Pair of male finches?

Messorius · Post by **Messorius** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 5:00 pm

I want to get a pair of zebra finches, but all the literature I find only talks about male/female pairs. Is it possible to have a male/male pair, or would there be aggression issues? Thanks!

Post by **Sally** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 6:28 pm

I don't think you will have any problem with two males. Problems come when you have 3-5 birds, or if you would add a female to the mix.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:32 am

there should be no problem with getting same sex pairs as long as you dont put a nest in there as it will only invite sqaubbling!

ken

FLAMEonfire · Post by **FLAMEonfire** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 1:12 am

Why don't you want to get a male/female pair?! Sorry guys, but it's not just me who thinks it is cruel not to give these birds mates!

If you don't want to breed them - don't put in a nest! {Although I believe they should have nest too.} Zebra's like to sleep in nests they find comfort in having a nest to rest in. Would you like to not have a love interest for your whole life. No I don't think so and are you aware that it's not good for the birds either not to have a mate! They DO become aggressive, even without the 3rd party being introduced. Now you're talking about only 2 finches. I have found that they will fight and pull each other's feathers and they will fight-chase each other - not just playing.

There's the reason the books you're finding talk about pairs of finches - and they mean just what you think they mean - male/female pairs, they need mates...

Now of course I could be wrong in interrupting what I've read, but this is what I understood when I started reading about finches...

Post by **Sally** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 12:14 pm

I have mostly male/female pairs because I am interested in breeding. However, if you breed, you always wind up with an odd one (mate died, more female than male babies, etc). These extras go in same-sex flights, sometimes same species, sometimes mixed species. The main thing, they are with other finches. It is definitely cruel to keep a finch all by itself, but they will usually buddy up with another finch with a similar personality. Anytime you put two or more finches together, you have to keep an eye on things, as they don't automatically like each other--even male/female pairs! But if you are not interested in breeding, it is not necessary to have male/female pairs. In my opinion, if you put a male/female pair of Zebras in a cage with a nest, you will either have babies, or you will be tossing eggs, and eventually you may lose that female due to exhaustion.

FLAMEonfire · Post by **FLAMEonfire** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 6:10 pm

LOL Sally, You and I go through this same thing over and over again and I don't think we will ever agree about giving any birds who like nests - NESTS! I guess I'm just an old softee...And you - you're a hard rock Momma !

But that's why I love ya!!!...

TO ALL WHO READ THIS: "Here's the Dispute"

Sally - says that if you put in a nest you're going to have eggs...So if you don't want to breed don't give the birds a nest! {and she's right - if you put in a nest you will get eggs}
- BUT -
Blaze - {that's me} is of the opinion that all birds that like to sleep, cuddle, and get a feeling of safety from having a nest - SHOULD get a nest!

YOU OUT THERE WILL HAVE TO MAKE YOUR OWN DECISION!

As far as the companionship of male and female - Like Sally said - if you have a bird that looses a mate they will match up with another bird for warmth and togetherness - But Sally you have to remember you're talking about a cage with many birds in it, not just 2 birds - and I think that's what's going to make the difference.With just 2 birds I feel they really do need to be a male/female pairing.

Post by **Sally** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 8:56 pm

Hey, Blaze, we just have different outlooks, and that's fine.

It's just that when I had Zebras, I got tired of trying to find somewhere to get rid of all the babies. I was kind of like the person who grows zucchini in their garden and pretty soon, all their friends run in the other direction when they show up with more zucchini! I couldn't GIVE those babies away!! Then I went thru throwing away eggs, and those poor hens went into double time trying to replace them faster than I could throw them away. So I finally gave up, switched species, and now I am begging these others to give me babies, and they just give me raspberries! I can't win!!

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 2:19 pm

hi flame

sometimes there is a need to take nests away even though i would prefer to let them have nests sometimes it gets to the atage where they fight and not just mate and i have seen a lot of zebra finches plucked till they bleed because the hen will not go to nest ...i have seen them so bad that eyes have been nearly pulled out with pecking ..i would much rather see the birds just cuddling up on a perch than a hen being overworked to lay eggs constantly...the perching may not seem as good as nesting but at the cost of one of them constantly being bullied to lay eggs i would rather not put a nest in!
ken

FLAMEonfire · Post by **FLAMEonfire** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 2:54 pm

Sally you are So funny -so what kind of birds to you raise now - just the raspberry kind! I know you raise gouldians but do you have any others? You seem very knowledgeable about a lot of different species! I think if we continue this here - crystal will kick our bottoms - so if you would like to post to me privately - I'd love to talk with you!

To the rest of you who don't care if Sally and I talk about her birds and mine - I too had a problem with a female and a missing egg - she decided to lay her egg in one of the food dishes and when I went to move it into a nest - the egg broke! I guess I wasn't as easy with it as I could have been or the egg shell was just to soft. Anyway I had too get rid of it - and she went mad looking for it for HOURS {no kidding on that time period too!} I finally had had enough and replaced it with a "fake egg" {which I keep handy for just such an occasion} and gave to food dish over to her!

Why did I mention this - it shows you don't have to have a nest in the cage to have problems with Zebras dropping eggs. If they are going to breed - they are going too breed - nest or no nest!

But again I still don't feel that keeping two males ONLY is OK! I truly feel that if you're going to have +a "pair" of birds, they should be male/female pair and not just 2 males or 2 females.

If you're going to do something like that get and larger bird - and get one!
Something like a Canary or a parrotlet or a cockatiel - a bird that can bond with YOU instead of relying on another bird.

Post by **Hilary** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 12:14 am

Just to add my 2 cents, I have several zebra hens with no males and they're perfectly happy. They've paired off - always roost with the same "friend" at night. I also have a pair of male bronze wings, and they always hang out together (when they're not bugging the poop out of the rest of the birds in their flight!).