FINCHforum

hello everybody. First would like to say what a great site and forum. I have never kept birds before and several months ago bought two male zebra finches. I am hooked and want more! I am not interested in breeding. I have read and learned so much on this site my head is kind of spinning but i am so appreciative and impressed how helpful everyone here is!

Here are my thoughts/questions if anyone can help with advice.

my current cage is 14'' deep 26" wide and 21" high. The two males get along so great, they sleep in the same nest together and play and sing and bathe together.
I am thinking of buying a flight cage that is 32wide 20 long and 53 high so am wondering of I moved the two males in there, what could I put in with them? I really would like gouldians and cordon bleus. Could I get a pair of each and have six finches in that cage? Would they be ok together? All males? I know everybody has a different opinion on these matters so it gets confusing but I searched all over here and did not find exactly the situation I am thinking about.
BTW-I live on a Lakota Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota but I keep my birds in doors.
Thank you very much

Welcome. I would leave the two males in their own cage and put the cordons or gouldians in the new larger one. Male zebras may interfere with the others.

welcome to the forum

Hello and welcome Niyaha!! There is a cage calculator over in the Finch Information Center (under Hosing) along with TONNES of other finch topics and stuff linked on the left side of the screen.

Glad to have you here!

Welcome to the forum.

I am going to have to agree, get the new species, get the new cage, but keep them separate. As Liz mentioned oodles of information in the information center, including which species may and may not mix well.,

Let us know what you decide to do.

I think the Gouldians and CBs would get along well. And 4 of them will do well in that larger cage. But even if it's an all male colony, the zebras are generally pretty pushy.

I'd also definitely agree that it's probably not a good idea to put the Zebras in there with the others. It's not a bad size, the cage they are in. And they sound like they're happy so don't mess with it.

Thanks everybody. Much appreciated. So I gather the four new guys would not work with the Zebra's? I thought about not messing with a good thing since the Zeb's are so happy. Especially today as I put in some real tree branches and a fake plant and they are having a blast.
I really did not want two cages and was hoping they could all be happy in the big one.
I also read conflicting reports about having two male Cordon B's. Any info there?
Thanks.
BTW-Niyaha means ''feathers" in Lakota Sioux.

What a great pseudo name for a finch forum

niyaha wrote:BTW-Niyaha means ''feathers" in Lakota Sioux.

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!! That's beautiful - now of course just about everyone on this forum are going to name one of their baby birds "Niyaha"! I know I am!! If you want to drop other Lakota Sioux words related to small birds - feel free!!

ok I will give you some more when I think of some good ones...to Lakota all things are related...mitakuye oyasin "we are all related" and the word ''animal" which is latin for ''no soul" we do not believe. So we do not use that word. We use ''winged ones" for birds as they are their own nation and help us and sing to us. All things have a soul, even rocks and stones.
The Eagle is ''Wambli" (wom-blee) and is most sacred as he flies higher than any other and is closest to the Creator. He takes our prayers up there.

Welcome to the forum, niyaha. I breed Blue-capped Cordon Bleus, and I have always said that BCCB males cannot be put in the same cage. My experience was always with breeding pairs--put two pairs of BCCBs in the same cage, and it is instant war. However, I may be changing my thinking with this species.

I still would never put two pairs of BCCBs in a cage together, but I am trying putting males together, without any females present, and so far, they are getting along. Several times a day, I hear screeching from the cage, and they are having a verbal argument, but it goes no further. This is two hybrid BCCB/RCCB siblings, who have been together since birth, so that may make the difference. Next I will try two unrelated BCCB males together.

I agree with the others, I would leave the Zebras in the first cage--they are far too pushy to be in with either Gouldians or CBs in a cage.

niyaha wrote:ok I will give you some more when I think of some good ones...to Lakota all things are related...mitakuye oyasin "we are all related" and the word ''animal" which is latin for ''no soul" we do not believe. So we do not use that word. We use ''winged ones" for birds as they are their own nation and help us and sing to us. All things have a soul, even rocks and stones.
The Eagle is ''Wambli" (wom-blee) and is most sacred as he flies higher than any other and is closest to the Creator. He takes our prayers up there.

Thank you. That is simple and makes sense to me.

niyaha wrote:ok I will give you some more when I think of some good ones...to Lakota all things are related...mitakuye oyasin "we are all related" and the word ''animal" which is latin for ''no soul" we do not believe. So we do not use that word. We use ''winged ones" for birds as they are their own nation and help us and sing to us. All things have a soul, even rocks and stones.
The Eagle is ''Wambli" (wom-blee) and is most sacred as he flies higher than any other and is closest to the Creator. He takes our prayers up there.

I love that!!

My name is latin too and means "Little Bear". What's the word for that in Lakota?

I also have cordon bleus, but mine are in a big aviary. However, even there the males occasionally chase each other. I'd say, stay on the safe side and don't get 2 males. You could get a male/female pair and not provide any nesting material. They are usually not easy to breed anyway, and don't seem to be like zebras that lay their eggs everywhere, even without a nest.

Oh, and: Welcome to the forum!!!

niyaha wrote:ok I will give you some more when I think of some good ones...to Lakota all things are related...mitakuye oyasin "we are all related" and the word ''animal" which is latin for ''no soul" we do not believe.

Animal or, in its original form, animalis, means, roughly, "living, breathing creature" or "creature with breath/soul", as it is derived from the latin "anima", which means soul or breath. It doesn't mean "no soul".

Still, interesting lesson on Lakota words. Welcome to the forum!

Well, perhaps I got the ''latin" wrong but that is what I was told. That the white word means ''no soul" I guess, I don't know. Maybe they meant Christians or something, who believe only humans have souls.
Hey is there any breeders in Nebraska? Only place I know to get birds/cages/supplies is Pet Smart in Rapid City and it is a 2 1/2 hour drive from this reservation.

Little Bear in Lakota is ''Mato Lila" Bear is ''Mato" in Lakota. It is pro.
''Mahtow Leelah"

Thanks everybody. Have to rethink this whole thing now. I don't really have the money for all this at once anyways, just thinking ahead of what I would want.