FINCHforum

Hi
I am trying to decide on the new species in a mixed flight. Apart from the temperament i also decided to get birds that will be happy without live food or insects. Looking for species that will live happily forever with seed mix, fresh vegetables and fruits, hard boiled egg and spray millet. IF must! freeze dried insects But no live worms, flies etc...

I love my green singers in every way. I feed them with the things above minus dried insects and they are very happy healthy and gave me a baby and are ready anytime to do that again

Gouldians do wonderfully without live food. They do need hard boiled eggs for the D3 and animal protein though.
Be sure to let us know which you've chosen.
good luck

metinemre societies are good without live food. My societies love their mixes, enjoy the eggs ect.

metinemre

Zebras, Societies, Gouldians, Canaries, Shaft Tails, Cut Throat, Stars, Parrot Finches.....

There are many different species, that can do without live food, as long as you add egg. Now some of these, will appreciate live foods, such as the Parrots and Stars, but can do without it.

You can always supplement with freeze dried mealworms or blood worms if you want.

~Elana~

Of the species that need special diets, most waxbills breed better with live food, and most softbills need fruit/nectar and can be messy. Of the waxbills, Strawberries and Goldbreasts will often breed without live food, but most others will need live food if you want to breed them. If you want to breed and don't want to bother with live food, I think just about any seed-eating species that is readily available in the U.S. would work--Gouldians, Societies, Owls, Shafttails, Mannikins, Stars, Cherries--that's all I can think of just now, but I'm sure there are more.

All the domesticated species (societies, Javas and all readily available Australian species) are fine without live food, with eggfood sufficient as a source. That's a main reason they became domesticated! Some of these can be trouble-makers in a community aviary though.
Of the "wild" species, munias/mannikins don't eat much live food and tend to be super-peaceful, too.

Unfortunately, as already noted by Sally as well, pretty much all of the tiny, colorful waxbills are quite dependant on live-food, especially when breeding.
According to people who bred them in my home country (Hungary), this also applies to strawberries and orange-breasted waxbills. The latter two are probably the easiest waxbills to keep and breed though. They will surely survive without live food but may fail to breed successfully without it.

Thanks for the replies. Probably 2 more weeks to decide. Leaning towards the shaft tails i guess.