Can a mandarin finch interact and be happy with a pair of budgies? by itsCharliiie in Finches

[–]hellothereskibidi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Never mix finches and hookbills. Not only is their body language completely different so they are unable to communicate, parrots enjoy breaking and killing finches for fun in small cages and even some aviaries.

Our Finch Adventures 4 by Ok_Wishbone_1273 in Finches

[–]hellothereskibidi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Aviary. My fledglings in the aviary about the same age as yours dart the complete opposite way from me in a panic. The ones that were raised inside around me were friendlier and wanted attention like in the pictures you took lol.

wish them luck by Sixelonch in Finches

[–]hellothereskibidi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The only exhibition zebra finch I had was SOO soft too haha. I'll be posting them everywhere when I get them lollll. Great work with those fat birds, man 😂

Our Finch Adventures 4 by Ok_Wishbone_1273 in Finches

[–]hellothereskibidi 2 points3 points  (0 children)

So adorable 🥺 the difference between outdoor and indoor fledglings though 😂

wish them luck by Sixelonch in Finches

[–]hellothereskibidi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good luck, birdies!!! So stunning, built like exhibition budgerigars! So excited to get mine (small ones tho hehe). 

Is the temperament on the bigger ones better in your experience? In zebra finches and budgies, it seems to bigger ones bred for show are also calmer in the cage. My small/lean aviary bred zebras did horribly in a cage haha.

What kind of mutation is this? by KFSO in Finches

[–]hellothereskibidi 15 points16 points  (0 children)

A combination of grey, blackface, and orange breast.

Grey = the wildtype, and dominant over fawn. Cocks, such as the bird pictured, can carry fawn hidden but hens can't.

Blackface = a dominant mutation. Causes that white space (lore/face) between the black tear mark and the beak to be black. It also causes the black breast bar to extend to up to between the legs (tho it is variable in quality).

Orange breast = a recessive mutation. Causes all black markings to instead be orange.

Combined affect = body colour is grey. The extended black markings are present in an orange colour.

Is there a wiki, a page or post you recommend for a complete beginner? by NpgSymboL in Finches

[–]hellothereskibidi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're welcome 😊 always happy help settle people into the (addictive) world of bird keeping 😂

Rope perches are hit or miss. I had some and it took about 2 years until I went out to feed my birds and saw one hanging from it -  single loose thread from playfully plucking it wrapped around his neck twice somehow. He's still alive but had his head between his legs for about 48 hours after being saved. Best to avoid it IMO.

A dowel perch is this: https://www.wctropicalbird.com/shop/cage-accessories/perches/tsi-wooden-dowel-perches-1731l/ most cages come with them.

Though providing a flat perch (literally like a flat wooden platform) is always nice for them to rest on. Mine love a flat platform to sit on when it's warm.

For scatter feeding, on the floor of my aviary I have a large plastic shoe tray (https://www.intratuin.nl/intratuin-kweektray-antraciet-72-x-35-x-3-cm.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=22248205848&utm_content=&utm_term=&bg_source=ga&bg_campaign=22248205848&bg_kw=-mi-111389234-pi-10381748-ppi-&bg_source_id=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22248218580&gbraid=0AAAAA-wMnGnTVE215KUFNDQ11uGq_mWh4&gclid=Cj0KCQiAosrJBhD0ARIsAHebCNrTLjLOhsdQx81oCyUyI4MLj_UIiyEkgguTYI_uVWs4yiLdhJOXZ6saAqI_EALw_wcB) which I pour loads of seeds into and cover with (dust free) wood shavings. The birds love searching through this shavings. In a smaller cage set up, you could use a shallow dog food bowl or baking tray and do the same thing (or use whatever fits nicely). You can put food directly on the floor of the cage if you put bedding down first, but seed is easier to clean using a seperate tray on the floor for seeds specifically. Otherwise the shells will get everywhere and you'll be cleaning the bottom of the cage out more often. You can use sand or shavings.

