Aussie Finch Forum

I've kept longtails forever and more recently maskeds. I've always kept them in separate breeding aviaries for fear of hybrids. In my holding aviary they all seem to hang out together - including preening. Lately a few people have mentioned they breed them together (1 pair of each) in mixed aviaries and have never had a hybrid issue. It really would make my life simpler if I could chuck a pair of each in the same aviary.

Please convince me that this is ok.

not much for convincing, at work we had problems with lots of mask/longtail hybrids... got rid of the masks

Sam You say they are in a holding cage.Of course they will sit and preen each other and so will many other finches.Put them in a breeding aviary with nesting sites,nesting materials and good foods and thats when the trouble will start.Not when you are watching but when the cocks get bored or have put their own hens down,thats when they stray.So your question
Craig

Noooooooooo (to quote Dart Vader ).

That would create a very serious disturbance in the force.

I have a friend who breeds from single pairs of both together & doesn't get any hybrids as long as sexing is 100% right with both species & each pair has been bonded in a cabinet for about a fortnight.

Thanks. All comments pretty much reinforce what I'd always thought - generally not a good idea. I was actually thinking of a colony of each in a large aviary which would probably be the worst hybrid risk.

Craig - I might not have expressed myself well in my original post. I was anticipating hybrids to be a genuine risk and was using my holding aviary as evidence. It has many different species but the longtails and maskeds always hang out together much more so than with other species, hence I was surpised to hear of people allowing them to breed in the same aviary.

Cheers Sam Sorry if i sounded a bit abrupt
Craig