Proper housing for 2 pairs of Zebras

[StevePax]

Even with two nests, you will have fights. They don't just nicely decide who gets what nest - they will both pick the same one and fight over it. Even if you put in 4 or 5 nests, you will have fights. Nesting zebra finches are not nice to anyone. Just skip the nests if you want more than a pair in a single cage - trust us, you'll save yourself the trouble of deciding how to split them up again later when they are trying to pluck out all of each other's feathers.

[Missi]

Okay, no nest. Got'cha. I trust you guys, I was just wondering! Thanks for all your help!

I'm kind of starting to wish I just got a few Java Rice Finches

[Sally]

Oh, Missi, you are teetering on the edge of the 'bottomless finch pit'! LOL So many of us started out with those cute little Zebras. Next thing you know, we are wondering what to do with all those babies, or we start wanting to venture out to other species. Since Zebs don't mix well with many others, we buy more cages...then more birds...then more cages...

Don't get me wrong, I have a variety of species, and they all have their good qualities, but even among the passive ones, you have to be careful. For instance, I have two pair of Cordon Bleu waxbills, a very passive little bird. But you can't keep two pair in the same cage, they will fight, even when not in the breeding mode. So, four tiny birds, two cages.

I will echo the others advice about nests. If you give Zebras a nest, they will lay eggs.

[plantsandbirds]

Welcome to the forum Missi...and Sally is correct...you ARE teetering on the brink of multiple finchdom!

It's funny seeing all of us that have gone through this mention the same things! I started out with two finches. I now have 24! muahahahaha!

I do have a mixed group in a very large flight cage. The group had been together at a shelter and it seems to work. I have one Avadavat (strawberry) and some societies and spices in with zebras but again.....BIG CAGE. They have room to get away from each other.

Best of luck and much fun with your finches!

[Missi]

Welcome to the forum Missi...and Sally is correct...you ARE teetering on the brink of multiple finchdom!

It's funny seeing all of us that have gone through this mention the same things! I started out with two finches. I now have 24! muahahahaha!

I do have a mixed group in a very large flight cage. The group had been together at a shelter and it seems to work. I have one Avadavat (strawberry) and some societies and spices in with zebras but again.....BIG CAGE. They have room to get away from each other.

Best of luck and much fun with your finches!

Thank you so much! How big is your flight cage? Is there a thread on the forum that shows everyone's cages/aviaries? If not, I think that'd be a wonderful idea! I love to see other's cages whether it be parrot or finch!

[Missi]

Oh, Missi, you are teetering on the edge of the 'bottomless finch pit'! LOL So many of us started out with those cute little Zebras. Next thing you know, we are wondering what to do with all those babies, or we start wanting to venture out to other species. Since Zebs don't mix well with many others, we buy more cages...then more birds...then more cages...

Don't get me wrong, I have a variety of species, and they all have their good qualities, but even among the passive ones, you have to be careful. For instance, I have two pair of Cordon Bleu waxbills, a very passive little bird. But you can't keep two pair in the same cage, they will fight, even when not in the breeding mode. So, four tiny birds, two cages.

I will echo the others advice about nests. If you give Zebras a nest, they will lay eggs.

I really am teetering! Now I want a pair of Java Finches/Sparrows...and that would mean another cage! So it all begins with Zebs, eh?

So what do you guys end up doing with your babies? And If you have no one to give them to?

I think my boyfriend will keep me anchored. He doesn't want cages ALL over our one bedroom apartment right now. Especially since our parrot's cage is 5' x 4' x 7' (a XL macaw size cage).

[plantsandbirds]

There are threads with photos of both my cage and Steve Pax's. We have the same type of flight cage. He has the double and I have the single (and darn-it - I should have gotten the double).

You might try a search to find the thread....it isn't so far back. Steve started it.

[Sally]

So what do you guys end up doing with your babies? And If you have no one to give them to?

In my area, the chain pet stores have contracts with wholesalers, so do not buy from hobbyists. I have been able to sell some babies to a couple of feed stores that also sell birds, but they are only interested in inexpensive birds they can turn over fairly quickly. It is much harder to find an outlet for birds like Gouldians, Stars, etc.

Before you get into breeding, check out where you can sell the babies, unless you want to keep them yourself (more cages!!!). Look for local petshops, and bird marts or fairs, but you will have to pay for a vendor table. Also look for local bird clubs, where you might find other finch fanciers. Lots of finches are sold or traded by word of mouth.

It is definitely something to think about. With Zebras, especially, you can soon have more babies than you want, so you have to do population control by trying to keep them from breeding and removing eggs if they lay them. Another thing to consider is the timespan involved. Zebras mature fairly quickly, so are ready to move on to another home in a short period of time. Some of the other species may take 6 or more months to mature to the point where they have adult colors and can be sexed.

And if I have no one to give them to...I guess I will buy more cages! Actually, my local bird club has raffles several times a year in connection with a bird mart, and they always want donations for the raffle, so I guess that would be an option.

[plantsandbirds]

I personally don't breed birds intentionally because I want to guarantee that any birds going out of my home would have good homes for their lives. Something that is quite difficult to guarantee!!!

My first pair had one chick because I was inexperienced and thought that they needed a nest to sleep in. Oops. Their chick, Pippin, is part of the family now and won't be going anywhere.

If I bred birds and had a take-back contract type of thingy I could end of with hundreds if any of the folks that had my birds decided that they didn't want them .

[Malzmom]

OK my question, I have a large cage with two Zebra finches, they have been together, (males) for about 8 months. They love each other, sleep in the nest, preen, and play together.

The cage is 4hx4wx3d. If I wanted to add more finches, don't really have a preference which at this point my question is this. How many should I introduce? I read never just two pair in a cage, would that mean don't have 4 males together? I do not want females, no babies please.

If I quarantine the new guys in a separate cage with their own nests for about a month and then add them to the big cage won't they just stick with their own nest and be buddies and not try to take over the nest that the older guys have always had?

I would like to see my pair have some friends but just don't know how to go about this introduction if at all, not much written on this subject.
Thanks.

[tammieb]

If I quarantine the new guys in a separate cage with their own nests for about a month and then add them to the big cage won't they just stick with their own nest and be buddies and not try to take over the nest that the older guys have always had?

Not really, Zebras are nosing neighbors.

I wouldn't provide them with nests. They are more likely to get along that way.