Little waxbills in mixed collection - OK with bigger birds?

[Sheather]

Wasn't sure how to word this.

I'm wanting to order a pair of red-cheek cordons and possibly two orange-cheek waxbills in the near future but I'm having some hesitation with how they might do in my set up. They would ideally be going into my free-flight bird room, which at this time houses 3 canaries, 2 Javas, 6 budgerigars, 2 diamond doves, a ringneck dove, and 12 society finches which alternate in groups of six with out of cage time every other day. The cordons/orange-cheeks would be housed without a cage and kept loose in the room. None of these birds are aggressive. The parakeets have lived with the finches for a year or so now and they all get along very nicely, I've never seen any aggression and the finches are not wary of the big birds at all anymore and in the past bred well alongside them. However, these are mostly domesticated finches. Would the waxbills be okay here, too? My issue isn't that the budgies will hurt them, I don't believe my particular ones will, but that as wild-caughts their presence might stress the cordons and inhibit them from settling or hopefully, one day, nesting. I've heard a lot about these birds being much more flighty than the species I'm used to, which are canaries, munias, and zebras.

My only alternative housing would be a 16 x 24 breeder I have currently unused in the sunny back window of my apartment. I don't think this is large enough for this species, though, and was considering a pair of Indian silverbills to house here instead (with out of cage time once settled.) I'm not sure how cordons or orange-cheeks would do with that arrangement, though. I suspect they would not willingly return to their cages like my domestic birds do.

The aviary room in question is 10 x 12 x 8 feet approximately. Do you think they'd settle down and come to be okay with the larger birds with that much room to get out of their way?

[lovezebs]

Sheather

Hi Dylan.

Are these new guys wild caught? Not sure about that from your post.

My Cordon girls, are fine in a mixed flight (no problems whatsoever).
My Orange Cheeks, are in a flight with Gold breasts, Red Ears, and Fires, and do well.

The thing is, that if they go into your bird room and are flighty, the odds are that they will disappear into the highest perches or greenery available, and you'll never see them.

As to getting along with the other birds. I have never seen them aggressive with anyone.

Elana

[Sheather]

lovezebs Hi Elana, I haven't been around here much lately. How are you holding up? Do you still have all of your finches?

I am certain that based on the price the Finch Farm has them at, they come from the wild. I'm not sure what I want to order yet, but I do want a pair of cordons.

My whole set up is changed a bit from its old incarnation, actually. The bird room is very simplified and most of the branches and greens are removed. I might put some clumps in for more cover if I get the little waxbills, but I don't have as much up high anymore because I got tired of never seeing my birds, haha. I'm having some family move in with me for a time soon, so I also thought it would be best if I rehomed my cockatiel, Gracie, and two of my ringneck doves - these three were lovely, but just too noisy, and my Dad works nights and has to sleep during the day. :/

A lot of my remaining birds have also moved to flights and out of my bird room across the house to help keep things easier to maintain nowadays and so they aren't chirping right across from the room my dad's gotta sleep in, but it wouldn't be a big deal to add just a couple new little finches back in now that the twenty or so total societies, zebras, and spices have moved out and to closed flights. I could house the waxbills in closed flights, too, but I though the space of the bird room would be better for them, being unused to captivity.

Maybe I'm just worrying, I just want them comfortable if I get them. My societies, canaries, etc don't even blink living with doves and budgies, I just don't want the little waxbills to be terrified, thinking they've been forced to live in a room with weird colorful hawks or something - being from the wild I'd think they'd be much more fearful of the bigger birds and I don't want them to be stressed.

[Sheather]

Also, I wasn't ever even considering keeping BOTH cordons and orange cheeks in a small flight cage! I don't think it would be good for either personally - was just mentioning another option for one or the other.

[Sally]

I can't speak from experience, since I've not kept your same collection and most of my birds have been in cages, but I would think your room is large enough to accommodate all the birds. I would put in some greenery for the waxbills, as they are probably wild caught, and they would appreciate some hiding places. They might surprise you with how quickly they may adjust though. You are correct that a 24x16 cage is too small for these flighty species.

[lovezebs]

Sheather

Hi Dylan.
I'm still alive, as I tell people, thanks for asking.
Yes, I still have all the feathered kids, and I'm hanging in there. It's a 'one day at a time' kind of existence.

Regarding the Waxbills, I honestly don't think that there would be much of a problem with them in the bird room, with the bigger kids. Your bigger birds, are used to being around finches (smaller birds) and are not aggressive towards them. The Waxbills will figure this out fairly quickly, I should think.

So you move away from the family, and the family follows you, eh?

Elana

[Colt]

I think you'd be fine adding them into the mix Dylan.

@MiaCarter probably has experience with waxbills in her similar set-up.

While the large birds may initially startle the smaller, wild-caught waxbills, but their behavior is much different than predatory birds. the little ones will figure that out pretty well.

I would make sure they have some cover to retreat too. Maybe try the greenery back in the room without a bazillion birds in it. lol You might find it's worth it and not too much trouble to clean now.

[vienneparis]

Sheather

Dylan, I have both RCCB's and orange cheek waxbills in a mixed aviary with other finches and canaries. They get along fine with the bigger birds, especially since I have plenty of perches, plants, and hiding places for them. The orange cheeks tend to keep to themselves and not interact much with the other birds, but the RCCB's are assertive enough to fight for food and nesting materials. I don't think you'll have any problem adding these finches to your bird room given the large size of it.

My RCCB pair and orange cheek pair are full of personalities and quirks. They'd add color and personality to your bird room.

Good luck if you get some

[Rox]

Dylan, go for it. The size of your bird room and the way you have set it up with braches and foliage etc will be perfectly fine for the little guys to get away from the bigger birds if needed. Just remember that the Orange cheeks like to nest quite low, sometimes on the ground, so just keep an eye out where you walk

Keep us updated and I would love to see some pic's if you get them

[Sheather]

Thanks everyone, still thinking what to get.

Might instead just get a couple of pretty Goulds and forget the waxbills at all right now. Just not sure I want to add more finches to the bird room after I moved most out, and Goulds are domestic so would be more comfortable in a smaller closed set up like my finches are mostly housed in now.

[lovezebs]

Sheather

Hard decisions.
Gouldians, are awfully pretty...... also, I find that they will become more tame and friendly over time than the waxbills, who tend to remain more aloof and flighty.

Elana