One male zebra finch died today :(

[David]

My poor little birdie died this morning when I was changing food and water I saw him on the floor , with half bald and with reddish bleeding color only 2 male zebra finches inside, and I never see them fight before, so maybe the one too aggressive today and pecked the other one nonstop before I even come out from bedroom this morning... I hate see birds died especially if not from sickness and natural causes. I hate myself more because I should separate them , since I just want them to stay together so not so lonely ,didn't know they not along with each other. I feel sad and wanna cry ... the bird size is pretty big the brand and shape just like this one :
https://www.chewy.com/vision-ii-model-l ... lsrc=aw.ds

Anyway thanks for all your time here, I just feel so bad and guilty, because I want them happy but now this disaster happened sigh. RIP my poor birdie and I'm the bad owner can't protect him...

[MisterGribs]

It's alright, don't feel guilty, this is not your fault.

If you had known there was a problem, you would have fixed it. A bad owner would know there was a problem and not care, but you are not all-knowing and this is not something you chose to ignore.
You had no control over it.

I am very sorry about your little bird, but don't blame yourself!
It's just something that happened TO you, not BECAUSE of you.

[David]

MisterGribs,
Thanks for your kind words. I'm feeling some better but still I lost him... I will be careful in the future and pay attentiin to the birds behavior. I still got more zebra finches to take care, never want them fight to death again.

[MisterGribs]

David Maybe soon some babies! I can tell you're a good owner because you care so much!

[Babs _Owner]

David

All one can do is watch more closely and more often. I really wish they would stop calling zebras "a good beginner finch". They can be quite temperamental and territorial, leading to deaths and injury of other finches in their cages.

I have the utmost respect for our successful zebra finch owners, as I think they are not an easy bird to manage. I consider a master of zebras, a true PRO.

This rumor that zebras are a good finch for beginners.I suspect, was started by those mass producing them and taking advantage of their strong reproductive abilities in order to sell them easier.

I hope some of our zebra finch "pros" can help you troubleshoot future issues with this sometimes bi-polar species.

[lovezebs]

David

So sorry David....

Sadly, it's a part of chosing to share our lives with birds. Things happen sometimes, that we have no control over.

Also you don't know what happened exactly.
He may have died due to some other reason, and your other bird may have been pecking at him after the fact.

Although I've seen Zebras go after each other, sometimes with murderous intent, I have never seen one outright kill another (although I'm not saying that it's impossible).

[lem2bert]

David

I am sorry you lost your pet. We all love birds or we would not keep them and try our best to care for them. You should not blame yourself , you were not in the room and could not have known what was going on. I hope you are able to find a friend for your zebra and that it helps to heal your broken heart.

[David]

Hi everyone! Thanks for your great messages! I feel so happy see people follow up and replying here make me feel much better! I learned alot from all of you!!! MisterGribs, yeah i stop zebras breed or have babies, because I currently have so many zebra finches, around 20 !!! and separated them into different cages, in pairs! Babs-- I agree with you, i think zebra finches are really hard to take care of, i owned these birdies for 7 years, some of them young ages like 1 year old... I really pay attention to them each day and fed them well with nutrition food and calcium etc. When come with aggressive and territories its really tough, they just fight with each other really bad, i separated them in different cages, and as i mentioned got 20 birds thats the reason i need stop more babies coming from these guys lol! I ended up with 10 cages so hard to take care of them and spend 1 hour to feed these guys, i wish can put them into 1 BIG AVIARY but never works, because they went crazy and pecking others... 10 cages for me , im still searching a better solution and hope can save some spaces also able to take care them well, of course "peaceful" and "happy" is good, never want to hear them fight! Like you said Im not sure why they are "beginner" , maybe when new owner get zebra finch 1-2 the most, otherwise they are really getting into big fight when more in the same cage, still i like their happy songs (male zebras) and those noises they make everyday lol, but when too many kinda noisy!!

Lovezebs, maybe you are right, if thats the case maybe something happened to him so other one just pecked at him cuz usually this guy was quiet and kinda like the one you can catch him EASILY, unlike some birds just fly away fast and take forever to catch them. I guess maybe from genes, or not enough incubation period when parents sit on them before hatching? I put him with other male zebra who never fight before, but i dont know things happened, maybe that was a bad day i feel bad for him and when i saw his head was bald and with reddish color especially the inner part - bleeding but no blood outside, just the interior side of the head. I should have put him into a cage alone, but anyway too late now, as i said maybe i shouldnt blame myself too much. Thanks for all your supporting words and make me feel better inside...

lem2bert, thanks too for your comforting words. I was thinking about him a lot before bed last night, and i keep telling myself not to, i missed him in my heart, but since he passed away, i should think positive, not the time when i held him on my hand and those painful look on him really hope that never ever happen to other birds again, yes i let the one (who was in same cage before) there alone now, before put another one in, because i have to observe his behavior more to other birds next to him, even separated cages, i usually let them both next to each other (2 different cages) for a while before put them together, like 1-2 weeks.

Again thanks so much for all your posts! i will write here soon with anything about these little feather friends, like to hear from your side too. I am feeling much better really after seeing your posts, i owned birds for about 7 years but bad things happened still , i just keep learning everyday, and i did my best to be a good owner and care for them. wish all of you and all your feather birdies good and healthy too!

[Babs _Owner]

David

May I lead you over the the "light-side" of finch keeping? (hee hee) Societies are the BEST BEST BEST!!

Can you tell I just love them?? Try a pair, heck buy 2 pair, and compare the two species. Societies are like love faeries that sprinkle their love magic all over the place! Just dont house them with zebras, or the societies will take a beating .

Im going to take on zebras one day, with great courage, kinda like bungee jumping...

[David]

Babs, LOL yeah sounds fun! but i think so many birds i got now , wish have more spaces for a new pair... Im not familiar with societies i heard they are very good when comes with foster parents since they dont get along with zebras, hmmmm ill do some research before get them yeah you should try zebras, like a pair (NOT so many like me cuz lots of work!)

[MisterGribs]

Babs If a guy like me can take care of zebra finches, I'm sure you could too! I even hand tamed one.

[lovezebs]

Babs David MisterGribs

Ahemmmm.....

I house Socies and Zebras together,

[Sojourner]

David

<snippage>

... I really wish they would stop calling zebras "a good beginner finch". They can be quite temperamental and territorial, leading to deaths and injury of other finches in their cages.

<snippage>

... This rumor that zebras are a good finch for beginners.I suspect, was started by those mass producing them and taking advantage of their strong reproductive abilities in order to sell them easier.

Well ... I'm sure the quick breeding (zebras being the bunnies of the finch world) is part of it ...

But I think a lot of it is because you can easily sex the birds. Which is untrue of every single finch variety that I like. Societies. Spices. Owls. Silverbills. I love them all but really wish I could easily tell the males from the females.

Sadly I don't care for the temperament of the Zebras. I feel about them the same way I feel about goats - they are SUPER cute. As long as they belong to someone else.

[David]

Lovezebs weeeee you housed socies and zebs together They get along? I got a white one like yours too

Sojourner: true, you can tell from female to male in zebras. They are cute indeed and these are the only type of finches I ever own haha! These guys are so easy to breed like bunnies lol!

[lovezebs]

David

Yup, I do house them together, and have done so for years.

Right now, I have several Zebra and Socies curled up together in a green Easter basket. It is quite adorable, but haven't been able to snap a picture yet.

Do they get along together?

Most of the time, lol.

I mean they wouldn't be Zebras, without the occasional drama