Paradise Whydah

[FeatherHarp]

I have been trying to research the Paradise Whydah and was wondering if anybody here has some.

What I have not been able to find out yet...is this a breed that is better suited for experienced finch owners or are they easy to keep and raise for a new finch owner like me?

And do they get along well in a mixed aviary (I have 2 Zebras and will get some Owl Finches eventually) or do they need a separate space?

Oh...and what is their singing ability?

If there already is a thread about this somewhere... just point the way....thank you!

[Boothcreek]

I do not have Paradise Wydahs, but from what I have read they are very agressive and need to be kept seperately from any other kind of finch. They definitly are not a beginner bird.
When I have time to build another aviary and have $500 to spare I so would get a pair of them tho, they are so beautiful.

[Sally]

I have never kept them, so know very little about them. The males do get that long tail when in breeding plumage, so I can't imagine them living in a small cage, I would think they would be better suited to a planted aviary.

[fairestfinches]

FeatherHarp,

These are very handsome birds indeed, and seem to be very hardy.

We have a pair that we imported for a long standing customer, and the customer canceled the transaction. So we have pair that we are selling.

They are an aggressive species and can't be kept with other finches, and with the large tail they need a very large cage to keep the male from messing his tail up. For short periods you can cage them with their own species, but it is best to keep them set up only in pairs.

They do not have a song to speak of, mostly just a short burst of peeping. They do have breeding plumage and non-breeding pumage. The male looks like the hen when they are jnot in breeding condition. They also do not care for their own young. They are a parasitic bird in the respect that they lay their eggs in anothers species nest and let them do all the work. So they are not easy to breed.

Hope that helps,
Sean

[FeatherHarp]

FairestFinches....thank you so much for your informative reply.

I guess I won't be purchasing any Paradise Whydas anytime soon. They sound like a real challenge to raise...why do I always fall for the pretty ones...lol!

But I will never say never...as they would be a wonderful addition if I had the right environment for them.

[fairestfinches]

FeatherHarp,

Many people purchase Paradise Whydahs to keep as an "ornamental" pair -- in other words, just to look at/not to breed.

They are not difficult to keep -- they do just fine on a simple diet of seed, water, and a source of protein (i.e., eggfood, worms, Miracle Meal). And, while they are aggressive during breeding season, they typically won't breed unless they're housed with melba finches that are breeding.

But, as Sean mentioned, they would need to be kept in a large flight cage to prevent the male from getting his tail messed up while he's in breeding plumage. Those who get Paradise Whydahs for "eye candy" usually purchase a large, ornamental flight cage to house them.

Michele