friend for a plumhead

08 Apr 2011, 20:34

my cock plumhead has died (the one left has no bib and a white stripe bettween beak and top of head??).I cannot get another at the moment is there another type of bird she may like to be with? shes sitting all alone im worried as the emblemas are a pair and the orange waxbills are a pair so I dont think they will let her sleep with them

09 Apr 2011, 09:06

I would be careful how you go here - better to leave her lonely than to pair up with another species.
my cordon cock had no mate for almost 2 years, the gouldians grudgingly allowed him to share their sleeping space, and when the hen arrived he was all go.

09 Apr 2011, 18:47

ok, think I will wait then,she did look very left out and upset so I thought id try her with the double bars and thats done wonders...she is snuggeled up with them and I saw her earlyer playing in the bath and she has eaten seed and mauled some apple and lettice so I think that will work till I can find a cock bird it looks like they should be avalable again in about 6 weeks...

09 Apr 2011, 23:36

just keep a careful eye on them, someone posted a pic of a plumead/double bear recently

10 Apr 2011, 19:04

oh dear!! ..cannt say im totaly surprised,dont know if im just a bit blind but I used to have trouble sometimes picking the two apart in certan light there is a certain similarity when they are all together .
Im wondering if theres going to be some unusual kids in my main cage as a little zeb who I only brought as she was half bald and being picked on has taken up with my yellow faced star cock and they have built a nest and seem very close ...oh well guess time will tell,the one good side to it is she is hardly recognisable all her feathers are growing back!!!..oh well good luck to her

10 Apr 2011, 22:58

If they are just nest sharing fine, if she has laid it would be best to remove the eggs. Hybrids really are not a good idea. Get them both a mate of their own type.
LML

11 Apr 2011, 20:31

the little devils have their own mates if they want the yellow faced star has a lovely female hes deserted for the zeb..mind you she has a group situation with the standard star pair...and little zeb has lots of her own type to choose from ,im not sure what il do if eggs come I know theres um ..cavorting bettween them so eggs may well come iv never had any birds hatch so id be happy with any that arrive.I just have them for the fun of watching them I guess if they did breed I might have to put them and any offspring in sep ages .The petshop guy told me a zeb and star cannt breed anyway he said they just wouldnt ???

11 Apr 2011, 22:22

Well that is not what Russell Kingstons latest book says and I sure know which one I would trust to be correct. It is in theory true that like should go to like, but you have just told us that that is not what is happening. I would seperate them into different avairys. Just my oppinion.
LML

11 Apr 2011, 22:46

mm yes no I thought it was rubbish too after seeing them,I will wait and see if she lays an egg if she does I will remove him and put him in a cage with his female and hope they bond again ..im a bit sus that it wont be an issue as the female zeb was half bald and I think she may be an old bird,I looked tonight when they were out in the feed dish and no eggs they have been carrying on for at least 5 days so I guess she is not able to lay,im hoping not as I realy dont like to distress them if they love eachother

11 Apr 2011, 22:50

Yeah gotta agree with F/breeder , if there's any chance of hybrids then they need to be separated . I know its all cute and sweet to watch however its just not on to let different species breed intentionally .
It might seem hard and the prospect of babies is all very exciting but your better of biding your time and letting them breed to their own kind .

It will be worth it in the end .