Cost of red faced pytilias these days

Includes Species Profile
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SteveP
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Posts: 68
Joined: 03 Aug 2014, 18:53
Location: penrith nsw

Just wondering what the going rate is for red faced-red winged and red faced-yellow winged pytilias is these days. They seem few and far between. I saw a $1250 figure for a pair of yellow wings on an Australian finch Facebook site a few months ago but don't know if it was genuine.

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Craig52
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Joined: 11 Nov 2011, 19:26
Location: victoria

Yes, i saw that too and that came from someone who is breeding them both using termites in good numbers so can ask what they want for them.
You might have noticed i said $450 for yellow wings and $300 redface and got put down over it but in saying that, that is what i paid for them and sold them for around 10 years ago. You will do well with them if you feed termites as they are addicted to them for feeding young but you can keep the adults going if you feed bushfly maggots and small mealworms but they wont raise young on them and if they do you might get one young to survive.
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Tiaris
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Joined: 23 Apr 2011, 08:48
Location: Coffs Harbour

I have paid up to $1500 per pair for yellow-winged ones in the distant past and have sold them as cheap as $60ea for spare cockbirds later on when they were much more common. They definitely are quite scarce again though. Red-winged ones probably more so which is a first.
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SteveP
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Posts: 68
Joined: 03 Aug 2014, 18:53
Location: penrith nsw

Thanks for the replies guys. A mate and I are breeding a few. You're spot on with the termites craig - my pairs will eat a few when not breeding but consume a lot once chicks hatch and until they are about 14-15 days old then almost stop eating them altogether. Certainly nothing like melbas though! They are a beaut bird, placid and striking colour. It's funny how bird fads are so cyclic - I started with them because I liked them when not many people wanted them about 7-8 years ago and paid $150 pair for reds, I paid $350 pair for reds a few years ago for new blood, and now people are chasing them again because they're scarce...and paying such big $$
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