Traits

Nagdabit · Post by **Nagdabit** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 12:46 am

We are now well into our fourth generation of Zebras, and one of the things that amuse us the most is how various 'personality' traits are passed down from generation to generation. Physical characteristics can be intriguing as well, but it's the behavior patterns that fascinate us.

Something that we've noticed relatively early on is that each of these little creatures has their own distinct and different personality. Once the young 'uns start to display these traits it's interesting to us to be able to say they get this from dad, or they get that from their grandma.

We started with 2 couples and each of the patriarchs have proven to be very different. Our first male Rhett, was very regimented in his form of "child rearing" We nicknamed him Sgt. Rhett because of how he laid down the law. While our other male, Frost, was extremely laid back. Baby finches would frequently be yanking on his tail and he wouldn't even flinch. One of Rhett's kids tried something like that, the feathers would fly.

Those of Frost's boys that have reproduced are very mellow with their kids as well, while those of Rhett's (at least the ones we kept) didn't follow their dad's example when the time came for them to raise their offspring.

In following the feminine influence, Rhett's mate Bella is very boisterous. You can hear her loud PEEP from the other end of the house. Two generations later at least one of her granddaughters has that same exact peep, and the brash personality that matches it.

Has anyone else noticed such conditions in their flock?

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 10:34 am

I've never bred any of my birds babies so I can't comment on traits being passed through the generations but I think that is so cute you even noticed!! Way to go!

Christopher Smith · Post by **Christopher Smith** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 12:01 pm

I have noticed a differences also. I have made it a point to try to retain my least shy birds for my breeding program. And over the years my birds have become a lot less flighty and nervous. But I am watching to see what negative consequences this may have also.

It would be interesting for you to switch eggs under your Zebs and see if the traits you are seeing are genetic or environmental.

CandoAviary · Post by **CandoAviary** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 12:01 pm

Years ago when I had a bird room especially for the zebras, probably had 25 breeding pairs in cages..... experimenting on genetics and learning the ropes. I would hear beep, beeps all day long by the hundreds..... then I noticed this biiiieep, biiieeep call that was extremely high pitched. Took a little while but I finally narrowed it down to a WCF male. He was paired with a white female and they produced several nestful of young. I banded them all with white leg bands. Within a couple of months I heard more biiieeep. I retained all these birds and breed them. Over the years I have rehomed most of those offsprings. But I kept about 10 pair for future breeding. I started letting these remnants of those line breed. After 4 years, I occaisionally have an offspring with the very distinguisable biiiieeeep call.... I always say, I know who your great, great, great, great, grandfather was...I still band families but I don't keep the records I use to but I will always know that line, just by his song... I have noticed that every zebra has their own call/song...though most sound the same to us...except this one. I don't know how and why he had such an unusual call but it was definately passed from generation to generation.

Nagdabit · Post by **Nagdabit** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 4:36 pm

That is so cool. The vocalizations are part of the fascination for us too. We've had a couple of unique songs and calls that have gotten passed down. Our original male Rhett, does the road runner thing (meep meep) Only one of his boys (Jacob) picked it up. Cracks the wife up every morning when she turns the light on and good Ol' Jake fires off his morning meep meep. Ah yes, the simple little things that entertain us.

Rory and Sherry

CandoAviary · Post by **CandoAviary** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 5:14 pm

I use to have a grooming shop/boarding kennel. This is where I had the birds, in one of the extra kennel rooms. I also had many of the zebra finches in cages in the lobby where I would sell some to some of my "doggy" customers and I had a small following of bird fanatics (I mostly bred canaries in those days) Anyway, where we goomed the dogs was seperated by open shelves through to the office and then the countertop overlooking the lobby. So we heard the beep, beep all day long, along with canary songs. (there were probably 50 birds in the lobby flights) So there was a good bit of beeps... but as you know it becomes 'white noise' and you don't really notice it.
Well I had an apartment in the back of the bussiness and I had a deck off the back of that. I had put in a goldfish pond and grew bamboo, exotic plants, etc. There were tons of tree frogs that live there. they made the same sound .... beep, beep.
I was playing my piano one night with the sliding glass door open. I was composing a new song so I got out the tape recorder to tape.
The next day as I was grooming up front, my friend that groomed for my business asked what I had done that evening. I told her I had composed some music and retrieved the tape for her to listen and critic....... I had not listened to it back as it had gotten late in the night. There was the music and in the background you could hear beep, beep, beep
My friend asked me if I had moved some zebra finches into my apartment.... It was the first time I realized that the frogs sounded exactly like the finches. I guess I heard that sound 24 hours a day that I just didn't notice....... If I play that tape to this day the zebra finches will start beeping along with the frogs.....
So nest time you have a rain or are at the ponds listen to this sound and see if you don't agree

Nagdabit · Post by **Nagdabit** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 5:21 pm

Christopher Smith wrote: It would be interesting for you to switch eggs under your Zebs and see if the traits you are seeing are genetic or environmental.

That would be an interesting experiment. But I'm afraid of getting the line all screwed up and wouldn't be able to keep track of who is related to who.

Nagdabit · Post by **Nagdabit** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 9:53 am

Actually the wife reminded me of something that falls in line with the whole genetic / environmental thing. Our one female Dolce, is the splitting image of her grandma Bella. She has the same loud PEEP, same boisterous, pushy behavior. Even physically looks a lot like her. However she was not hatched here. We had given her daddy away, His new owners wanted some babies so they got him a female and Dolce was part of the resulting clutch. In the meantime Peep's mate had died so we were looking to get him another honey. Since they needed to get rid of some offspring and Miss Dolce wasn't actually related to Peep, it worked out well for both parties.

But when we brought her home and observed her for awhile, the similarities between her and her grandma were blatantly obvious to us. Yet she had never "met" her grandma until that day.