Hello!

[Skims 2]

Hello, thought I should say hi and introduce myself.
My name is Kim, I'm a mum of 2 and I'm totally new to finches, I have none at the moment and have never had any.

I've joined the forum because we've been considering getting some and really I want to find out as much as I can and be sure, that they're the right birds for us, before just jumping in and getting them.
I've had/got budgies but am told these are lower maintenance birds generally. That they aren't birds that like much human contact and are really more for watching.

There are some zebra finches in a pet shop near to me and they're pretty cute.

If we do go ahead, I was thinking of a cage either 74.9 x 38.1 x 54.6 cm (L x W x H) or 61 x 38 x 52 cm (L x W x H).
I'm leaning towards the larger one, but I think either would be ok size wise for maybe two birds?

Now I spoke to the owner of the shop and he told me that they need to go in pairs, don't get odd numbers and I asked if I could get two males as I don't want to breed, but he says they'll most likely end up fighting so better to get a male and a female. He says just don't put a nest in.

I'm happy to do that as long as they don't breed, but I really only want them as pets.
I don't at this stage at anyrate, know enough to breed and I don't think I'll want to.

So please can you advise if what he's telling me is correct and also anything else you think it might be helpful for a complete beginner to know. I'd really appreciate that.

Thanks!!!

[Emmy 528]

Hi Kim Welcome to the forum

I think you are doing the correct thing in wanting to find out all about the zebra finches before actually getting them. I can assure  you you will get lots of help from the members here who are always ready to help in any way they can.

 

Personally I think the bigger the cage you can get the better.Most cages come with a pull out tray for cleaning. I would also make sure that the doors on the cage can allow a bird bath to be fitted, they just love having a bath. fun to watch. 

 

Yes you are correct in thinking in most cases they wont like to be handled like budgies in fact they can move like lightning when you try to catch them in the cage (lol) but some of the members here have said they let their finches out and they come onto their hand but I think that's the exception rather than the rule. I have one that does come onto my hand but I had to hand rear him and that's the reason he does  this. (guess he thinks I'm his mum lol)

I can assure you if you get a pair (he is correct in saying they do need company I would never just have one on its own)  you will sit and watch their antics for hours on end and they make a lovely chirping sound as well. You will have to make sure they have fresh water every day and the seed dishes will have to have the 'husks' from the seeds blown off every day too because their seed dishes may look full but it could be just husks there so important to check.

 

Re the male/female, yes they will probably get along better but i have had two/three hens together and they have got on ok. But if you do get a cock and a hen, even if you dont put  a nest basket in the cage she will  still lay eggs (on the bottom of the cage or even in a seed dish  )but all you would need to do is to remove them. The zebra finch hens seem to lay their eggs all year round. 

I've no doubts about you ever regretting it if you do get zebra finches they are adorable little birds. Please let us know what you decide and what colours you get. -

 

ps I believe   you wont  be able to stop yourself getting a pair

Good luck

Emmy

[dannyboy2012 63]

Hi and welcome, I think Emmys pretty much put what I would off said.

Dan

[Andyn 534]

Hello and welcome.

 

I also think Emmy has just about covered it but why not go to a breeder in your area for your Birds. You would see the conditions they have been kept in etc. and probably wouldn't cost quite so much either and the person would be able to give you advice and support when / if needed.

What I would say is- Please don't buy avairy birds and put them in an indoor cage unless they are very young and would easily adapt. I only ever sold baby Budgies for indoor cages.

 

Enjoy the forum and tell us where you live to find out if there are any other members who live close etc.

[Andyn 534]

 Where did my post reply go??

 

 

Now its there. Whats going on??

[Emmy 528]

1.  Where did my post reply go??

 

 

2.  Now its there.  3. Whats going on??

1.  Glasses OFF

 

2.  Glasses ON

 

3.  Gremlins?  

 

Emmy       

 

[Skims 2]

Thanks so much for the warm welcomes and to you for all the helpful info Emmy.

I wish I had seen this earlier as I would have waited but I couldn't get on the forum today and then I was speaking to a friend and she has a pair of finches as well!!!

So after Emmy's info last night and speaking to my friend today, I felt much more confident to get them.

So this afternoon we went and bought a beautiful male and female.

He has lots of birds in the shop and had other small birds there but he said they were avairy birds and not suitable for a cage. Very pretty though.

Anyhow I bought these two home and they are in a temporary small cage for a couple of days until the new one arrives.

