Swee waxbills, info pls

mickp · Post by **mickp** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 12:10 am

having seen a couple of pics of swee waxbills I'm wondering if anyone here breeds/keeps them. what are they like to keep?

Post by **Sally** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 12:40 am

Hilary and fairestfinches both have Swees, I believe. Next time they are on, should be able to get some information for you.

Post by **Hilary** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 1:47 am

I love my little swees! The males have a scratchy little song - not very melodic, but soft and very distinct.

I have a large community cage with strawberries and they get along fine with them, as well as a pair in a separate cage. They're hard to sex unless you catch the male singing - I actually had the separated pair dna sexed to save time (not that THAT helped me!). I was told that the hens would be more plucked around the neck, but turns out the males were the ones missing feathers - go figure. Watch the calcium for the hens - they're so small they can get eggbound fairly easily. I've only had them hatch out chicks once and they tossed them. I had given them mealies which they played with but never really ate, and a variety of dried protein which they also didn't really take to. The pair is sitting again and I'm now trying whiteworms, which somebody recommended. They're hard to find - I pick them up whenever I do find them. I worried at first about them escaping from my cages since they're so small, but haven't had any problems so far.

Hope somebody else chimes in. Carmen also keeps them.

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:56 am

They are difficult to find. I have been looking for a pair now for a few months. I went to a bird fair yesterday and no one had them. But there was a man there who said he would have some at the next show, but they were being flown in from our of country.

I think they are adorable and I don't have to worry about escapes since mine are in an open aviary. Same for the gold breasted. I traded some of my babies to someone for a gouldian and they escaped her finch cage. So she lets them fly free in her sunroom. YEAAH!!!!

fairestfinches · Post by **fairestfinches** » Thu May 01, 2008 12:32 am

We have had some luck with breeding Swees. We keep them in our walk in aviaries, and they get along great with other passive species. We still have not reached the point that we get consistent results with breeding, we have found that they tend to like secluded nesting sites in the walk in aviaries. No luck with cage breeding yet.

We offer ours meal worms and white worms. They seem to eat both about the same for us.

We had heard that more would be coming in through imports, but we havne't seen them yet. I'll put out a post if imports open up. If any one knows of any breeders please pass along contact information. We would love to get several more bloodlines for our aviaries.

Post by **Hilary** » Fri May 02, 2008 11:30 pm

Boy, I hope we get more in! I just lost my DNA-sexed hen, which leaves me with two hens and about five cocks.

mickp · Post by **mickp** » Sat May 03, 2008 5:04 am

sadly it seems as though they are not available here in asutralia, guess I'll just have to enjoy seeing pics and hearing about your birds