Aussie Finch Forum

welcome to the forum
Try www.petlink.com.au they usually have finches for sale in various areas of australia, you might get lucky

Hi and welcome to the forum.To answer your question I don't know of anyone.I havn't even heard of anyone in Australia that is breeding them.Having said that I have a pair building a nest at the moment with fingers crossed.Your other option is to look into mutation goldfinches which are way more popular with the breeders.You can try calling Bird Place Emblem Aviaries 95 Holbrooks Rd,Flinders Park SA 5025 ( 08 ) 84434965.He was the man for me for my Goldfinches, wild caught of course.Goodluck and if you can let us know if you have chased anyone up.

Woo
You will struggle to get some aviary bred Goldfinches. There are a number bred mainly by the Canary breeders.
There are quite a few wild trapped birds come on the market from March on. They are inexpensive which is actually a shame but thats another
area. My suggestion is to buy some of these birds and breed from them, they will cost possibly $10 each

The majority of wild caught Goldfinches now carry Megabacteria so be very careful if you buy wild caught birds. Megabacteria is extremely difficult to eradicate and it will literally decimate your aviary within a couple of weeks if unleashed.

I was in the market for Goldfinches but like you could not find aviary breed stock. So for now I have struck them off the list as I will not jeopardise the rest of the flock.

I don't know why you there speak about kept goldfinches. Here in europe is forbitten since 10 years, and i agree with that.
We breed these birds in cage from years and haven't problem anymore, isn't there somebody whom breed european goldfinch in cage??

About megabacteria, it's a myth kept birds have megabacteria by "default".
Megabacteria produces proventriculus, it can be treated through the administration of amphotericin B is that the Nystatin, there in Australia you're luky, you can find drugs conceirn this ill.
Other kept birds ot worms :S, in this case you have to provide a vermicide...

Regards,
Nick

A week ago Dad told me a pair of his had at least 2 young in the nest. I saw him yesterday but forgot to ask him how they were going. He has bred them before but only in very small numbers. They can be very fussy and like a private nest.

Arent they considered vermin in SA ? Sure I read somewhere they had become quite a pest in the southern states .

I see them often around Lake Burley Griffyn in Canberra

They are in abundance here too. I don't know if they are a pest though. I have a pair in my mixed collection becuase I like the odd song bird in here. That plus I'm hoping they attract the wild ones to sit on the back fence.

There have been up to 3000 trapped around Melbourne each year and the majority are shipped to the USA and or Canada
There have been a couple of bad breeding season in the wild and I think last year around 2000 went out.
Exact numbers would be difficult to find out because the ones buying them in and exporting them tend to be reluctant to talk about what they are doing
Sadly some of these people are are also the ones freighting out Cubans and Red Faced Parrot Finches plus other non Aust. birds as well.