FINCHforum

I do not believe that zebra finches are strictly monogamous (occasionally one or both birds of the pair may be caught "cheating"). I personally have rearranged pairings and did not have a problem, though it may be least stressful on the birds to only pair them with new mates at the start of each new "breeding season" and let them remain as a pair for 2-3 clutches in a year. Zebras will breed year round, so it may become your responsibility to force the birds to take a break from breeding for a few months out of the year so that the adults can 'recover.'

Sounds like it would be really hard to keep track of the bloodlines. I guess that wouldn't matter if you're not keeping the babies.

hi Amanda!

Just my personal preference and opinion..but I wouldn't purposefully mix them around. For a few reasons..

1) From what I've read online they do prefer to stick to one mate, and if separated for a long time and put back together, they will immediately recognize each other as past mates. They form a bond and to take them away from their bonded mate may be stressful on them.

2) Should you mix up the male and have him propegate the species with more than one female, IF by chance he ends up with a genetic problem that is not evident now, you are 'contaminating' your zebra gene pool with this genetic deficiency. I know that you're planning on selling them, but someone may come along and also think about breeding the ones they buy from you. This may cause one long line of defective finches.

Even though zebras are not exactly an endangered species (and probably never will be at the rate these little buggers lay eggs), I can't help but think that the breeding of them should be controlled so that many many many (ad infinitum) may enjoy healthy finches.

Just my opinion...

Jeannette

JeannetteD wrote:
2) Should you mix up the male and have him propegate the species with more than one female, IF by chance he ends up with a genetic problem that is not evident now, you are 'contaminating' your zebra gene pool with this genetic deficiency. I know that you're planning on selling them, but someone may come along and also think about breeding the ones they buy from you. This may cause one long line of defective finches.

I found your information very helpful, and I do appreciate your assistance, which has really re-flipped my mind around. I think your second bit of advice was extremely notable, and it has changed my decision to most likley a 'no'. I would hate to risk contamination amongst the Zebra Finch gene pool, even though I sell my finches mostly as pets, aviary companions and sometimes breeding, depending on the finches genetic quality. Unless a mate passes on, or do not get along, I shall not reconfigure pairs. The stress is also one of my overall concerns and after having my own 'hobby' pairs of finches, I've noticed the huge bond between both cock and hen.

Thank you again, Jeannette!


-Amanda

You're very welcome!

I had a pair of zebras. A common male with crested mutation and a beautiful white female. There were literally a lovely couple. They produced the best fawn finches I had ever seen.

Then I noticed that she was fooling around with another white male in the same enclosure. Thus George and Harriet had split up. Harriet was all the happier but poor George is stuck without his lover. He has nobody except the other bachelors in the enclosure with him.

I had thought that they stayed for life until I saw this.

Will George and Harriet be back together? Not likely. She now resides with her new lover in a private cage for themselves.

hi
i am sorry but zebras do not mate for life otherwise there would not be all the different mutations in the world that there is.it is quite safe to remove a cock bird after it has reared a family of young and put it with an entirely different colour as the progency always turn out 50%cocks and hens and 50% of whatever colour they are paired with e g if you pair a normal with a fawn you will get 50% fawn and 50%normal half or therabouts will be cocks and the rest will be hens and this usually applies to most zebras unless there is one with a dominant gene ....then thats another story



ken

HAH! I wish it were that simple, Ken..

They're rarely 50% cocks and 50% hen in this household. I have 9 females to 3 males out of 3 clutches. And the genetics are far more complicated than 50/50 that you mentioned.

I have a white male, (as in the White Mutation, no black whatsoever) and a dominant silver female. They've had regular CFW's, what looks to be single factor florida fancies (so far), silver males, a normal grey male, and a pied female. All from the same two birds. These birds are split 7 ways from Sunday.

Jeannette

p.s. the single factor florida fancies mentioned above may turn out ot be silver females, but with the white lacing they have on their wings now, it's looking more like florida fancies.

kenhi jeanette
the problem is you cant stop the birds themselve sdipping into the gene pool.i was talking about birds that are not split and that you know the parentage of right back to the original male and female.......should have mentioned that really ...knowing zebras the way i do....sorry