Should I be thinking about companion for recovered finch?

[Mora]

Our Lesley, the seriously injured zebra finch we've nursed back to health, is right now our only finch. She's in the same room as our Diamond Dove and can hear our parakeet. She often vocalizes in response to the parakeet. Would keeping her in the room with the parakeet, where she can see and talk to him be enough socialization for her? If she needs another finch, what type, sex, etc. would you suggest? She was picked on at the pet store by both Zebras and Societies, and we're really afraid of it happening again if we get her a cage companion. Any of this wouldn't happen till a few more months go by to be sure she's fully healthy and for me to get a flight cage! But I like to think ahead. Thanks for all your help!:)

[Sheather]

I've never heard of a society plucking another bird, I would get a female society finch.

[Mora]

I should say, the employee at the pet store said she'd been put in with the societies and they also picked on her so they put her back with the zebras - I didn't see it myself. So a society female would be a good choice? Do they have the same space requirements as the zebras? Thanks!:)

[Ginene]

Mora...My society males pluck the tail feathers off of my hens because they want to breed . Tail plucking is not uncommon in society finches when it comes to competing for feeders too. A society finch would probably be fine with your zebra hen. It's difficult to sex them, so if you want a hen watch the birds for a while and pick one that doesn't sing/dance. There's still no guarentee that you will get a hen...but societies are much more passive then zebras, so your bullied hen should do ok.

[Sheather]

Ginene how interesting! I've never found my males to be aggressive at all (though I cannot say I have ever seen a hen not accept a male when he comes a-knocking, either...), except a bit when establishing who's nest is who's (but even that subsides after it's established). I guess it's all a matter of personality.

[Ginene]

Sheather...it was shocking the first time I had a society tail plucker. It was easy to tell who the guilty party was because he was the ONLY bird with a tail! He was housed with 4 other societies in a big flight with lots of perches, feeders, water tubes, etc. I think he did it to establish that HE was alpha male. Anyway, he was banished to live with an equally aggressive BCCB male and they have been BFF's ever since ;)

[Colt]

My Societies also pluck one another's tails occasionally. Especially when I'm introducing new birds to one another. I was horrified last year when I got ready for the first Bird Mart and put all my societies into a cage to sleep in the night before so transporting would be easier. When I went out to load them up they'd plucked out at least half of their tails in about four hours.

[Sam007]

I would also suggest a female society finch!