new thoughts

[Jayburd]

I noticed that, and that is encouraging. And also, Southy keeps grenadiers with blue caps, so now it's a question of whether cut throats go with any of the, and will pytilias go with grenadiers. I'm leaning towards no for the first, as they are big and gluttonous, and yes to the second, because Orix told me that grenadiers don't really fight with anything.

[arthur]

My advice would be to skip the Cut-throats altogether

If you want to be in the business of saving species for the future you could look at Aberdeens (a first cousin to the Cut-throat) which are in a parlous situation and about to go through the roof pricewise . . . .

BUT keep them away from your waxbills

[fincher]

are there still aberdeens around been looken for them for a while with a mate of mine and havent even heard of any

[Buzzard-1]

Same, found a bloke on the coast but has waiting list I'm on it.

[jusdeb]

Might be a good topic to discuss with Monotwine ....new member from Africa , she may be able to say how many are getting about over there ( being a african specie) and what breeding programmes might be going ....would be interesting to hear how things work over there , her post actually said that the african finches were hard to find there.

[fincher]

yyeh a mate off mine gave me a contact up near the coast nd borders of NSW nd QLD he was seeling out or somethen and i was too late at getting them and they had sold.

[Jayburd]

I have seen aberdeens on petlink, a trifle aggressive, and a bit too far off for me at least, I can't drive, and mum and dad, well they're not gonna drive 2 hours to buy birds.
I think it's a good idea to be getting birds from people who are
A) either local, or in a place with similar weather conditions
B) on my yearly travel routes (see below),
because of obvious climatic issues, and also because there are no canberra breeders that have blue caps, only one that has grenadiers, one or two that have auroras, and several with cut throats.
I want cutthroats so I can have some semblence of sanity within my local finch group, who think I'm bonkers to be wanting to keep such birds here, now, at my age. Then they'll at least think I'm slightly, if that, normal. besides, I like them.
we travel up to sydney sometimes, and go to wollongong every summer to see by best friend and X next door neighbor. So if I say "Hey, since we're going this way..." there might be aviary visits, and possibilities of buying birds on the way back...
It was on one of these trips away from canberra that I met Southy the first time, and also Peter Mandry

[finchbreeder]

As my daughter regularly says Jay "Don't call me average, normal or ordinary, anybody can be those." So you go right on being
different, strange and weird. All the best people are. Be happy to keep the finches that are of interest to you and as you say available locally and on your regular travel routes. And if that is a little different so be it.
LML

[Jayburd]

As my daughter regularly says Jay "Don't call me average, normal or ordinary, anybody can be those." So you go right on being
different, strange and weird. All the best people are.

we REALLY need that clapping hands emoticon!!!
anyways, applause to your daughter and you!

[southy]

Good on you Jay keep up that enthusiasm but in reality mate you cant keep cutthroats successfully with blue caps (in my opinion with any birds)as the competition for live food is way to great.

Grenadiers are a great bird but I am moving them out of 1 of my aviaries because I have decided at 4mts square there is not enough room for them with blue caps as they only use open part of cage & when they have young they will feed you to them if they could carry you.
But the most important thing is ..You have to be in it to win it..Am really looking forward to when you have bred those cordons.
Then we can start planning on the next species