Aussie Finch Forum

My six year old son has recently started breeding Zebra Finches which are already going well, as they do. He has a couple of pairs of normal Scarlet-chested Parrots to be housed as single pairs with a pair or two of Zebs in small (0.9x3m) aviaries. For the Zebra finch aviaries in between the ones housing the Scarlets, he wants a pair of small doves. Just wondering out of Talpacoti or Masked Doves which is the most placid/best mixer with finches and most suited to such a small aviary. Any pros & cons for each would be greatly appreciated as I've not yet kept either species myself. Thanks.

Masked doves are better suited to small flights easy to breed and placid and become friendly breed best as single pair and get on well wth finches

Talpacoti dove dont suit small flights they are flightly i find breed well in large flights mix ok with other finches but not other doves of similar size I find .

Thanks Henry.

Or should I say "thinks Hinry"?

Hi Graham-I had a near death expierience mixing Zebs with Scarlets-my Scarlets had
2 young in a hollow log and a mate came round and asked if he could see the young.
To my horror as I opened the top of the log it was filled half way up with grass-pulled
out 2 full handfulls to find the young (about 10 days) with empty crops.Thats when I
caught up the Zebs and moved them on to a friend.The hen Scarlet was straight back
in to feed the young and both fledged.Had I not have looked that day the situation
would have been very different.The Zebs had plenty of boxes to choose from but
must of liked the log,and Scarlets are a bit of a pushover.I have had my Emblemas
chase them around the aviary-funny thing to see.Just my expierience-thought I'd share.
Jack

Emblemas chasing scarlots around, that I would like to see

I'd also go with Masks, Talpacotis can be flighty.

Thanks. Will do.

My masks seem to get on with the other birds better than my Talpacoti's. Talpacoti's never seem to settle properly and seem to like their own space.