information regarding Gouldian Finches, you will find that the info varies from site to site based on each individual's experience with the species. You will also find that each breeder does things differently - such as what they feed their finches, how they breed them and so on. There is no right or wrong answer in many cases, just different preferences. The information provided on this website is just my personal experiences. I don't claim to be an expert or have all the right answers, but I am happy to share what I do know and what has worked for me.
Quite often I see advice that Lady Gouldian finches are not recommended for new or beginning finch owners. I disagree with this statement. I don't think Gouldian finches are any more difficult to keep than any other finch. Breeding them may be more difficult, but not keeping them. The basic care of most types of finches is the same. For info on basic finch care, visit our Finch Care page. This page includes information on cage requirements, lighting, food, care and information on buying a finch.
Our Gouldians
Gouldians have slightly different needs depending on their age and whether they are breeding, moulting or resting. I will discuss these requirements briefly:
Juvenile Gouldians
Our young juvenile Gouldians are kept in a large flight cage that is 3 ft x 3 ft x 9 ft. This is the cage they stay in while they complete their juvenile molt. The juvenile Gouldians are provided with a heat lamp 24 hours a day to help them from getting chilled while they molt. They have the option of sitting near the heat or away from it. They are also provided with a bath frequently, which seems to help them during their molt and they enjoy very much. The diet is higher in protein to help them replace their feathers. I offer them a good finch seed mix with canary seed and unmedicated chicken started added to it. In separate dishes they are offered mineral grit mixed with crushed egg shells, mini pellets and hulled white millet. They are also offered fresh eggfood daily as well as fresh veggies and/or soaked seed a couple of times per week. Juvenile Gouldians usually complete their juvenile molt around 6 months of age. I do find that the length of their molt is shorter in the summer and longer during the winter months.
Breeding Gouldians
Our breeding Gouldians are in a number of size cages. A single pair of breeding Gouldians is kept in a minimum cage size of 16 x 16 x 24. Others are in a colony breeding cages that vary in size - some are 16 x 16 x 48 and others in a large breeding flight that is 3 ft x 4 ft x 5 ft. I find that some Gouldians breed well in the individual breeding cage while others won't breed unless placed in a larger flight cage to breed. The diet of my breeding Gouldians is very similar to that of the young juvenile Gouldians.
Resting/Molting Gouldians
When our Gouldians are not breeding, they are kept in various cages similar to that of the breeding Gouldians. This is usually when a Pair has been breeding and now is resting and/or going through it's annual molt. Again, similar diet to that of the juvenile and breeding Gouldian, except that the eggfood and veggies/soaked seed mix is only offered 3 times per week.
Compatibility
Gouldian finches are compatible with many other types of finches and very compatible with the other types of finches that we keep and breed. For detailed compatibility charts, visit our Articles page for some links to such charts. Finches and softbills do not mix, so please do not attempt to put them in a mixed flight.
