Has anyone ever tried using Zebs to foster?

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 10:43 pm

If so what were the results?

Post by **Sally** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 12:17 am

I had read that Zebras can be used to foster some of the waxbills, so when the pair I had rehomed came back to me, I decided to keep them for that purpose. However, all they have done is lay eggs, raise 3 babies of their own, feather-pluck the babies, and to top it all off, they keep the messiest cage of all!

I had slipped 5 Cordon Bleu eggs under my Society males--2 were infertile, 2 DIS, and 1 hatched. They are feeding this CB baby--I give them lots of eggfood, which they devour, but they are also eating dry insectile mix, which is what is needed by the CB baby.

I've decided that I will concentrate on getting some Societies to eat the dry insectile mix, and if I need them, perhaps they will raise other waxbills for me. I will rehome the Zebras once again--I need more of my energy for taking care of the waxbills, not the Zebras.

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 3:36 am

Ok I had just wondered if any one had tried them and how it came out.
Thanks for the reply.

EmilyHurd · Post by **EmilyHurd** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 6:16 am

I've had success using zebras to foster other zebra eggs... but not other types of finches

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:09 pm

Have ya ever tried OTHER eggs????

I know zeebies LOVE to have eggs sit, raise young,.. so I really wondered how they would do ...

exoticgouldian · Post by **exoticgouldian** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 12:06 pm

hi, thanks to you guys i have settled the illnesses in my flight cage. In my aviary, i had 1 nest where the eggs were abandoned and i have the eggs to zebras. (3 eggs).

2 hatched, 1 they threw out, the one left they are feeding well. The one they threw out seem to be a weak one, i took it out and it doesnt even open its mouth, probably thats they threw it out.

So i will keep you guys updated on how the zebras foster my gouldian chick. So far so good.

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 12:28 pm

Aw that's great about the remaining baby gould. Best wishes for continued feedings!

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 5:17 am

WONDERFUL News..Please do keep us informed on how they continue to do,
And Congrads on the baby ya got,
Thanks

exoticgouldian · Post by **exoticgouldian** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:13 pm

well the Gould baby seems to be well fed by the Zebra parents, saw a full crop sack and the baby is making sounds. It looks like its a Yellowback Gould

I also found a zebra egg at the bottom of the cage. May be the zebra hen has started laying eggs, but since the Gouldian baby is getting too big inside the cage, the egg fell down. My zebras have filled the whole nest up to the entrance with nesting material, so they can barely fit inside even with only 1 gouldian baby....lol, so definitely there is no space for any eggs.

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 1:24 pm

That is sooo wonderful.

I always wondered about he zeebs cause they have that fabby nesting instinct and all like the societies do,

PLEASE keep us updated Im loving this.

exoticgouldian · Post by **exoticgouldian** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 1:01 pm

The gouldian baby is pretty big now.........and is well fed by the Zebra parents. But the baby has gotten too big for the zebra parents to stay inside the nest

, so they stay outside and go in just to feed the baby.

I will post a picture of the baby gouldian fed by the zebras soon. Its definitely not normal back, its either yellow or something else.

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:16 am

Hey exotic thats great news, i look forward to seeing the pics.

lonchura_boi · Post by **lonchura_boi** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:48 am

i once placed a few abandoned eggs from a bronzewing nest in a pair of zebs box, they raised a very noisy chick, but they fed their own chicks in preferance to it so when it fledged it was quite weak and scrawny. interestingly, it turned out the chick was actualy a silverbill, so the bronzewing eggs must have failed and a silverbill had been playing cuckoo

alas, the zebs refused to feed the chick once it fledged and it died

exoticgouldian · Post by **exoticgouldian** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 11:56 am

my zebras are still feeding the gouldian baby after it fledged and its pretty big now. I will surely post some pics soon.

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 1:23 am

look forward to pics, I spoke to a gal today who also fostered Goulds by her Zebras she said they were fantastic.,