Adding New Finches What To Do?

Malzmom · Post by **Malzmom** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 9:39 am

OK my question, I have a large cage with two Zebra finches, they have been together, (males) for about 8 months. They love each other, sleep in the nest, preen, and play together.

The cage is 4hx4wx3d. If I wanted to add more finches, don't really have a preference which at this point my question is this. How many should I introduce? I read never just two pair in a cage, would that mean don't have 4 males together? I do not want females, no babies please.

If I quarantine the new guys in a separate cage with their own nests for about a month and then add them to the big cage won't they just stick with their own nest and be buddies and not try to take over the nest that the older guys have always had?

I would like to see my pair have some friends but just don't know how to go about this introduction if at all, not much written on this subject.
Thanks.

Post by **Sally** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 11:47 am

Great cage size! According to the calculator at Finch Info, you can keep 6 to 8 birds in that size cage. Popular belief is that the best numbers kept together is either only 2 or 6 or more. Three is usually the worst, as two may gang up on the third. Are you going for more Zebras, or other species? If you put other species in with Zebras, just watch out for compatibility--Zebras can be pushy. An all-male flight cage works great. Since there are no females present, you can let them have nests to sleep in. I have not had an all-male Zebra cage, but I think if you introduce say two more male Zebras, with their own nest, all four may pile into one nest to sleep at night.

Rue · Post by **Rue** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 12:28 pm

We have an all-male mixed species cage...one thing we always do when adding a new bird is to totally wash and rearrange the cage...

It puts everyone on an equal footing and min. territorial disputes right off the bat...

Rue · Post by **Rue** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 12:33 pm

We have an all-male mixed species cage...one thing we always do when adding a new bird is to totally wash and rearrange the cage...

It puts everyone on an equal footing and min. territorial disputes right off the bat...

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 4:35 pm

What excellent advice you have received! You may also want to read this article for any other tips/tricks you could consider using to help prevent potential aggression with a bigger flock:

http://www.finchinfo.com/housing/reduci ... ession.php

Good luck enlarging your charm! :)

Malzmom · Post by **Malzmom** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 5:23 pm

Gpod Advice, thanks a bunch!!!
Am traveling through Tampa first of August and will pick up another male pair of Zebras from a breeder there....Can't wait. Now if I can only go through quarantine without getting anxious to put them all together to quickly....

Would it be ok to put the two cages close together during quarantine?

Robin

Post by **Hilary** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 8:56 pm

For quarantine you really should have the cage with the new birds in a totally different room. That way if the new birds are infected with anything, they won't get your present birds sick. When your quarantine is done it would then be perfectly reasonable to move the cage close to your old cage for a "getting acquainted" time. Lucky you - I love new birds!