FINCHforum

Hi everyone, am having some trouble with my Cubans. The male keeps on pulling the feathers out of the female,, any suggestions please, and they seem to make nests every where. They are my favourite finch but they are giving me heartache. Any advice will be appreciated

I have never had Cubans, but I understand they can be quite aggressive when breeding. It sounds like the male may be plucking the female to get feathers to build nests. Have they ever produced any eggs/babies?

Welcome to the forum! There's lots of good reading at www.finchinfo.com, where you will find many articles on breeding, diet, housing, etc. If you put your general location in your profile, it makes it easier to answer locale-specific questions later on.

Don't have Cubans myself, but maybe you should provide them with some feathers for nesting with.

Andypeth
Welcome to the forum! I agree with Grainne, I would give them feathers too. Get some Emu feathers or use some that are sanitized from a feather pillow. Also, make sure they have lots of greenery so the hen can hide if the male is too aggressive. Offer plenty of food, eggfood, seed, veggies, etc. Good Luck!

Ok might try some of the above advice thank you

In the wild , would the male fly off after mating and leave the female to raise the young or would he stay around and help. Just trying to think how it would be if it was a natural setting.

I have 3 pairs of Cubans that I got from a Cuban gentleman. He told me that the males can be aggressive to the point of mortality to the hen if she cannot get away from him. She needs lots of room with places to hide. Plucking is a normal part of the nesting ritual. My pairs have not shown this kind of aggression but it could happen. I have had eggs, none fertile yet, but they have only been 6 months with me. Moving a pair ( of any species) can setback mating a year or more.