I went by what you said and bought the larger of the two.

I gave them a dish of water ... And we all had a bath!!! LOL

How can something so small spray so much water???!!!

I got them the foreign finch mix (I think) a mineral block, cuttlebone, millet and oyster grit.

Is there anything I've forgotten please??

[casamber 60]

Hi and welcome to the forum

 

Congratulations on getting your new birds, we would love to see pictures!

 

Kerry

[Emmy 528]

Hi Kim

Glad it was of help to you. As well as the foreign finch mix the other seed I give to mine is panicum millet and moist egg food with honey (the honey is in the mixture when I buy it) I give them all the other things you have mentioned as well.

This is what  egg food and panicum millet  looks like.

 

Please dont keep us in suspense   - what colours are the new arrivals ?

Isnt it fun to watch them having a bath?

Emmy

 

ps should have said the first photograph is the egg food 2nd panicum millet

[Skims 2]

Thanks Kerry.

I'll have a look for the millet and egg food when I go back to the pet shop Emmy, thanks for that.   Hopefully I'll be able to hold back from bring the other pair that were there as well, home with me!! 

I have got a couple of quick pictures on my phone of them and a short video, but I need to go look at the picture posting rules first and see where I need to post them. I haven't had a good look round the forum yet.
Colourwise, I think they're 'normals'???

I feel pretty bad they're in this small cage still at the moment, but I got the email today to say the new cage and accessories are being dispatched, so I'm hopeful they'll be here tomorrow or Friday at the latest.

Can't wait to see them in it. It'll be so much nicer for them.

 

[Skims 2]

Ok, I'm not sure where to put the pictures, so I'll just keep them here for now.
Hope that's ok?

Finches:






The temporary cage:



The yellow card round it is to save the rest of the room when they have their bath!!
Not that it helps that much, haha.

The new cage will fit nicely on that cupboard, it's appx 3 times the size of the one they're in now.


 

[Emmy 528]

Kim, Thank  you for letting us see the new members of your family - are you giving them names?  Yes they look to be  'normals' --they are lovely!  Are the other pair you are thinking about the same colour?

 

 

Re the paper around the cage that's a good idea for stopping the seed husks going all over the place too.

I have my Orange Breasted ones in a large cage (it's one that can fold down when I dont need to use it) and seed husks were everywhere. I had a very large cardboard box that another cage had been delivered in so I cut the sides of the box down a bit and put the cage inside the cardboard box. This meant that about 6"/7" from the bottom of their cage was covered and all the seed husks were caught in the cardboard box. Now instead of hoovering on/off all day I just need to lift the cage out from the box to get rid of the seed husks that would have been on the  floor

Hope your new cage arrives OK.  I can just imagine you having some fun transferring to their new home-  (just keep all windows and doors closed just in case the decide to have some exercise

Emmy

[Andyn 534]

ps should have said the first photograph is the egg food 2nd panicum millet

 

Is this the pot and kettle Kerry?

 

Glasses off - Glasses on.. HuH!! (Lol)

[Skims 2]

Yes, we want to name them, but at the moment everyone has a different idea, so nothing definite yet.

The problem with getting the other pair is that they look exactly the same, so I'd never know the difference!!!  LOL

I never even realised that there were different colours for zebra finches before joining here.
If we do get another pair at some point, it would probably be better to try and get ones that were another colour, so we'd know who was who!!


They're so active, all over the cage, it's very distracting, I can't help watching them.
I brought the budgies cage in here today to see if he reacted to them at all, the noises but he doesn't seem to listen to them at all!!
 

[Emmy 528]

Hi Kim

The problem with getting the other pair is that they look exactly the same, so I'd never know the difference!!! LOL
 

I've just overcome the problem of identifying mine. I have been putting coloured split rings on them - first time I've tried doing that and its really easy. Before I always looked carefully at them to find any slight differences in their feathers  but using the coloured split rings makes identification  really easy.

Emmy

 

(some of the names of my finches re help of the grandchildren: Tiko and Tika,  Teeny and Weeny,

 

Tootsie and Woopsie, Olga and Oggi--   They've still got quite a few names to come up with yet. (lol))

 

[Skims 2]

How many do you have Emmy?

