FINCHforum

I recently got a pair of these and while I love them I don't foresee them breeding anytime in the future. I'm housing them in a 30x18x18 currently because I don't have any open single flight cages that I can move them into. I have it lightly planted with an ABBA nest box. They are on a standard finch mix and eating my homemade eggfood which they seem to like.

Here is the species in case someone isn't familiar with them.

http://www.finchinfo.com/birds/finches/ ... _munia.php

I've been able to breed Chestnut-breasted Mannikins and Black & White Mannikins in the same set-ups. These birds are just very flighty and I'm not sure they will settle. Anyway, if anyone has any experience or tips for breeding them I'd greatly appreciate it.

Also looking for information on breeding the Magpie Mannikin. My friend Molly just got a pair as did slwatson. Molly's pair is already investigating a nestbox and are way calmer than my Tri-colors so she might not need any help with them...lol

Good luck with both the Tri-color and the Magpie. Please keep us informed, as I don't think most of us have any experience with either of these species.

My magpie mannikins seem to be settling in ok...right now I have them with my blue faced parrot finch pair because they're all being quarantined. What's funny is I don't have a nest box in the cage or any nesting material I could find, but I noticed the magpies have claimed a certain corner (I have a corner shelf with some artificial ivy wrapped around it), and somehow have found coconut fiber that they've started laying out on top.

I had 2 magpie manikins in Australia in the early 70's and they cost me $50 for the two birds or the pairs. star finches were $9 a pair, diamonds about $8 so they were pretty pricey. I have not seen them for years but if they were about -private collections. if they were available here.....I don't think you'd buy them under $3000 a pair.
I think with that particular bird and the odds of it being available - money won't help at all...lol sqme too with the bronze wing

Colt
I'm not familiar with these but they are beautiful! Does yours have the white breast or the variation as shown in the attachment?

Best of luck with them!

wildbill - Wow that price is crazy. But I know a lot of common birds here like Orange-cheeked Waxbills are expensive in Australia.

@Jen - Mine are the white variety, not the pretty caramel. I've never seen them in person. They are still acting wild as a marsh hare, but I do have good news if I could direct you to my Painted Finch thread...lol

mine were the white ones too, I didn't know they had another colour. orange cheeks have dropped from $2500 a few years back to I think $1500.
its a big gamble to buy a pair lose the hen and I bet you'd have to buy another pair as I'd say no-one would sell you a hen or price her accordingly.

Colt

after looking at the tri colour photos I decided to buy 2 pair of dna sexed young birds myself. they will arrive in 3 days time so further down the track if I get them breeding we can exchange notes seller told me they will build their own nest as I was wondering if they would enter a gouldian nest box.
his answer was no to that. all his munias are breed in open flight aviaries

Yay! Congratulations on the new birds. Yes, please let me know how yours do. I'm really thinking they are going to need a larger area to breed in. They just haven't calmed down at all...

I've got a pair of these tri colour munia who has just started building their nest.I gave them a open wicker basket and wooven bamboo . They seem to have more liking towards the bamboo one. These birds are native to my country and they breed during the summer season which is just getting started.

Hope to get chicks soon.

Ivan Montes breeds tri colors. He is on several of the Facebook finch groups.

just picked my 2 pair of dna sexed birds today. will see how they go

Colt

If they're still being sort of flighty and wild, it might help to raise them above eye level so they feel safer.

The other thing that might help is using safe plants or safe artificial plants draped through the cage so they feel safer having places to hide out of direct sight.

The vast majority of the birds my mother was getting way back when were wild-caught - are your pair possibly wild-caught? Her birds were typically WAY flightier than any of the cage-born birds we're more familiar with recently.

Colt

I see now why you like these birds. under aviary conditions they appear quiet and keep to themselves plus easy on the eyes too. I'd be keen to breed these guys.

How are your birds doing wildbill?

@Sojourner - I'm sure these are wild caught birds. I had them up above eye level and they were quite flighty. The cage was covered in greenery. I ended up moving them into a larger single flight with one pair of Star finches who are a bit calmer. This flight is even more planted and in a far corner. They just sit up in the ivy all day. I have yet to see them do anything other than sit actually, or panic when I feed or water. No interest in nesting yet either...