FINCHforum

I think you all know that I now have a lone, male Firefinch. They are listed under the 'passive' species in the Info. section. I put him in a huge flight with my Society pair and a female Canary. Well, after just a few days, he has gotten really pushy. He literally forced the Societys out of their nest and chased BOTH of them around the flight and took over their nest. I finally had to remove them. There weren't any eggs in the nest. I put another female Canary in there with him and the first female Canary. They seem to get along fine. I didn't think Firefinches were so pushy/aggressive. At first I thought perhaps he wanted the female Society, but he chased her too. Maybe he had a nest at the 'last place' and was looking for it. Or is it a characteristic of them to take over another nest rather than build one? Having no mate, nor any in sight bewilders me. He's like a little powerhouse. Any ideas or info., anyone?

Mine are very peaceful.

So are mine. Mine do not even like a nest so far. I have never seen them go near one, but they stay to theirselves and have never been agressive.

Maybe you need to find a hen. Do you think he just wants to breed?

I think he may be in breeding mode since I saw him with a piece of nesting material in his beak. He was sitting on the perch like he was advertising. My Strawberries are in the very next flight, I wonder if he wants the female? They have their own nest in that flight. Phew.. getting like a regular Wisteria Lane here.. He's okay with the two female Canaries. And the Societys are fine where they are. I just felt the Societys were too big to be in with the Strawberrys and Cordons, but they behave themselves, so, it's okay. The more I try to downsize and have just one aviary, the more birds and cages I aquire. I'm now at 3, which isn't too bad yet, but..... The other flight has the male Canary and the 2 new European Goldfinches, which are both FEMALE. I paid for a pair, but .. at least they arrived ALIVE.

My Fire finches are passive. Most of the time, they have been in cages, one pair to a cage, but when I have put a pair together with a pair of Goldbreasts or a pair of CBs in a flight cage, I did not have any problems.

Mine are all passive, and I have a pair that raised chicks while in an 18x18x30 breeding cage with a pair of goldbreasts. Interesting....

Hilary wrote:Mine are all passive, and I have a pair that raised chicks while in an 18x18x30 breeding cage with a pair of goldbreasts. Interesting....

Last year, I put a pair of Fires in the same size cage (18x18x30) with a pair of GBs, because it had worked for you, Hilary. Sure enough, the Fires raised a clutch, and then the GBs raised a clutch. I didn't do it this year, because the cage got so crowded! However, I haven't had any success with my Fires this year--maybe I need to put them back with a pair of GBs.

quiet, shy, friendly with others

I think the cock needs a mate.Firefinches normally will get along with most birds except Melba Finches possibly due to the red face.I have kept red avadavats which are similar to firefinches in behavior.I kept them as a large colony of 20 with 6 black headed munias and a pair of zebras in an indoor cage and they got along well.

I thought they were docile also. My bird looks exactly like the avatar "MIKE" from Toronto has on his signature. That is a Firefinch, isn't it? I bought them because of their demeanor, small size and color. At this point, I don't know what I have. Perhaps he's a wild caught bird and that may attribute to his being so territorial. I am about out of steam!