Worms are a very serious problem in finches. Marcus Pollard of Clifton Finch Aviaries has a fantastic article on the importance of worming finches here.
I have started using a product called Wormout Gel from Vetafarm. It contains praziquantel and oxfendazole which cover the major worms affecting finches, including thread worm, tapeworm, roundworm, hook worm and caecal worm. It is water soluble - making it easy to admister.
I have been using Sulphadim to prevent and treat coccidiosis and diarreha in my birds. Again it is water soluble so I just add the required dosage to their drinking water. They don't seem to notice or mind that this in their water.
I lost my first pair of Gouldians to air sac mites, a microscopic parasite that attacks the birds air sacs. The treatment first recommended to me (Scatt) is not available for sale in Australia and the pest strips used for prevention are also no longer available. The next suggestion was to administer a drop of Ivermectin directly to skin of the birds - as anyone who has a garden aviary knows - catching the birds is not such a simple thing.
I then came across Dr Rob Marshall's product called S76 which contains Ivermectin and homeopathics and is added to the drinking water in the same way as the above products.
I add a liquid vitamin supplement to the birds soft food mix to ensure they get everything the need.
I was also put on to the benefits of using Apple Cider Vinegar and Colloidal Silver by Ron from the MGA Forum. I add about a tablespoon of vinegar to their drinking water every couple of weeks and use the colloidal silver more sparingly. Some information on each of these can be found on the Lady Gouldian Finch website.
