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Gold Breasted Waxbills

Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2019 10:19 pm
by btruckin
Hello,
I just purchased a pair of Gold breasted waxbills and I have a question about the males color. All the pictures I've seen of the males the breast/belly are a bright orange color but the male I received is black with orange about 50% each color. Is this normal? Will the black go away over time? It's a dark black. Not sure of the age of the birds could it just be a young bird? I purchased them from the finch farm so was unable to see them before buying them but they arrived healthy and happy. If I could figure out how to post a picture I would.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

Re: Gold Breasted Waxbills

Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2019 7:35 pm
by Icearstorm
btruckin

Provided they haven't sent you the wrong species, I've heard some finches get induced melanism from lack of sunlight. It might go away with a bit of UV/unfiltered sunlight and a good diet.

Re: Gold Breasted Waxbills

Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2019 1:14 am
by btruckin
Thanks for the reply.
I know it's a gold breasted waxbill I have had them in the past it's just the color that is different from what I have ever seen, It's almost like it's calico not a solid orange. All the males I had in the past were a bright orange on there breast/belly. I might move the cage to an area so they get some direct sunlight and I'm also trying to give them a good diet. I don't mind the calico color but the bright orange stands out a lot more on these little birds.

Re: Gold Breasted Waxbills

Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2019 6:33 am
by MariusStegmann
It is just melanism. It just needs some sun and it will return to its original colour.