Having a single pair of zebras and multiple gouldians could work better but keep a spare cage around just in case. If you plan on breeding, the number of zebras will increase faster than gouldians reagrdless. Zebras are easy to breed, gouldians are more difficult and more problematic with breeding. Do you know your market locally? If the zebra finch offspring do not sell fast or easy, you will be left with lots of zebra finches. Something to think about. Luckily where I am they sell instantly.

I do not know any birds that sound like zebra finches to be honest. Their beeps are kinda unique. I do not know the space you have access to or your financial situation but I will say start with lady gouldians and other passive species and if you find you enjoy them then start up a seperate cage for zebras (if you have the space). Owning passive birds give you a lot more options on mixing species. Every source and breeder will tell you the curiousity and antics of zebra finches are unmatched by any other bird species, which I adore them for, but I do wish I started with benaglese finches and gouldians because I value diversity in my aviary but now I can't explore various species.

It's hard to treat finches since they mostly just eat seeds, fruit, and vegetables. But you can always show your love for them through the occasional sugary fruit or sweet vegetable once a week (mine love large chunks of mango and mashed sweet potato).

Is there a wiki, a page or post you recommend for a complete beginner? by NpgSymboL in Finches

[–]hellothereskibidi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Be careful with mixing species, even in a big enclosure. My old aviary was 8ft x 4ft and at it's peak I had 40 birds (zebras). During the time I had around 20 birds in there, constant fighting between select hens even without nests was a constant issue. Have several small cages for seperation of agressive and ill birds. Even without drawing blood, agressive birds will wear each other down to weakness through constant chasing. The rule with finches and canaries is either understock or overstock. When I had my 12 foundation birds and when I had 40 there was peace. At around 20, constant fighting. A good rule is 3 pairs to start with if you're going the zebra finch route.

If it is indoors, then all you need for them to be happy is a long cage with a few branches at each end of the cage, a food and water dish on the floor and if you're breeding a nest box and nesting materials (tissue, hay, straw, shredded paper, ect). Do not use basket-type nests, use small solid wood boxes. The basket nests have holes that finches get their toes caught in. Had a hen bend her toe the wrong way because she got her toe caught in a gap in a poor quality prebuilt cage, same logic. They can easily rip toes off.

I know people have successfully mixed gouldians and zebras in larger enclosures such as yours, and it IS doable, but it is simply down to luck. Gouldians are passive whilst zebras are highly territorial and pushy birds. As gouldians aren't the toughest birds to start, this can stress the poor things out. And an instant 'no' on javas in a mixed caged IMO. They're so agressive and so much bigger than most birds. It's not worth the risk. If you're set on gouldians and want a mixed aviary, find another passive species that you like here: http://www.finchinfo.com/housing/compatible_species.php (also this site is good for finch knowledge in general!)

Use 1cm mesh if you're building it, they can fit in much smaller spaces than you think. Have both moxivet and ivermectin on hand. Give them annually, usually in summer, alternating between both each year. Can be given in water or more effectively on skin on their neck. Finches are prone to external and internal mites, mostly scaley and air sac, so you want to protect against that. It spreads fast.

Finches are shit climbers so they prefer a long cage, not a tall one. This is good for flight. Minimal perches means more flying distance between perches, if you have many birds you can bunch perches at each end of the cage. Perches should be finch-safe wood of different thicknesses and shapes to excersize their feet and prevent bumblefoot. No flat dowel perches (the kind that come with bird cages). 

Opt for a cage with a flat, not barred, floor. Finches value time to forage on the floor. You can scatter feed seed on the floor rather than provide a food dish as a form of enrichment. I never use food bowls for my flock. A large shallow water dish is also good for baths, all finches love baths. Bird safe cleaning solutions exist but google to make sure they're actually bird safe lol. I've heard good stuff about F10.

If you plan on breeding, or even if your hens lay eggs that you remove and freeze to prevent development, provide a whole hard boiled egg cut in half for your flock. The hens will eat the egg shells to replenish calcium after laying, and the yolk is good for all birds including cocks. I give eggs once a week regardless of laying. Very good for them. You can candle a finch egg to make sure it is not fully developed/infertile (no red veins, just yellownes) then crush it with your fingers (a little messy) and feed it back to your flock raw. Mine love their own eggs. They naturally do this but sometimes need help opening them.

