White/Black Headed Nuns?

[bugaboo5]

That's very very intriguing and interesting. I guess we will see. It would have been nice, regardless of how wonderful these Gouldians are claimed to be, if they had used this opportunity to import other Asian species. Since it appears Asian imports are being allowed, hopefully importers will step up and start importing others species as well. Thank you for sharing this very interesting tidbit of info. I'm very intrigued.

[kenny]

hi
the last time i saw these birds was in 1980 i bought a pair from a guy who had just imported them into this country via thailand,his wife helped him with the deal because she wa from thailand,but they where really expensive around $50 a pair in your money i did end up with a pair (male and female)but they never ever bred where very timid and thier claws where constantly having to be trimmed as they grew at an alarming rate....they disapeared with about £1,000 worth of fawn and white javas ,cuthroats strawberry finches,and a few crested societies that i had just bred ,when i had my old birdroom broken into so i never got to see them for very long

ken

[cindy]

I saw a pair about 3 yrs ago in a pet store but at the time I was looking for owls....had I known they were hard to find I would have grabbed them.


In the 60's you could get them readily, Mom had a few along with the other mutations. I think they were like $5 or $10 each back then.

[Sally]

In the 60's you could get them readily, Mom had a few along with the other mutations. I think they were like $5 or $10 each back then.

Of course, $5-10 was a lot more money then. I started out in 1965 as a stewardess (as we were known in those days) with Pan Am at $325 a month, before taxes were taken out. When I started collecting finches in the mid-70's, I thought they were pricey.

[cindy]

Boy the collections of finches we could have if prices were that low again...and the birds were available here again!

[Sally]

I know, Cindy. I remember seeing Pekin Robins in a pet shop in Hawaii, and I don't remember how much they were asking for them, but I know I considered it too expensive and the care of the birds beyond my abilities at the time. Of course, those were the days when Gouldians were considered to be too delicate to be attempted by all but the more experienced.

[cindy]

Can you imagine...we would all have stunning collections, knowledge about certain species and care would be plentiful. We would all be in finch heaven!!!! Dream finches for everyone....a finchaholic can only dream of that day!

[nixity]

I can remember always seeing white headed nuns in pet stores as recently as the late 90s. I just never had an interest in finches back then.

There was a gentleman in NC that had a flock of about 6-8 White Headed & Tri-Color Nuns that he was trying to get rid of last year that I was desperately negotiating trying to get - trying to arrange shipping, etc., and he turned around and sold them out from under to me to someone local.

I can understand taking cash money in hand but it was just so frustrating that he was conversing with me about the transaction and then just up and sold them to someone else. I was SO hopeful

Haven't seen anyone with any for sale since.

[BigBear0007]

I know right?! I'm also being told they are gorgeous birds that "make the American Goulds look like crap". I haven't seen them but know someone that is getting some this week and will let you know what they think but really Taiwan for Goulds?

Factory breeding at that price!
None will be any good as breeders!
They are all raised by societies and not parent raised
The eggs are taken away and put under fosters right away
The goulds are there just to breed and to lay eggs.
I wouldn't touch them, no matter how good they look.

Jerry

[Christopher Smith]

I know several breeders from here in Los Angeles that sell birds to Express. They don't bring in Gouldians from Asia.

[bugaboo5]

I know several breeders from here in Los Angeles that sell birds to Express. They don't bring in Gouldians from Asia.

Oh, I'm sure most of their Gouldians are USA birds. What was being discussed is that they recently imported Gouldians from Taiwan because the birds were of superior quality. However, normally, yes, Birds Express do in fact get their birds from the USA.

[bugaboo5]

I know right?! I'm also being told they are gorgeous birds that "make the American Goulds look like crap". I haven't seen them but know someone that is getting some this week and will let you know what they think but really Taiwan for Goulds?

I'm soooo curious -- any follow-up on these Taiwanese Gouldians? Have you heard back from your acquaintance? Were they all that they were hyped up to be or just bleh?

Oh, and just for the record: I have not heard anything from Birds Express. I sent them a polite email stating that if they have access to Asian imports, that they should import some strawberries and nuns. Hopefully they start importing those jewels back to the States.