Wanting to Breed Strawberry Finches, need the finches first!

sugrpootsmom · Post by **sugrpootsmom** » Sun Jun 22, 2008 8:49 pm

I am exhausted, I can not find a pair of strawberry finches for sale anywhere. At first I wanted them as pets but I have since heard they are getting very difficult to find and are in danger of becoming impossible to get in the US so I thought I would help re-populate by breeding them. Any suggesterions on where to look?

fairestfinches · Post by **fairestfinches** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:42 am

Don't give up! Strawberries are hard to find all over the US. We get at least one or two phone calls per week from people looking for them.

It took us two years to locate the couple of pairs we have. No idea if we'll have any luck with breeding yet, but they are getting into breeding condition. Keep looking and sooner or later you'll find what your looking for.

Sean

Post by **Sally** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 11:00 am

At our Bird Mart yesterday, one of the dealers had a pair of Strawberries. I was so excited. Asked the price, and my heart almost stopped--$400 a pair!!

I told him I have a small fortune in my stock--better put a padlock on their cage.

Later on, the price was down to $300, and when I left the Mart, they were still there. Someone on the NFSS forum has a male Strawberry for $50--now that is more like it.

Don't give up on finding Strawberries. The reason they are so scarce right now is that they come from Asia, and with bird flu over there, no imports, so we have only what is already in the U.S. to work with. Most of those who are breeding them, including myself, are seriously working to increase the numbers so that this species doesn't disappear from aviculture in the U.S. This is my favorite species right now (course, I have a favorite species of the month club going

), and it would be a terrible loss to have it disappear.

Keep looking, but realize that many breeders are just swapping with other breeders right now, and don't have enough stock to start selling them off. You never know where you might get them. I am getting a pair today, but they are old, bonded, and I promise to keep them together for the rest of their lives. I am hoping they will be good company for my little 'special needs' Berries.

sugrpootsmom · Post by **sugrpootsmom** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 11:02 am

Thanks for the encouragement! I did manage to find a pair in Florida that are severely malnuourished according to the vet, and the male is missing the toes on one foot and most on the other although he does manage to get around I don't know that he is able to mate. I also drove to Salem MA to pick up a "male" strawberry finch and when I got there it was a female which was fine with me but like the others she was in very pitiful shape. They are all doing much better after antibiotics and lots of fresh food and a variety of it. I would still love to find a male for my lone female. THanks!