new finches

tina · Post by **tina** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 12:41 am

I picked up 2 new Zebra males today from someone that could not keep them any longer. They are unrelated males, but the song that the Normal sings sounds different then what I am used to hearing from my males in the past. It is higher pitched and really different. Was wondering if it was a timor zebra instead of Austrailian zebra. They are both really small compared to my current finches.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 12:08 pm

hi tina
its possible but the zebra song does vary from bird to bird the sound is basically the same but some are more higher pitched than others...also i may be wrong but the white one looks more like a hen to me as the beak in white males is a more scarlet red as opposed to the orsngy red that you have there

ken

Winston · Post by **Winston** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 4:55 pm

I once had a male BC zebra finch that sang completely unlike other zebras I've had.. it was slow, low pitched and cricketlike. Unfortunately I don't have the bird anymore. Could be cross breeding perhaps, or result of non-zebra parents?

tina · Post by **tina** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:59 pm

the white one must be a male because it sings like a male bird and those two have been together for a long time and never bred, so i am assuming it is a male also.

I am just not sure.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 6:34 am

hi tina
if it sings then it must be a male

ken

tina · Post by **tina** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 11:44 am

you know actually I have never heard it sing myself, i was told that it did by the previous owner. it seems very much on the quiet side to me. so i guess there is only 1 way to find out and that would be to change its cage partner and see.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 5:00 pm

if you click on this link .it will show you what colour the cock birds beak should be

ken

http://zebrafinch.info/colours/zfd_16.asp

tina · Post by **tina** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 12:56 pm

it does appear to be the color of the one in the link. in any case I heard the white sing this morning, so it is indeed a male.

tina · Post by **tina** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 9:13 am

The white's beak is much darker now then when I got him so it could have been a dietary problem causing his beak to be a bit more pale then it should have been.

I got 2 new female zebras yesterday. They are way too young to start breeding them yet, but I got a sivler female and a pied female, she is my favorite.

zookeeper · Post by **zookeeper** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 7:54 pm

I'm glad to hear that his beak is brightening up.

tina · Post by **tina** » Mon Aug 28, 2006 4:00 pm

I am happy to see it brighten up too. It took a week before he started singing after I got him. He wont stop now lol.