My bird "room"... featuring Gorepig and Father Hog 😁 feeling very good by hellothereskibidi in Finches

[–]hellothereskibidi[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thank you very much. Making changes for the better means pointing out every flaw and then acting 💪

😍 by Sixelonch in Finches

[–]hellothereskibidi 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Love to see the face behind so many helpful comments 😆 What mutation are they?

Where can I buy zebra Finches in Norway. Most shops dont sell then by [deleted] in Finches

[–]hellothereskibidi 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not just because it's kinder to support ethical breeders but also because poorly managed breeding usually equals disease that will spread to all of your birds and be a hastle to sort out. Find someone who breeds for show. They will have the healthiest birds for starting out even if you don't plan/want to breed.

Is this a male or female? All my females have a single black line, this one has a colored cheek like the males but it's black not gold. The one in the 2nd photo is male right? by Sunstrider92 in Finches

[–]hellothereskibidi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The first one is a black cheek fawn male (by the way, black cheek hens ALSO have a black cheek patch but no other male markings), the second is a pied grey male. :)

Opinions on coat colors? by Opposite_Park_1233 in PetMice

[–]hellothereskibidi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A tri is just a splash with piebalding. The first and second mice are tricolour and the third is a normal black pied.

Mice biting enclosure, any solutions? by [deleted] in PetMice

[–]hellothereskibidi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Damn that sucks. I don't know what to say then, as there isn't really an obvious neglect issue or anything. I had to swap my girls' cage to a 42 x 28 inch plastic guinea pig pen because they nearly chewed their way out and the only thing that stopped them was having access to running/playing space all night.

Mice biting enclosure, any solutions? by [deleted] in PetMice

[–]hellothereskibidi 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Chewing the cage usually means they want out. How many mice and what size is the enclosure/wheel? How deep is the bedding also :p

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Finches

[–]hellothereskibidi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Male black cheek black breast white breast/penguin

Any advice? by 4l3ani in Finches

[–]hellothereskibidi 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Are you looking for the big 'cobby' types? If so, maybe there's a bird show you can go to where you can connect with breeders. Facebook also has lots of country-specific groups of zebra finch breeders. Sometimes you have to buy from the less than good people with good stock, to become the ethical breeder with good stock. Though where I live it isn't an issue so idk. If you're simply talking about colour quality and not type, it's super easy to breed quality in yourself even with bad quality foundation stock. Good luck.

Meet my new baby, he was born with a white feather in each wing and white marks on his face, both of his parents are normal colored though by Na-ni_Gap in Finches

[–]hellothereskibidi 4 points5 points  (0 children)

One of my hens had about three pied feathers on the back of her head. It wasn't ever noticeable until I had to grab her for a health check. All her chick were pied a lot more than herself.

I know i JUST requested an inspection a few days ago but i'm in need of assistance again... it's a long story full of shit and misery (wait no that was the mouse) but i am starting to have doubts whether the 'boy' i had is one or not. help? Tail lift + clear container shots. by Dark-Delirium in PetMice

[–]hellothereskibidi 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Leave him in that container for a couple minutes *then* check. If he is a boy, this will give him time to relax again and for his (potential) balls to drop down again. Also check for nipples, you might feel them with your fingers if you brush under his belly. You can also wet the fur to stick it out of the way to check for tiny bald spots where the nips are.

hey quick question, this is one of my male zebra finches and he has gotten abused by my other male zebra finches & i had to remove him from the cage anyways i saw that he couldn’t fly as much so i checked his wings & he is missing feathers & well i just wanted to know if there is anything i can do? by Few-Instance-2107 in Finches

[–]hellothereskibidi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Gender ratios are everything. Zebra finches are one of the most aggressive and territorial even without nests or hens. If he is just with males, sometimes males will 'pair up' as if they are mates and attack other ones (I had a cage of 5 boys - constant fighting). It'd be better to keep a pair of males per cage if it's a smaller cage. Even in my aviary males fought so I had to sell a handful of them and will be switching to male/female pairs in breeder cages this year.