Newbie

birdbrain · Post by **birdbrain** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:25 pm

Hello all, I'm new to the forum and to finches. Though I've volunteered at the National Zoo in DC with the birds, we didn't have finches at the time...that I know of. I worked mainly with the outside birds.

Anyway.. I started off all wrong with the help of a sales lady at Petsmart. Figures. I didn't read up enough on Finches. So I got one of each , a Society, a Spice and a fawn Zebra. They got along good. So I thought..why not add some color. So I got 2 more Zebras. Bad idea.

One male and one female. Well the Fawn is a female too and she really wanted that male. So one day I get home and see my one female Zebra almost pecked to death. I put her in the hospital cage. Poor baby. I didn't know who the culporate was till I saw the other 2 in the nest together. That little....
Yes, another thing I didn't know about birds. I thought they all slept in nests. Nope.

Well, the zebas had babies and now I think that problem is solved. I have one surviving male baby, (read chat to find out what happened to the others) and now that he is getting his colors I think things will even out with the Zebas.

The spice and the society seem to get along fine with everyone.

My society has been trying to court the outcast female Zebra, but she won't have him.
I love his little song and him hopping around. He is so cute. I am thinking about swapping out the spice for a female society.
I know how hard it is to sex them but if Petsmart is willing to let me keep swapping till I get it right, then I will. lol

It would be greatly appreciated to get any helpful tips or comments from everyone.
Thanks

jamezyboo21 · Post by **jamezyboo21** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:16 pm

Hi, Welcome to the forum. Finches are very addictive and your collection will keep on growing, i only wanted a pair of zebras and in the end i had at least 15 pairs and within a few months i had over 50 zebra finches. Luckily i reduced that back to 4 pairs and a few single chestnut flank white males. i also have bronze wings, gouldians, orange ceek waxbills, and societys, and a pintail whydah.

birdbrain · Post by **birdbrain** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 12:01 am

I'd like to have more but I live in an apartment. My landlord would throw me out if it got too much. lol

jamezyboo21 · Post by **jamezyboo21** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 12:05 am

I stay in an apartment complex at the moment. The ppl who work here are very cool and nice. Everytime maintainance or someone from the office stops by they always stop to look at my finches and they always ask about them and the babies.

birdbrain · Post by **birdbrain** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 12:13 am

Wow! Your lucky. Did you have that whole lot in your apartment?

jamezyboo21 · Post by **jamezyboo21** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 12:22 am

Yup.i have a homemade flight cage that is 5' long, 3' tall, and 2' wide and a lot of smaller cages...here are just a few pics i have of my finches and the flight cage:

birdbrain · Post by **birdbrain** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 1:50 am

very cool. I want to build a cage like one of those Mystic cages that looks like furniture. I can never afford one of those since they are a few thousand dollars but if I buy a 2nd hand dresser and do some cut outs and replace with mesh or plexi glass maybe I can come up with something almost as nice. Maybe. Or not. lol

poohbear · Post by **poohbear** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 2:29 am

Cracking cage (Top picture) but can't you raise it on a simple stand.Better for the birds not being towered over...and would make it more pleasant to watch them.
You want a few more nestboxes in there too

Paul.

williep · Post by **williep** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 4:43 am

Very easy flight to build, just one Q. How do you get in there to change nest boxes or clean perches, as I can't make out a door?

jamezyboo21 · Post by **jamezyboo21** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:14 am

I was gonna get a stand but im movin back down to Florida in 2 weeks and probably will end up getting rid of the cage. There are 2 huge doors on the front of the cage and there big enough for me to even crawl into the cage. Each door is about 1 1/2' wide and 2' tall.

hfentj · Post by **hfentj** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:53 am

jamezyboo21 wrote:Yup.i have a homemade flight cage that is 5' long, 3' tall, and 2' wide and a lot of smaller cages...here are just a few pics i have of my finches and the flight cage:

I build my own cages also, I use a utility cart and can make a good size cage to sit in it. And makes it easier to move around to clean and have storage under it. Posted a few pictures in the gallery. Good luck on your move.

birdbrain · Post by **birdbrain** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 2:56 pm

jamezyboo21: I took your advice and bought more cages and put them all in my second bedroom which no one is using, so it is now my aviary room. I separated the female outcast and the male fledgly and put them together in a cage and left mom and dad to lay their eggs in the other. One egg already.
The parents were starting to pulls the fledglyings feathers out. Ouch!

I've been collecting my dogs hair and putting it on top of the cage. The daddy bird used to collect it himself when he used to escape. Those chicks are going to be soooo comfortable. lol

atarasi · Post by **atarasi** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 3:17 pm

birdbrain wrote:I've been collecting my dogs hair and putting it on top of the cage.

Seriously?

poohbear · Post by **poohbear** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 5:51 pm

Why not?...Wild birds collect lambswool off barbed wire fences.
Paul.

atarasi · Post by **atarasi** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:52 pm

This is true, but wool seems a lot cleaner to me, plus the rain would rinse it while it's on the fence. I'm just picturing clumps of smelly dog hair with dander and fleas in it!

I know you can purchase horse hair for nesting material, but it's been washed.