Some Basic Questions from a Complete Newbie

[FinchesForKids]

Hello. When I say a complete newbie, I'm not kidding. We don't even have the birds yet!

My kids are interested in getting a pair of finches. I figured before we went out and bought them, we better get an idea of what we're doing.

My first question is--if we get a pair of finches, can we get a pair of males (so as to avoid any breeding) or should it be a M/F pair?

We are thinking about a flight cage in the 31L X 20D X 52H range. Is that a decent size for a pair of finches?

Like I said, complete newbie. Please forgive the silly questions. I want to get this right from the beginning.

[Sally]

Welcome to the forum! There's lots of good reading at the Finch Information Center, linked at left, and the members are always ready to help. If you put your location in your profile, it makes it easier to answer locale-specific questions later on.

You are going at it right! Most of us bought the birds first and then started trying to learn about them. If you aren't interested in breeding, a m/m pair is definitely possible with most finch species. That cage size would be very nice for a couple of finches. Normally, width is more important than height, but as long as there is enough width, a bit higher is OK. Finches don't climb around their cages by their beaks, like parakeets will do, so they need the flying room.

And don't worry about asking questions, that's what we are here for. We all learn from other's questions, too.

[FinchesForKids]

I am a member of a goldfish forum and I've seen waaaaaaaaaaaaay too many people do what the pet stores have said is OK and then wonder why half their fish died in the first week.

LOL. I didn't realize I didn't put the species of finches the kids are interested in . . . My son would really like zebra finches as he fell in love with the meep meep sound they make. I've read that zebra finches can be more aggressive than some of the others and that's why I was asking about the possibility of a M/M pair. The pet store said they'd be fine.

Is there another cage that would be more appropriate? I'm open to suggestions . . . any and all suggestions!

I will check out the Info Center and update my profile.

Thank you!

[debbie276]

Absolutely agree with Sally.
Welcome to the forum. What type of finches appeal to you? Any idea which you would consider?

[Nanajennie]

I also agree, welcome and BRAVO! by doing your research, you will avoid many many many newbie problems many of us (still newby) will make.

I have learned that there are no 'silly questions'. Everyone starts from the beginning and I wish I had been better prepared, and I grew up with finches as a kid, but didn't take an interest. So I thought I knew it well enough but was wrong wrong wrong. There is a ton to learn and the Finch Info Center (upper left corner of the site) is LOADED with great info. I learned to use the 'search' and find many answers that way, but if I didn't find it, I would (and still do) ask in a post.

Welcome to the forum and enjoy all the support, knowledge and respect exhibited here

[wilkifam]

That would be a really good cage size for a pair of finches, and yes, you can get a pair of males or a pair of females (depending on what type of finches you are thinking of getting).

[Acelin_Wolf]

Yeah, I work in a petstore and I wouldn't advise listening to any of them. Lol. It's best to seek advice from people who have owned/have experience working with the animal you want to purchase. xD Which is why I'm such a valuable fountain of information for birds at my store! Lol.

Welcome! Zebras, though they can be aggressive, are very rewarding little finches. They're very vocal, and I just adore it.

[FinchesForKids]

Thanks everyone!!

So 2 male zebras would be OK?

[Zebrafincher]

Small finches and Canaries CAN be quite aggressive to eachother, whether same species, gender or different species - or they may not be. It really depends on the birds and their personalities!

I have a canary, zebra finch and star finch - all male. I keep them in separate flight cages next to each other so they can see and talk to each other but they get supervised when they're out of their cages (which is several times per day!) as my canary, Kevin, in particular, is a bully!

Good luck. Also try two males, as females will inevitably will lay eggs! I've had no luck with females - they often get egg bound despite everything I've done!

[chirpy]

Chiming in, welcome to the forum!
I have a pair of society finches, m/f. They bred in a month and I just had an egg hatch yesterday.. SO if you are looking for a non breeding pair def m/m or f/f for these cuties. f/f may still produce eggs so if you want nothing to do with eggs the m/m soc's from what I understand do fine.
Society's are so cute and lovely and absolutely charming. The downside is that you can not tell whether they are m/f visually.. well some seem to be able to 'spot' the difference but I sure dont! it is all in their manner, and whether they sing and do the "puffy dance" or not.
I just got a pair random pick and they just hapepned to be one male and one female which I did not mind.

[pbax]

LOL. I didn't realize I didn't put the species of finches the kids are interested in . . . My son would really like zebra finches as he fell in love with the meep meep sound they make. I've read that zebra finches can be more aggressive than some of the others and that's why I was asking about the possibility of a M/M pair.

Here's another big thumbs up for asking questions.

Zebra finches can be real buggers. No doubt. But all forums--as I'm sure you've noticed on the goldfish forum, and even here on the finch forum, or any other forum--are problem-centric. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that and they serve a terrific purpose! But it sometimes makes it too easy to start thinking that everything will be a problematic, joyless, never-ending nightmare.

If your kids are digging the zebra finches, they are in good company. Many people think they are attractive birds, enjoy their meep-meeps (as your son has already noticed), and find their active natures engaging. They are generally hardy birds and relative to many other finches are quite easily cared for.

As far as their aggressive nature and preventing it by getting a M/M pair as opposed to a M/F pair....
I personally don't believe that a single M/F pair of zebra finches is any more or less likely to exhibit unwanted behavior than a M/M or F/F pair. And I'd wager that the great majority of zebra finch owners have a single M/F pair and don't have any real problems. In fact, zebra finches kept as single pairs often form very strong bonds. Aggression problems mostly start when you have anything more than two zebra finches in a cage. If you don't plan to have more than one pair of zebra finches, there is no reason to avoid a M/F pair on the basis of aggressive behavior only. There are always outliers and exceptions, but they exist in single sex cages as well.

Whether you want to participate in the joys and tribulations of nest building, egg laying, and chick rearing is a different question.

[Sally]

But all forums--as I'm sure you've noticed on the goldfish forum, and even here on the finch forum, or any other forum--are problem-centric. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that and they serve a terrific purpose! But it sometimes makes it too easy to start thinking that everything will be a problematic, joyless, never-ending nightmare.

Absolutely true! Not many of us post just to say 'My finches are doing fine today." It is too easy to read the posts and decide that Zebras are terrors, Gouldians are bad parents, waxbills will never parent-rear, etc. I have friends who raise and show Zebras almost exclusively, and they adore them.