How do you stop zebra finches from being so Skiddish?

[nikko2000]

I love my white zebra finches, but they are so skiddish. They are annoying my Gouldian finches..

[ac12]

You can't.
My zebras are all VERY flighty and active.

If you have a large enough cage for the gouldians to have their own space it might work out better.

[cindy]

I noticed a difference in the zebras I raise. Those that are out in one main room that are use to activity and noise are calmer than those in my breeder room off the main room.

The babies to those in the main room are calmer to, those in the back room seem more nervous.

I recently had a fawn pair that had 4 little ones fledge, the cage is not in the main room. Everytime I went near the case the babies were frantic. I decided to spend some time each day sitting in front of the cage. The babies are calmer and will move up and out of the way calmly while I feed.

Zebras are very busy, active birds compared to gouldians. The activity may stress your gouldian out. If so, I would recommend you separating the zebras from the gouldians. Perhaps with some space the zebra might calm down.

[nikko2000]

@ AC12 - you are right - I did some research over zebra finches behavior. I do have a large cage i think. I am still new at this forum....Am learning how to post pic, eventually i will post my cage pic.

@ Cindy - Thanks for the info... you were saying spending some time by the cage will calm the zebra's down. - there's a table next to my cage, i sit on the table almost every hours with my laptop and my zebras are still skittish... ....You might be correct about my zebra stressing out my zebras.

[cindy]

I don't think a high energy bird like zebra are a good match for a sedate gouldian....try separating them and see how it goes. Zebras are naturally curious, hopefully they will calm down a bit for you.

[ac12]

Mix a little beydril into their food


do NOT take that comment seriously

[nikko2000]

@ AC12, well i have been a good student, taking your words to combine all the eggs together in a nest box instead of two by using a plastic spoon. So to follow up your advice I am gonna feed my zebra finches benadril! LOL..... GREAT ADVICE ... TAKE NOTE EVERYONE!!! LOL

[cindy]

Also when you go into the cage is they are frantic, instead of staying silent....predators are usually silent....talk softly, try to quiet them by lightly doing "shhhh" or hushing sound....I found that often works, eventually they will get use to you.

[ac12]

I dunno about the shhhhh
That sounds like the hissing sound they make when they are chasing each other.

[cindy]

Depends...do it softly. It works.

[Ursula]

I constantly talk to my birds when I'm in the aviary. Just talking nonsense, what I'm doing, etc. I think that does help.

What height is the cage located at? Birds don't like it when they are lower than your head. That's why cages or aviaries that are on the floor should be at least 6 feet tall so they can perch above your head when you approach them.

[cindy]

Ursula has a good point about the cage height...also if a bird is nervous or nesting try to look down as you talk or make a quiet long shhhhhh sound. You can hum,talk sing. You want to appear non threatening and calm.

[Ursula]

One more thing that freaks out my birds: Red or black and flappy clothing! They were absolutely panicking when I wore red sweat pants once (at christmas, top with slowflakes ) and when I wore a long black flappy gown with big yellow pattern which I like to wear around the house (very comfortable in summer without anything under it ). Now I make sure I always wear similar, mostly light colored clothes when I enter the aviary.

[DanteD716]

When I ghet new birds, I "fast" them, which means I hold them off about three or four hours without ANY food. After then I put some seed into my hand and put my hand flat against the cage bottom, they come and start eating. Some take longer than others so you may be there for a couple, or a lot of minutes waiting. I do this with my birds and my uncles canaries and finches when I go over. Some birds are just always flighty, like my female zebra will jump into my hand even though she was never hand raised, but sometimes she runs into her nest and hides. My male is very flighty and goes crazy, but is starting to calm down. Sorry it was so long!

[cindy]

Funny my dog when younger was afraid of our legs if we had long jeans on. We got her in the summer so we were wearing shorts, come cooler weather and I put jeans on she would bark at my legs...it was to funny. It took a little bit for her to realize it was ok!!!

I agree Ursula certain clothes, even a towel wrapped around wet hair can throw birds off a bit.

I would personally not withhold food to get them use to me as soon as I get them. Some birds especially ones from a show that have been in crowded cages, moved around, have had a hand in and out of the cage catching other birds and themselves, people rushing by them, noise...they may have not eaten well during that time and may be very stressed. They need to be left alone in their new environment to calm down, adjust, eat and rehydrate. Plenty of time afterwards for them to adjust to a new owner.