I've decided what finch I want - Cordon Bleu

mike · Post by **mike** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:32 pm

So I think I've decided that I'd like a pair of Cordon Bleu Waxbills for my first finches. I saw a male at another pet shop and he was so pretty. I've never kept birds before (except a stray budgie I found outside) but like most pet-lover I've read bits here and there. I hope I won't be making a mistake. I'm posting a wanted ad in Marketplace now. I just need to sell off a few things to buy a decent cage.

If this is a bad choice, please let me know. I'm a newbie (newbling?) to birds but not so much to chirpy little animals (geckos chirp too!).

summert85 · Post by **summert85** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:15 pm

they do best in aviary if they plan on breeding them. They will be fine in cages, but aviary or large flight cages is an A+.

mike · Post by **mike** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:18 pm

summert85 wrote:they do best in aviary if they plan on breeding them. They will be fine in cages, but aviary or large flight cages is an A+.

When you say "large flight cages", how large is large?

summert85 · Post by **summert85** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:53 pm

i would say a 30x18x36 would be fine, even better if you put two together and get a 60x18X36. but thats just my opinion. maybe others will have better suggestions.

here's an example:

mike · Post by **mike** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 10:05 pm

summert85 wrote:i would say a 30x18x36 would be fine, even better if you put two together and get a 60x18X36. but thats just my opinion. maybe others will have better suggestions.

here's an example:

Silly question but is that HxLxW? I can manage a 5' tall cage.

That's a very nice cage in your pic. What kind is that?

summert85 · Post by **summert85** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 10:14 pm

mike wrote:
summert85 wrote:i would say a 30x18x36 would be fine, even better if you put two together and get a 60x18X36. but thats just my opinion. maybe others will have better suggestions.

here's an example:
Silly question but is that HxLxW? I can manage a 5' tall cage.

That's a very nice cage in your pic. What kind is that?

it's 30"L by 18"W by 36"H. That flight cage is available on ebay.

Here's the link: hopefully it works

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0339779486

ac12 · Post by **ac12** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 10:47 pm

Summer
That cage is $35, but the shipping is $70!

summert85 · Post by **summert85** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 10:55 pm

ac12 wrote:Summer
That cage is $35, but the shipping is $70!

Yes it is. hehe ((but i think its for two cages though)) so in a way, its a pretty good deal i think.

cartel · Post by **cartel** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 10:59 pm

Funny thing Mike i just got a pair of red cheeks today

What kind do you plan on getting

franny · Post by **franny** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 11:11 pm

ac12 wrote:Summer
That cage is $35, but the shipping is $70!

That is typical of eBay - the seller has to pay a commission on the sale price, but not on shipping. So they artificially lower the price but get it back in shipping.

This looks exactly like the cage I bought here in BC, Canada for $90. So that is not a bad price. I've been changing mine to remove the grate. Here's the thread:

http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=4815

Post by **Sally** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 11:45 pm

Cordon Bleus are wonderful little birds, very colorful, and both the males and females sing. If you just want a pretty finch with a nice song, CBs are great. You can keep one pair per cage, flight, or aviary (the males don't get along with other male CBs). Multiple hens can be kept together in a girls-only cage.

However, if you are interested in breeding, you are starting off with one of the hard ones. Not impossible, mind you, but be prepared to be very patient! The African waxbills tend to be insectivorous birds when breeding, so their diet is not as simple, and they need lots of privacy.

But I would never want to be without CBs, they are that special.

solo_birdlover · Post by **solo_birdlover** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 12:09 am

I've been looking for CBs ever since I found out about them a few months back but had no luck except for one pair at some pet store here but the price was ridiculously high so I passed. I think they're beautiful birds with unique colors. I don't think you can find the combination of blue and brown on many birds. Good luck finding them.

CandoAviary · Post by **CandoAviary** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 12:41 am

About that cage, I just ordered 3 cases from a company that will charge you wholesale if you buy 3 or more cases...... 2 per case. But they do sell one at a time with free shipping........ It is made with a heavier gage wire than others that I have bought like this. It also is designed with 2 extra slid up doors on each side...for outside nesting boxes or just extra seed cup or even hang on bath. I fine the extra openings useful.
The company is in Tennessee and it is called Country Feathers...Google it and check thier on line catalog out. They also sell at the bird fairs.....If you have a bird show/fair in your area there is almost always a vendor there selling these type cages.
Good choice in birds... they are beautiful

Post by **Sally** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 12:51 am

One thing to be aware of with CBs. There are two commonly available subspecies, the Red-cheeked and the Blue-capped. It is easy to tell on males to which subspecies they belong, but the hens are not as easy, and you don't want to mix them up. If you get a Red-cheeked male, you want a Red-cheeked hen--same with the Blue-capped. Look at the photos under species at the Finch Information Center.

Usually, the Blue-capped hens will have a little more blue on the top of their heads than the Red-cheeked hens, which have a lot of brown on the top of their heads. Also, the beaks on the Blue-capped hens tend to be an even pink color; beaks on the Red-cheeked hens usually will be darker at the tip, even a little more pointy. Subtle differences, but it is so important to keep the subspecies lines pure with the CBs.

mike · Post by **mike** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:41 am

Wow so much information!

Summer, unfortunately that seller only ships within the US and I'm in Canada, however, Franny, I might look a little deeper into the cage you got in BC. They will ship to me. I actually forgot all about ebay for cages. I was looking on Kijiji without much luck.

cartel, I haven't decided which species I'd like just yet. I suppose the first one that becomes available. The male red-cheeked seems nicer than rblue-capped but the female blue-capped are bluer than female red-cheeked. At the shop I saw a male blue-capped. He was $89 (CAD). Pairs were $129 but there was only one bird

As for breeding, I think it's a big jump for me to expect to breed them. I'm still new

Right now I'll just take things as they come. Obviously, if they will breed only in a larger cage it means they prefer a larger cage so I will do my best to provide one.

I will try all the links everyone provided. Thanks for all the advice/opinions!

To Toronto/GTA people: Do we have bird shows in the area, where people buy birds and supplies?