First there were 2, now there are 7

[NancyT]

My subject line should indicate what a newbie I am. I have always wanted a zebra finch and finally I bought a pair a few months ago. I bought the biggest cage I could find 30" wide 18" deep and 34" high. It has manzanita branches and a few perches, but not so many that they hop instead of flying. The pair hatched 3 eggs in short order, two females and one male, but unfortunately their was a flaw in the cage and all the babies escaped and met their end with one of my cats. I felt terrible and responsible. I fixed the cage and in a couple of months I let them nest again. They laid 7 eggs and hatched 5:3 males and 2 females. One male has a couple of white spots and white wing feathers beneath the brown. They are all developing their final color and are active with no fights.

I have read that my cage is too small and that I should separate the boys and girls. I am wondering if finches are like cichlid fish - house 3 and they tear each other to shreds, but put 7 or 8 in the same tank and they are fine. I really have no place to put another cage.

After the babies hatched I removed the dirty nest, and because they still liked sleeping together, I gave them a clean one. I can remove the nest, but I know there will be more eggs. I removed 3 already (one was on the floor)
I am feeding them premium seed, spray millet, dried greens, fresh minced kale, and live meal worms. I also microwave and crush eggshells which they prefer over cuttle bone. I have spring water in a tube feeder, a hanging dish and a shallow bowl on the cage floor. They seem very healthy. I clean the bottom of the cage and all water every day and do a complete cage clean weekly.

I don't know what to do now. I hate to separate them and I have no rom to do it. Do you think I am jeapordizing their health and well being. I'm worried.

[KHoward]

Hi,

Seven in that size cage is pretty tight. Is there a way you can put two cages together? Since birds fly side to side, if there is a way to make the cage length longer that would be ideal.

Enjoy your birds!

[Colt]

Well you certainly seem well-versed in finch care. I'm probably going to be one of the only people saying this, but if the birds are happy and healthy then leave well enough alone, but be aware that potential problems could crop up later down the road.

I would probably remove the nests simply to cut down on egg laying and aggression in relation to breeding.

[MiaCarter]

Colt - I agree with you.

If they're happy, then that's really all that matters.

Sure, a larger cage would be ideal. But if that's not possible right now, then I wouldn't be too worried as long as they're harmonious.

Zebras are a species that will not hesitate to "tell" you if they're overcrowded! They will fight like little feathered demons.

But if they're harmonious and happy, I wouldn't be too concerned. Related birds seem to have a much higher chance of being harmonious in large numbers because they sort of adapt to the dynamics and hierarchy as they grow up.

As Colt recommended, I'd remove the nests so you don't have inbreeding and aggression. I like using shelves. I cover the shelves with a couple layers of paper towel and they can use it as a platform to cuddle up together at night. I like to give them a choice, so they're not forced to perch 24-7. In nature, they have little crooks and thicker branches that let them sit instead of perch. So I like to offer something comparable so they're not forced to spend a lifetime on their feet.

As someone else suggested, you could interconnect two cages. I've started buying all 30x18x18 cages so I can easily use them as a modular system.
Perhaps you could get a 30x18x18 and put it on top? (Interconnected to the big cage or separate. The choice is yours.) It would be better to expand horizontally, but that takes up space which you mentioned you didn't have. But expanding vertically would be good too and you'd maintain the same footprint.
You could put a couple in the 30x18x18 and that would bring down the population in the big cage to an ideal number. You want at least 1 cubic foot per bird. I'm not great at math, but I believe you'd have that -- or close to it -- with 5 birds in the big cage.

Just keep in mind that dynamics can change as the juveniles mature. I don't know how old the juveniles are, but if they're under, say 2-3 months of age, then I'd just keep an eye out to ensure things stay harmonious.

It can also help to put up some fake foliage inside the cage. This makes it so they're not sitting there staring at each other all day, which can lead to aggression. And it creates an environment that's more natural and comfortable. Birds tend to get anxious when they're out in the open. Plus, it looks pretty!

For most of the foliage, I'll put it up on the outside, and poke the leaves through the bars. So it shouldn't really obstruct flying space and so forth.

[lnlovesorange]

MiaCarter Can you post a pic of a cage with the foliage on the outside? I bought some greenery for this reason, and can't seem to figure out how to get it in/on/near the cage so that the birds can utilize it to hide and feel safe, and also when i put it in the cage (like hanging in a corner) my birds pull at it, like it's food (when i see them doing this I bring up spinach leaves and lettuce) but they still pull on it!!! Just wondering if you had a pic, maybe i could get an idea. Thanks!!!

[MiaCarter]

lnlovesorange - Sure!
Here's how I do it:


It's a bit thin right now, as my cockatiel was on a foliage-eating kick. So I figured I'd give her a few weeks to forget about it. (And she has, so now I just need to get some new foliage!)

I mostly use the 6-foot lengths of foliage "garland", but you can also use the little bouquet thingies. You just secure them to the corner of the cage with a zip tie and then bend the stalks a bit so it looks pretty.

By placing the vines portion outside of the cage as I have, there's less risk of the birds getting caught up. (On rare occasion, they can get caught at the point where the branches meet the main stalk; where it forms a "V" shape.)

Garland also has several loops that you need to cut off. (They're used for mounting the garland in a normal situation.)

[NancyT]

Thanks for all the great feedback about foliage and a nesting platform. I have removed the nest and will implement these immediate remedies. I wish I could buy a second cage to give them more horizontal flight space, but I haven't figured where it could go. In warm weather, I could move them to my deck, but I am afraid that they would be more susceptible to mites and other pests and I would need to protect against coons and possums.
So I will keep an eye on them and make sure there is no violence. There is plenty of flying about and noise, but it doesn't seem to be any different from when there were just the pair - just more and louder.
Thanks all