FINCHforum

I have been on a soap box for the last 6 mo about the aweful lack of finches here in west Texas, only to discover a pair of red cheek cordons hidden away in a reptile shop! They had had them for so long the guy knocked they price down to 110.00 for the pair! I rushed them home and have a few questions. The poor little guys were in a tiny and I mean tiny 14x18 in cage with a seed only diet for the past 4-6 mo.
They look bright and chipper but I want to provide them with everything they could want to eat.
What greens is best? and what live foods? also how much live food is best?

Fresh Egg Food, Romaine lettuce, and if you want to do live food go with mini meal worms (they should tear them up). Live food is not really necessary unless you want to breed them, but it's fun and a nice treat. Not sure how many is too much. Maybe feed them about 10 mealies each morning with their egg food. That's just a suggestion.

They also would probably enjoy a nice bath.

I set them up in my biggest cage with a society pair. they have aprox 3 ft x 2, and a nice little bath. I give my zebras fresh romaine lettuce and egg food every am along with seed, fresh water and millet sprays.
The egg food I make fresh every 3 days. It consists of hardbroiled egg (shell and all), 1/3 carrot, a tbl wheat germ and 2 tbl of dried commercial egg food with bee pollen.
Is there anything else I can add? and yes I intend to breed them.

All sounds great. I add hand feeding formula and a little dried blood worms to mine, but that's just what I do.
Are the CB's eating the egg food and romaine?

Sounds like you're doing everything correct. My RCCB love to take a bath in a small dish. They're brooding a clutch now; boy do those little guys ever sit tight! I'm not too excited though, since their first clutch didn't do well; 2 tossed, 1 left to die in the nest. I have a pair of canaries in their flight now (about same size as yours). Everyone seems to get along. I would watch those zebras in your flight however; make sure they don't take over the RCCB nest or something like that. I have 2 nests for the RCCB; wicker & twig. They like them both; have used both kinds.

Oh the Zebras have thier own cages. Too much bickering.
I do have freeze dried blood worms in there as well, Ive been trying those on my zebs. So far they are just observing and haven't touched the romaine or egg food. Im going to find some fake ivy or something to put in there today. They may be a bit overwhelmed after that tiny pet store cage!
Oh and Im going to get them some live foods today too.

My RCCB (6 pr) are given romain and seeding grasses in addition to the egg and biscuit-normal seeds-grit-cuttle bone and all the other bits and pieces. For me they will not come into condition without live food. I give them mini mealworms and gentles (maggots) but the mealworms will do fine. I put in 3-5 per bird per day, off breeding season, and 5 per bird (minis) 4-6 times a day with a full clutch of chicks in the nest. You will see when the mealworms are run out. Unfortunately mine will toss the chicks if I dont keep up the live food. Hope this helps

Good find! Everyone has made great suggestions. You will find out quickly what your CB's like and don't. Mine would not touch egg food for the better part of a year. They do love the cucumber though.

I would only advise you change their diet slowly. Don't suddenly change their diet to a very rich varied one or you may find they suddenly get diarrhoea. Just start giving them a little bit of variety at a time. I’m sure they will settle down in no time at all if they know how good they’re going to get it with you.

Reptile store! LOL I seriously hope they were not there as a “live food” option for snakes.

I did forget though-the most favourite thing for all my finches including the RCCB is lebanese or continental cucumber-go crazy for it

Ok I will try those. They don't seem to be touching any of the good stuff yet but they have been pretty shy when I'm in the room. The female is soo happy with the new setup but the male is very skittish and worries me a bit. He just sits there alot.. poor fella