FINCHforum

This beautiful species

I just saw these guys in my local bird market!
Since they're a local bird they don't cost much.
So I've been thinking of adopting some of them for my aviary.

Never have I kept them, so I'd like to ask any of you who have experience keeping these guys:
1. How hard or easy is it to keep them?
2. How are their temperament? The vendor said they were bred instead of wild caught so maybe they're less timid?
3. How many should I keep?
4. If I plan on getting a pair or two, what kind of nest is best for them?

My aviary is outdoors, 225cm long x 120cm wide x 250cm tall,
spacious enough to let me enter, and plant some trees in the back.
Other inhabitants are a pair of canary and 7 white java finches, so far they... bicker quite a lot about food... but most of the time the aviary's pretty peaceful.
Is that good enough home for the nonpareils?

I've never had these guys, but boy, are they ever lovely!

I can't wait to see photos once you get yours! (And you must get them! Too lovely to pass up! LOL)

MiaCarter
thank you the moment I saw them I instantly thought
"ah finally a good stock from breeder!"

my plan is to quarantine them first in a solitary hanging cage and put them in away from the aviary.
then after a week of making sure there's no disease I'll put them near the aviary so they get used to the aviary inhabitants
what do you think? I don't know how much time is needed until I can finally release them though...

mondo -- I wouldn't be able to resist those lovelies either! No way! They'd be mine, mine, mine! LOL

Everyone is a bit different, but I always do a solid month of quarantine. That gives them time to de-stress and acclimate to their new home before they undergo the stresses of integrating into the flock.
It also gives any illnesses sufficient time to become apparent.

I also treat newcomers for common ailments. I do a de-wormer, Ronex for protozoal bugs and an Ivermectin med. I do one at a time, so that takes up most of the month in quarantine.

I know some prefer not to treat unless it's a confirmed issue. But I prefer to take a proactive approach with parasites. This way, they're treated upon arrival and there's no need to worry about a troublesome parasite lurking in the shadows. (I liken it to doing flea treatments, de-wormer and heartworm meds on your dogs and cats. Easier to do a preventative on newcomers than to chase a problem that's spread to the entire lot!)

Plus, I've got a lot of birds and treating parasites is a royal pain and it also gets expensive, especially if you end up with a troublesome bug that requires multiple rounds of treatment. So by treating newcomers, it keeps costs down and prevents the physical stress from parasites (and treatment.)

Wow, your so lucky to have access to some of these, i'd jump at the chance to get some but the're impossible to get here and very expensive.

Here's a link to info on them

http://www.parrot-finches.com/pintailed ... ailed.html

mondo - You are so lucky! They sure are beautiful birds. Where are you located? I've never seen them for sale around here.
finkfinch has a thread going in 'Species' called 'Restarting again'. Several people have chimed in there. I hope that will help you. Good luck and keep us updated.
Iso

Here they are a cheap though uncommon local species, right now plenty on the market.
Anyway, they are perhaps my favourite species overall, and almost certainly the ones I consider most beautiful.
Alas, the furthest I have got with my all-wild-caught little flock so far is having a pair brooding on eggs that failed to hatch.
Hope more luck next time...

w.l.
oh hi! you're from Indonesia too! yes they sure are lovely for a local species aren't they! too bad not so appreciated by our society

mondo

I am in, but not from, Indonesia.