So I fell in love today

[Randomusername]

I was at a pet shop and they had yellow and green shaft tailed finches (or at least that's what the employee told me). Does anyone have these? Are they good pets? Would a pair get along with a female canary? Do they breed easily? Anyway to tell the difference between male and female?

[Stuart whiting]

Never heard of yellow and green shaft tails, it certainly sounds like Gouldian or star finches or possibly parrot finches but definitely not shaft tails,

In all onesty this is why I don't like pet shops as half the time the staff simply haven't got a clue in what there dealing with and will say anything just to get a sale,

I know it's not always possible but going direct to proper and serious breeders is definitely the way to go if you want quality birds,

Over here in England what we regard as pet shop birds are everyone's rubbish that are normally unfit or barren hens that aren't no good to nobody

In general yes foreign finches can be kept with canaries, preferably the smaller canaries and providing there in a flight / avairy or at the very least a large cage.

[Randomusername]

I thought they looked like canaries but smaller. I'll go back and get pics.

[Randomusername]

Definitely not Gouldians. Not parrot finches either. They looked like tiny variegated canaries.

[Sally]

Photos will help. Definitely not Shaft-tails though.

[Stuart whiting]

Definitely not Gouldians. Not parrot finches either. They looked like tiny variegated canaries.

Well mate, if you think they are small yellow and green canaries, they certainly won't be nothing like shaft tail finches

Exactly my point that I mentioned earlier, the staff in the pet shop clearly haven't a clue in what there talking about,

If you decide to go back to shop I'd use yer own judgment, certainly wouldn't ask for any info or advice as your likely to be bumped off with a load off duff info,

This is why I think a lot of pet shops ain't no good

[Randomusername]

Mystery solved! They are green singing finches. All male. How do you think they would do with a female canary?

[Sally]

Green Singing finches can hybridize with canaries, so you wouldn't want to put them together. Just FYI, I once bought a Green Singer that was larger than normal and had the most incredible song. I thought he was just one of the mutations of Green Singer, until I showed him to a finch judge, who immediately ID'd him as a Green Singer/canary cross. Unfortunately, he inherited the aggressive tendencies times 2, he killed every female I tried to pair him with, and he spent the rest of his life having to live alone in a cage.

[Stuart whiting]

Green Singing finches can hybridize with canaries, so you wouldn't want to put them together. Just FYI, I once bought a Green Singer that was larger than normal and had the most incredible song. I thought he was just one of the mutations of Green Singer, until I showed him to a finch judge, who immediately ID'd him as a Green Singer/canary cross. Unfortunately, he inherited the aggressive tendencies times 2, he killed every female I tried to pair him with, and he spent the rest of his life having to live alone in a cage.

Yep totally agree Sally, sounds about right, I go along with that,

Incidentally I did actually breed 2 green singer / canary hybrids about 12-13 years ago, my mate said exhibit them as British Siskin mules ....lols

I was already exhibiting high quality champion mules at the time for a few years and knew that I'd definitely not get away with that

I ended up by having to show em in the foreign hybrid class, never won anything major with em but won a few specials etc,

Happy days