Aussie Finch Forum

My pair of Zebra's have finished building a nest, and I was wandering if it was OK to do daily nest checks, or leave them be
( 1st clutch )
Cheers Mike.

Zebs are reasonably tolerant of nest checks but if you get into the habit you will try to peek into all nests with disastrous results...better to leave well enough alone in my opinion..As long as you hear chicks feeding or see mum and dad over indulging at feed table all should be well...others probably have other ideas.

Thanks for the quick reply

Any other opinions

I can't say that my curiosity was so unremitting that I needed to check EVERY day during incubation but I doubt that it would worry even wild zebra finches! Some individuals sit so tightly that I've had to push them out to look under them but who knows which straw will break the camel or zebra's back. If the eggs haven't started hatching 14 days after after they start brooding (usually on the 3rd egg) then you may regret chasing them off so often since if they don't return immediately you may be the cause of death in shell from chilling. I know it's hard to resist when you start and that's why everyone should start with zebs. Probably you'll have no problems but patience is part of your training. Certainly don't try daily checks with any other species except maybe societies,

Personally I don't, it doesn't achieve anything other than settle ones curiosity and you can get abandoned eggs or young. but I do know of others who do with out disasters.

I don't check any finch species other than Gouldians (due to their domestication/tolerance). If I bred Zebras, I'd probably check them too. Apart from these two & Bengalese I reckon nest inspections only add to the prospect of a failed round.

I don't check nests often but do some inspecting to see what's going on. Some speices are more tolerant to the occasionally inspection and some not at all. I have some that will be fine and of the same speices so that won't so its up to the individual pairs that will tell you how much they will tolerate. I reckon that an inspection when you believe there are eggs then maybe a week or two to see how many eggs and the maybe a week or two to see the young are looking well feed so through a cycle maybe 3 checks and most times with zebs they will go back pretty quick.

I'll check 2-3 times a week just to be on the safe side. All I currently know is that they just finished nest building and there are no eggs yet but I have caught them getting busy . LOL.

When i have my Zebras breeding i check everyday. I have mine breed in nest boxes so as i go to grab the box down they slowly hop off. Never had any troubles.