Advice/suggestions for adding species

[finchandlovebird]

I have a pair of Red Cheeked Cordon Bleu's in a 31Wx41Hx20D. I would like to add something & believe the 3 species I have in mind would be compatible with the Cordons. Nov 7 is my next local bird fair, so I want to be prepared if I see anything that would work.
Am not wanting all the birds I list, but would choose one:
2 MALE SOCIETIES: Thought it might be nice to have them if I ever needed to foster any baby Goulds. What about that mystery disease they can carry which can kill Goulds? How does one know if they are carriers?
1 MALE CANARY: Thought it would be great to have a singing bird with beautiful coloring.
1 or a pair PARROT FINCHES: Would just one be fine, and would they get along with the Cordons? High dollar birds?
Any advice/suggestions/experience would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

[MRobinson]

I can't speak to the carnaries or parrot finches but I have 2 societies (both female) in the same cage (about the same size as your cage) with my Blue Capped Cordon Bleus and they all get along fine. The cordon bleus will be higher on the 'pecking order' than the societies but the socs don't really care, they just love being with others.

[ac12]

Campylobacter and Cochlosoma / C & C disease of gouldians when fostered by societies (IF the societies are carriers)

Campylobacter
Campylobacter/Campy
10-14 days old
Usually causes dead Gouldian nestlings around 10-14 days of age or so.

Cochlosoma
Cochlosoma usually results in Gouldians that die
• shortly before or after fledgling or
• just simply fail to thrive and die before weaning.

The only practical way that I know of testing is to have them foster raise a gouldian chick. If it makes it to weaning, then the societies are most probably "clean."

[finchandlovebird]

Well that's frightful! How long do Societies live? In other words, how long can I expect to have them on hand in case I ever need a foster. I may never need to foster; does it pay to try to have Societies on hand??? Is it something they pass on only to Goulds? It seems a lot of you have Societies for fosters. Is it a pretty rare thing for them to have these diseases? And do the Societies get sick themselves from these diseases; or being they are carriers, are they immune?

[debbie276]

Here is a great article on fostering:
http://ladygouldian.com/node/121

I've never used society's for fostering but have heard many horror stories from people putting societies in with goulds only to infect the entire flock. It does seem like there are more "clean" society's out there now and as long as you are careful and test them to be sure they're clean you should be ok. I would never house the society's with gouldians regardless because the society's will take over the nests not giving the goulds a chance to raise the clutch.
The Finch Information Center says society's live about 4 years though I think I've heard of longer then that.

[Queen_Bee]

I have owls in with my RCCBs and everyone gets along fine.

As for fostering... it is something you may have to work at with any societies you decide to get. Some are better at it than others.

[Jossi]

In my experience the societys live for 7-8 years with proper care.

[can]

One of my society's is currently 8 years old, and besides an afternoon nap, he is still going strong!

But my real concern is society's with parrot finches. I have 3 society and 1 parrot finch, and when I first put them together in the same cage they were really good. My parrot finch loved my societies, he sleep beside them, on top of the them (a little pyramid) - but then he started raping them! No joke, he forced them to the bottom of the cage and jumped on top!

Now, Barry (PF) really only seemed interested in my chestnut/chocolate societies, and left my pied society alone. So I'm thinking it had something to do with the markings, but I'm not sure.

Currently, they are in separate cages.

[ac12]

Societies "could be" carriers of the C&C diseases. I know of only 2 ways to find out if they are "clean" or carriers. Unfortunately one is an expensive lab test and the other is to have them raise a couple gouldian chicks. If the chick lives to weaning, then the societies are probably "clean."

I got my societies specifically as a "safety net" for my gouldians. And I have had to use them MANY times for that. Of my own 12 gouldian chicks, 10 were "saved" and fostered by the societies, only 2 were parent raised. The gouldian chicks were either from abandoned nests where the societies took over the abandoned eggs, or tosslings.

When I get societies, I keep them separate from all the other birds in extended quarantine.
Then I have them foster raise a gouldian chick.
If the chick lives to weaning, then the societies are probably "clean." And only then will I move the societies down into the bird area with the rest of the flock.

I picked up a pair of society hens last year, to mate w my males, to keep my line of societies going. BUT, I have not been able to set them up to raise a gouldian chick, so I don't know if they are "clean." I plan to give them a couple hatchlings from the next clutch. I would love to get them out of my office, but I can't until I know they are "clean" or not.

I found that my pair of hens do a better job of sitting on eggs than my pair of male societies.

The problem is sexing the societies in the store. The only reliable method that I know of is to see which one sings, then that is a male. If you want a male you get that one. If you want a female, you take your chances. Bring one home and see if it sings or not. A male further down the pecking order may not sing in the store but will when he is alone.

This is where I like PetSmart. They give you a 2 week return policy. So if the society is the wrong sex, you can take it back to exchange for another society. I make sure that they know in advance that the society is coming back if the sex is not what I am looking for.

There are some that say you can tell the sex by looking at the beak, but I have not tried this method.