Cubans

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Abarratt
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Posts: 39
Joined: 01 Oct 2012, 19:11
Location: VICTORIA

I read conflicting information re Cubans. Are they perfectly safe if you keep 1 pair in a mixed collection?

AB
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Myzomela
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Posts: 1545
Joined: 24 Jan 2011, 18:44
Location: Melbourne Vic

They vary a bit AB,

Many pairs are perfectly safe. Others can be quite aggressive. It also depends on what you plan to keep them with.
Research; evaluate;observe;act
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Tiaris
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Posts: 3517
Joined: 23 Apr 2011, 08:48
Location: Coffs Harbour

I'v found they're placid if bred from placid parents & vice versa.
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djb78
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Posts: 1097
Joined: 26 Apr 2011, 08:11
Location: melton vic

I have three pairs all in mixed flights and so far touch wood no issues what so ever, the only problem I have is the males at the wire in two flights that sometimes bicker through the wire but no damage on either. There are tow birds which I've heard not to mix them with green singers and yellow siskins but a pair if mine are with the yellow siskin pair and no trouble.
Danny
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finches247
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Joined: 04 May 2011, 20:16
Location: Whangarei Northland New Zealand

Don't mix them also with Yellow hammers and Saffrons don't get on well and my Cubans don't like cordon bleus also but hear some other Cubans are fine with Cordons.
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mattymeischke
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Posts: 862
Joined: 25 Jul 2011, 20:25
Location: Southern Tablelands of NSW

finches247 wrote:Don't mix them also with Yellow hammers and Saffrons don't get on well
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Not many of us will get a chance to risk mixing them with saffrons or yellow hammers, unfortunately...

I've only kept them as a single pair in mixed aviaries; they've never been seem to bother any of the others, but...

I have a little mirror I use for nest inspections, and one day I left it on a shelf in the aviary, propped against a wall.
Five minutes later the Cuban was bashing his reflection in the mirror hard enough to make his beak bleed, and continuing after the mirror had slipped onto the shelf and was horizontal. I formed the impression he doesn't much like competition.

Having said that, I've left the progeny, including fully coloured cocks, with their parents for some months after fledging without incident.
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thewaxbill
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Posts: 70
Joined: 16 Mar 2012, 07:57
Location: England

Here in the U.K the majority of Cubans are cage bred and those that are aviary bred will be in small aviaries compared to the ones many of you guys have, the more confined the space they are in the more chance of problems. They are a species that should not be taken for granted though as they can quickly turn blissful harmony into W.W.3. Cage breeding them often see's the adult cock bird turn nasty on his sibling cock birds as they start to show colour and we have to remove them as Cubans are merciless when they do start. In mixed aviaries they do well with no problems for some yet again others have problems, its a case of trial and error and be prepared to intervene.
Regards Bob
http://www.waxbillfinchsociety.org.uk
Keeping the faith in Yorkshire
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TomDeGraaff
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Posts: 1024
Joined: 25 Jul 2012, 11:04
Location: Melbourne

Even in an aviary, Cubans are not to be trusted with their young after independence. All is well for a while and I once took the "one more day" approach. ONE DAY, all hell breaks loose. Don't risk it, I reckon.
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finchbreeder
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Joined: 27 Jun 2009, 20:00
Location: Midwest of West. Aust. Coast
Location: Midwest of West.Aust.Coast

Have been keeping cubans 1 pair in a mixed avairy for about 10 years now. Only problem I have had is the killing of a young one who was not moved quickly enough.
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crazy cuban
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Posts: 432
Joined: 04 Jan 2010, 10:59
Location: canberra

I've had cubans for a couple of years and they're great birds, very inquisitive and chirpy

someone i know had a large aviary and they had golden pheasants in it. and he couldn't figure out where all the yellow feathers on their back were. in the aviary one day and he saw a pair of cubans on the back of the pheasants plucking the feathers out of the pheasants.
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