Sudden Aggression?

[ragamuffin]

Hi all, just wondering if someone can offer advice please.

We've got a pair of white zebs, or at least we're fairly certain it's a pair and not two blokes or two ladies. Leonard and Penny were only two or three months old when we got them and we've had them about 6 or 7 weeks now. Up until the last few days everything seemed fine with them, then suddenly out of the blue the female(?) has started showing rather awful aggression towards the male.

One moment they'll be snuggled up to each other and preening each other, the next she's chasing him around the cage and they're having a go at biting each other (only way I really describe what they're up to), and then after a while they're back to being friendly again. Neither seems to be taking any damage as such, but it's rather scary seeing (and hearing!) the bashings.

I'm not certain whether it's the female having a go at the male or perhaps it could be the other way around, the beaks and feet are almost the exact same shade of orange, otherwise they're both pure white, a slight (by slight I mean minuscule), very pale grey marking on the cheeks of one (the one I'm assuming is Leonard).

Can anyone help with some suggestions here? Have they just hit their teenage years and she doesn't want a bar of him just yet, or is it something we need to be worried about?

Cheers
Amanda

[maureen_g]

The only difference that I'm aware of between male and female with the pure whites is the beak colour. The male's is darker. Maybe you have two of the same sex or else maybe they don't like each other. I'm sure someone more qualified will have more info for you though as I'm pretty much a beginner myself. Also if you've had them that long and they haven't made any attempt to breed yet I'd be thinking they are the same sex. Mine, even when they have just been removed from the parents - fledged for 3 weeks - will try to build a nest in the seed bowl with any bit of stray grass which happens to find its way into their cage!!!

[Niki_K]

if you've had them that long and they haven't made any attempt to breed yet I'd be thinking they are the same sex

Not necessarily. I've had some (definite m-f) pairs together for several months, and they simply refuse to breed, but once I swap the male, the new pair start breeding within days. They may simply not be interested in each other.
Sudden aggression is unusual in my experience; I wouldn't be too worried unless they're actually injuring each other. I've had birds act similarly to yours, and settle down with no problems after a week or so, so my advice is just to monitor them for the next week. If there hasn't been any attempt to build nests or mate by November, they probably aren't going to do much.

Unfortunately, I can't help with how to tell the whites apart, sorry!

[ragamuffin]

Turns out they were willing to answer my questions the hard way. Both our darlings are okay, but I got home from work today to find our first grandchild splattered on the bottom of the cage. 15 minutes later and I had been to the petshop and back again with a nest and some nesting materials. Fingers crossed they work out what it's for, I can hear them in the next room flapping about while I'm typing. (And here I was thinking the saying was breeding like rabbits!)

Cheers
Amanda

[Redwing]

Well that proves you have at least 1 female!!

[ragamuffin]

Well that proves you have at least 1 female!!

True that! Was starting to think if anything they could both be male, so it's a bit of a relief to know at least one's female.

[finchbreeder]

Could be that one is ready to breed. (egg would suggest the female) and one is not yet ready. So one is getting ratty at the other for making or not making the right/wrong moves.
LML

[ragamuffin]

So we have a little news on 'Leonard' and Penny. We've joined our local finch club, and while we've only been to the last two meetings both have been extremely informative and interesting.

At our most recent meeting we spoke with one of the members who particular enjoys the zebs, and (seemingly) out of thin air he produced a cage full of beautiful pied zebs, one a male and the rest his off spring. One look at his beak and it was obvious that Leonard is not actually a Leonard, rather perhaps a Leonie. When we made the comment, we had enough time to blink before our new Mr Finch was in a carrier box and both bird and box were in our hands heading home with us. So kind of the other member when we had just asked for advice, but I have to admit he's a lovely little man, with a tune that sounds like a rusty gate that needs WD40.

It took a few days before the ladies stopped attacking him, however they continued to attack each other, and it wasn't until one had a fair few feathers pulled out that we actually managed to catch her and put her in another cage (sadly we still don't have an aviary yet). Mr Squeaker and his lady appear to have been mating, and they have been having fun with building a nest, however there are no eggs as yet, I'm a little suspicious she may be terminating things (can finches do that? I know there are a few other birds that can do that).

Our lonely little miss seems to be reacting when she hears Mr Squeaker's mating call, and I'm thinking she could be the one who laid eggs before, so we're hoping once her feathers have completely grown back to swap the females over and see if we have some luck with little ones.

Anyway, we weren't sure if anyone was interesting in an update, and also just wanted to say cheers, those who suspected two females were indeed correct.


Amanda

[elferoz777]

How much time did you give Mr Squeaker to get the job done?

I have found zebs will build a roosting nest but most of the time eggs follow.

Patience will pay off.

Also I once had a pair in a cage. They never bred anything then one evening I saw a mouse in the cage and the penny dropped.

they later went into the aviary and within 24 hours I had a nest and 2 days later eggs.

They are fun little birds.

Good luck and thanks for the update.

[ragamuffin]

Not sure if it was enough time or not, but he had nearly 4 weeks with her and no eggs. I know they'd been at it, they always chose morning while I was eating breakfast only a few feet away. And I know he's capable, he's had a few clutches before he was given to us.

We've since swapped the females over, Penny decided to lay another egg in the cage on her own, so we figured seeing as 'Leonard' (Now Harriett "Houdini" after proving to be an escape artist - all good, safely caught) hadn't laid any eggs as yet that we'd give Penny a chance. Nothing yet, but they seem quite happy in there, so I guess at some point they'll work it all out.