Zebra Finches Breeding - Need Advice/help

[Leikela]

Hello,

I just had my birthday June 11th & got a Male(Zorah) & Female (Kezia) zebra finch. July 1 Kezia laid an egg & laid 4 more .She starting staying on the nest July 7 & I have not been able to see the eggs much since. Iv never had finches before & Im kinda nervous I kinda wish they would have put if on a little longer. I want to make sure I do the things Im suppose to do. I try not to bug them to much now. lol

Iv read different things about the breeding etc. & the first ones the have etc. If they do have babies that hatch & live (even if it is not this time) what all should I do? Any advice or tips?

They are in a cage in my room & seem very happy but if they have babies their cage will probably be much to small. I really don't like the idea of selling the babies away either. I know it may sound silly but that thought just makes me sad, What if they didn't get good homes?? I'll never know...

If I kept them what about inbreeding & all that stuff. From what I read they are almost always breeding so how do you stop them from having babies when they have had enough for the year?

Anyway, Iv read all kinds of things and I want to make sure I do everything right so they can be happy & healthy. Books are great but Id like to get some advice/info from people directly to.

[Sally]

Wow, your Zebs didn't lose any time getting in the breeding mode! With Zebras, if you give them a nest, they will lay eggs, simple as that. If you want to let them raise this clutch, then once the babies have fledged, you can remove the nest--they really will be fine sleeping on a perch. She may continue to lay eggs on the floor, etc., just remove them and throw them away--eventually she will stop. This is not only for population control--she may lay eggs until her health suffers, so it is up to us to control it.

As far as caring for the babies, provide a good finch seed mix, if you are feeding seeds, some cuttlebone and oystershell grit, and veggies (you will have to experiment to see what they like--just chop them up fine or grate them and see what they will eat). Most finches will eat egg food, and this is really needed when they are breeding, as the babies need a high-protein diet. You will see how incredibly fast they grow. Just hardboil an egg, then mash it shell and all and feed small amounts at a time in a small dish or treat cup. Don't leave it in the cage too long, as it spoils.

How big is your cage? Most likely, if you keep the babies, you will need a larger cage. Definitely don't have a nest in there, or you will have inbreeding. You can keep parents and babies together, but you have to watch carefully for overcrowding and feather plucking. The best way to prevent breeding with multiple birds is to have male and female only cages.

It is always hard to part with the babies, but sometimes you have to. If you give some away to a friend, for example, make sure they know they are brother and sister and cannot be allowed to breed. Good luck, and enjoy your Zebras--they are so much fun!

[tammieb]

Welcome to the forum Leikela. Sally has given you very good advice.

Please post any other questions you have as we are more than happy to help.

[Leikela]

Hi! Thanks so much everyone!

So far they seem to like broccoli & egg shells the best. They like the egg to. When I first got them they were in a cage about a square foot but I got a larger one that's 2 ft long, 18 in. high & 18 in. wide. I read this was a good size for a pair & they seem to love it. Eventually I wanted to get them a larger one, Just so they would have more room to do what they do.

Thanks again!!
Leikela