Princess found in the desert

[mr.fox]

Re. the difficulty in obtaining 'pure normal' Princess in captivity. What exactly do we expect to do when we've buggered up a species like the Princess and the Scarlet-chested parrot to the point where birds carrying non-mutant genes are themselves 'a threatened species' ? Just walk out into the desert and swish a net around? When we've got to that situation we have FAILED as aviculturists and have just become people who keep birds!
Sorry, getting off my soapbox now.

[jusdeb]

Exactly Mr Fox ... its in the best interest of our natives that pure normals be kept in captivity .

Not saying that its wrong to have mutations but it is responsible bird keeping to also have normals not just for restocking the wild if worse comes to worse but also to keep a mutation line from going hay wire .

I like to keep mutations in Red Rumps , Budgies and Quarrion , they are fun and easy to move on , the other dozen species I keep are all normals and all beautiful birds .

[Nrg800]

Nonetheless, after being popular in public aviculture the birds would be too domesticated to stand a chance in the wild. Though I think natural coloured birds are a lot more beautiful, and although mutations are fine, I think it's important to keep a considerably sized natural coloured gene pool.

[natamambo]

NRG, the problem is maintaining that pool. I've got to the point where I'm just not prepared to buy princesses from anyone I don't know. End result is my aviaries are currently full and until the retirement bush block becomes a reality princesses are a bird I won't be able to keep until I can create a space that will do them justice. When that day comes there'll be two flights of unrelated pairs just to mix and match the young to help ensure a clean bloodline for the purchasers.

I love some mutations (YB Gouldian for example) but if you wanted pure the chances are almost non existent these days.

Now, off my soap box - DB keep them there till I get up the Centre mid next year .

[jusdeb]

NRG these are birds of good size and in their favour they love food and lots of variety . If introduced to the wild properly I think the prinnies would have a very good chance of survival .