What type would you all suggest?

kiwi & mango · Post by **kiwi & mango** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:34 pm

Hi Everyone....

Our family has two sets of gouldians right now. One pair sitting on 4 eggs due to hatch in the nest week.

My mother loves our finches and thought about getting a pair until she found out the price.....

She is a senior and money is a problem at times. I suggested giving her one or two of ours as long as they are both male or female but she said she would think about it.

The question is:
She likes the looks of the society but wanted to know how to tell the difference between male and female? do the males sing? and if there is no nest will they still lay eggs?

thanks again...

Post by **Sally** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 3:41 pm

Societies are great beginner finches, and they have lots of personality. Only the males sing, and that is the only way you can tell them apart. Without a nest, they aren't as likely to lay eggs--they aren't as bad as Zebras about breeding. If your mother just wants pet finches, not babies, why not get two males? They will cuddle together, you can put a nest in the cage and they will sleep in it every night, and you never have to worry about eggs! They won't fight, they'll be best buddies, and you don't have the extra problems that sometimes come with Zebras, like feather-plucking. If you decide to give her some of your birds, be sure and give two, not just one--one finch in a cage is miserable. Two LG boys will get along fine, but LGs normally don't cuddle, and they won't use a nest at night.

kiwi & mango · Post by **kiwi & mango** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:29 pm

I was thinking about two males but the pet store that she spoke to said theer is no way to tell males from females and they wouldn't be responsible if they layed eggs.

Post by **Sally** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:05 pm

Would the pet store allow an exchange if the birds weren't both male? It is the one down side to Societies, being so hard to sex. And one male will often sing to another male, so you can't say just because he is singing to another bird, she is automatically a female. Are there any Society breeders in the area? Usually breeders would be willing to select two males for her.

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 1:55 am

I to would definately go with 2 or 3 MALE societies, and they will indeed pile into the nest every night its very cute.

Local breeders sale them for $5.00 each so they are a inexpensive bird and for your mom most likely easy to care for not needing to worry about the gouldians being hardy and all,
I'm sure if you find a local breeder they can set up males only.

kiwi & mango · Post by **kiwi & mango** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 3:20 pm

I will have to look into a breeder.

When the males sing is it a loud song like our gouldians or is it a softer sound? The one pet store said males don't sing at all. I told her I thought they did but then I started to second guess myself since I have never owned any society.

Post by **Sally** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 4:29 pm

It is a squeaky little song, not unpleasant at all. They are so funny, they puff their chests out more than most when they sing. The pet store doesn't know what they are talking about, if they say male Societies don't sing. Only the males sing, and only the hens lay eggs, and that is the only way to tell which is which. They are just such a great bird for beginners, very hardy and easy to care for. I just prefer getting birds from breeders--not all pet stores are equal!

Ravyn · Post by **Ravyn** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 5:34 pm

Males most definately sing. It's a soft chirpy little song interspersed with the cutest honks and beeps...but there is no doubt when he is singing that he is indeed singing.

That pet store has no clue what they're talking about.

Post by **Hilary** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 8:53 pm

If you spend 5 minutes in front of the cage at the petstore you'll be able to pick out some males - somebody is always singing when I check them out!

kiwi & mango · Post by **kiwi & mango** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 7:41 pm

Hi Everyone....

I went out and bought my mom 2 society...the male was a singer right away while watching the group of birds so he was easy to pick out. The other we (the sales girl) thought had made some singing sound as well but very low since the male we had picked out was so strong and so loud. She has both home and enjoying them but the male is singing all the time and nothing out of the other....I guess that means it is female?

How long should we wait. When I called and spoke to my mom last night she said they both sleep on the perch and not in the nest. I want to take the nest out but my mom says she read how cute they look in the nest and would like to leave it in for them.

Ravyn · Post by **Ravyn** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 1:21 pm

Sometimes with more than one male the less dominant will not sing. Let her leave the nest in but keep a close eye for eggs. If any appear, she can throw them out and then she'll know for sure the other one isn't a boy. Then she can either remove the nest and pitch any random eggs that appear, or trade the lady in for a laddy ;)

kiwi & mango · Post by **kiwi & mango** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 5:28 pm

well I spoke to my mom today and both are males.....

The second just took a few days to start singing....I guess he needed to feel comfortable first.

thanks