I can't seem to find pictures of everyones birds. I only found the photo competition photo's.
lol

[Emmy 528]

Kim to see the photographs of members zebra finches Go to the top menu and click on ZFF Gallery then when you open that page look to the right hand side then choose  'Members Gallery' this will bring up a list of names on the left hand side of the page just choose a name and you will see the photographs they have posted. (I'm afraid i havent got around to posting photogrpahs there yet)

 

At the moment I think I have around 28 zebra finches (various colours) and 4 chicks in a nest, 2 fife canaries, 3 Chinese painted quails, 11 texan white quails - but I guess that's not really a lot compared to what some of the other members have.

My BIG problem is I get too attached to them and find it difficult to let any of them go. (lol)

 

Emmy

[Skims 2]

Oh thanks for that. I'll be able to look through all the pictures now.
I'll gradually find my way round the forum.

Wow, that's LOTS of birds in my book, but I can well understand not wanting to let any go.

So you obviously have an avairy, which must be beautiful to watch and lovely for the birds as well.

Do you have any indoor birds as well??

 

[Skims 2]

I'm just really laughing at my two tonight. I pushed the little plastic swing flat against the side of the cage, because it's such a small cage, to make like a better flight path for them.
They've got the swing pulled out at angle, so sort of diagonal, and are squashed at one end together as if they've slid down it.
Such little characters!!!


Love the names of your birds Emmy!! Must get my two named soon.

[Emmy 528]

So you obviously have an avairy  Do you have any indoor birds as well??

Yes I do have an . inside aviary ( feel now I made a mistake in the one I bought-- the doors are not very wide which makes it difficult when cleaning it and also makes it very difficult to catch any of the birds - but I've rigged up a kind of trap so I can remove a bird if it needs attention. Really its just a  'extra outsized' cage on a stand with wheels. actual cage part approx 45"x40"x22" My idea was to put all the birds in the aviary and the Chinese painted quails on the floor of the aviary. But that didnt happen At the moment  I have 13 finches there but   I know now its much easier to breed the finches using indiviual cages.

Hope you are sitting down when I tell you this-- Apart from the Texan White quails the others are all indoor birds

and at the end of April I'm getting a cockatiel (for my grandson -good excuse) but it will be staying here with me.

 

Just cant repeat everything that my family say when they come to visit.  One comment was that I'm beginning to resemble the 'Bird woman' in 'Home Alone 2'   

Emmy

[Emmy 528]

I'm just really laughing at my two tonight. I pushed the little plastic swing flat against the side of the cage, because it's such a small cage, to make like a better flight path for them.

They've got the swing pulled out at angle, so sort of diagonal, and are squashed at one end together as if they've slid down it.

Kim I'd just leave the swing mobile mine sometimes like to roost on their swing. Can just imagine what they look like. 

Hope you have a nice comfy chair (and a side table for your coffee) next to the cage i can see you spending lots of time there.

It's addictive!!!

Emmy

[Skims 2]

 I hope you are sitting down when I tell you this-- Apart from the Texan White quails the others are all indoor birds

and at the end of April I'm getting a cockatiel (for my grandson -good excuse) but it will be staying here with me.

Wow, that sounds great!!
I just love the sounds of birds.

I'd have more, but my husband isn't as keen on having pets as me. lol

I laughed at the 'good excuse' of getting a cockatiel for your grandson!! I've always said to hubby that this pet or that one is good to get for my sons, but now they're older even they join him in saying it's only for me really!!


Cockatiels are wonderful birds. I considered one before getting Derric, our budgie, but I thought it might be more than hubby could cope with, haha.

I'd love to see pictures of all your birds, I hope you can post some soon.

I'm really enjoying looking through the gallery on here.

[tina1977 12]

Awww bless em. Looks like they have had a rough time at the pet shop. Glad u got them outta there

[Emmy 528]

Skims

Sorry I forgot to post you to let you know i have posted some photos of my finches in the gallery I think my posts arre about 3rd from the end on 'page4'

Hope the birds are settling down well.

Emmy

[Skims 2]

Hi Emmy,
Sorry only just seen this as not been too well.
I your birds!!!  Some of the colours are lovely!!!
I couldn't work out how to comment on the pictures as I seem to have problems opening new pages at the moment, but I'll try again later.

I love the whiter coloured ones, what are those please?

My two are doing great. I bought them a bath with a lid and what fun they have in that!!!
They also have a game they play with the millet, which is so amusing to watch.
They seem to really like having the bigger cage and are all over the place in it. They're very active little birds.

I was surprised at how much they drink compared to the budgie and they go through millet like there's no tomorrow, but I love their little noises and they are such a joy to watch. I'm SO glad I got them.