FINCHforum

Here's my first clutch of Florida Fancy Zebras. I honestly had no idea the eggs had even hatched...these babies never made a sound and their crops were empty except for one. I'm worried I haven't been hearing them because I wasn't giving enough egg food and they're weak. I gave mom and dad tons of egg food, veggies, and refilled seed last night, so I'm hoping they'll start feeding more.

slwatson

Stacie, you might need to supplement feed if you want them to get strong enough to beg.

I had a clutch like that once.
I supplement fed the kids, and in something like two days, they were begging like champions, and the parents were run off their feet feeding them.

lovezebs

Thanks Elana....I've been watching the parents and didn't see them go in the nest at all when I got off work yesterday. There was a paper towel on the bottom of the cage they had tried to stuff in the nest. I'm hoping that's not a sign that they want to start over. I have a syringe at home but need to get some hand feeding formula today. I've never done this before so I'm pretty terrified!

slwatson

There is no need to be terrified, what's the worst case scenerio?
You feed them, and they live or they die. However, if you don't feed them, they will die for sure.

It's like I told Babs a while back...
GET THE FORMULA WOMAN, AND FEED THEM BABIES!!!

If the parents are starting to rebuild, then they have given up on those babies, probably because they are too weak to beg.

So get to it and do it!!! ( and that's in my serious Mother voice ).

lovezebs

I bought formula when I got off work, went home, and was prepared to feed after I watched Babs video. Then...I noticed the hen hopped into the nest a couple of times. She didn't spend a ton of time in there, and I didn't hear the babies beg, but I was told Florida Fancies aren't loud beggers. I hate feeling so unsure. I was also told if I mess with their nest too much, this pair will abandon the babies for sure. I climbed on a step stool and peeked in the nest yesterday morning and saw the babies I could clearly see were alive. One had his little eyes open and just looked at me like...what? So I guess I'll give it one more day. If they don't make it...then I've learned a hard lesson

slwatson

Well, goodluck then

Hopefully parents are feeding enough.

lovezebs

The parents are still feeding! I had to stand on a step stool and shine
a spot light to really see inside the nest, but their crops are full, and they seem to be doing great. I guess Florida Fancy parents don't spend a lot of time in the nest feeding, and I never hear the babies! So different compared to the screeching of the Black Cheeks!

slwatson

Some don't spend a lot of time in the nest once the chicks feather up. Also, some chicklets won't beg as much if their crops are full.

So glad that babies are doing well Stacie .

lovezebs

They're getting so big! Mom and dad are super protective!

slwatson

When did they fledge?

Last I saw them, they were tiny half starved fuzz balls.

Wow! Where did the time go???

Beautiful babies you've got there!

lovezebs

The first fledgling came out on February 2nd, and it took almost four days for the others. They might have popped out and gone straight back in before I noticed.

I've learned Florida Fancy babies are very different than my black cheeks. They're very quiet, and the parents don't spend much time at all in the nest with them. They're super fast when they feed too. It's not a big production like it is with the black cheeks. It's like the parents don't want to draw too much attention to the fact that they have babies. The mom was very disturbed that I took pictures.

wow they're so cute very nice fancies, dad is a huge colored grey FF again
yeah i think isabeles are not very warm in breeding , my isabele mate is on a the second week of mating and i have no eggs .
i'm seeing a cfw on the babies isn't ?

haroun

I was told by several other zebra experts that what I have are actually Florida Silver babies. I think the mom is Florida Silver and the dad is split Florida Fancy and Florida Silver.

slwatson
yep that's right the FF fancies is identique to isabels (fawn version) and yours are grey they recessive version of FF ,they'r florida silver
see https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q ... x7Kqn06WgA