Aussie Finch Forum

Its been a few years aince the end of the very successful QFS breeding program which saw these birds back into more mainstream aviculture.
How are they doing now? Is now that thr hype is gone so is the birds? I know at one stage they were only $30 a pair. How does that compare now?
I havent seen many at sales recently nor for advertisement either.

Would love to hear how they're going now there's no dedicated breeding program for them

crazy cuban wrote: ↑24 Apr 2017, 15:22 Its been a few years aince the end of the very successful QFS breeding program which saw these birds back into more mainstream aviculture.
How are they doing now? Is now that thr hype is gone so is the birds? I know at one stage they were only $30 a pair. How does that compare now?
I havent seen many at sales recently nor for advertisement either.

Would love to hear how they're going now there's no dedicated breeding program for them

There were some for sale at Murray Bridge on the weekend,$20ea.
Jack

Hard to move these days I'm afraid which means people are getting out of them again.
The same bloke who was critical to saving them years ago still has about 500-600!

It is truly remarkable how quickly these brown species go from abundant to scarce once most punters cast them aside.

There have been ASBs on offer at the last three sales that I have attended. I personally find them quite endearing and intend to always keep a pair or two. They are good natured and peaceful and breed readily without special diets...great for beginners...it's a shame that their popularity doesn't match their charm. The 'Brown Bird Syndrome' at work, no doubt about it.

i wonder if the fact that they are hard to sex doesn't work in their favour also? i've considered getting a pair, but was turned off buying 6 or so to give me a shot at finding at least one male and one female.

DNA costs 6 x $10 = $60 money well spent. That way you will know for certain their sexes.

wagga wrote: ↑25 Apr 2017, 07:36 DNA costs 6 x $10 = $60 money well spent. That way you will know for certain their sexes.

Agree Wagga.

same old story as soon as the price drops people get out of them. the same thing is happening with red face parrot finches its getting hard to move them. also cubans, normal stars, but i will always keep them. cheers

Commercial value/worth has always had a big influence on the popularity of species kept in aviculture and there is no reason to think that will ever change. It's the small players and hobbyists who are prepared to work with the less popular and commercially less attractive species that have helped to save some of them from being lost from aviculture forever. I am NOT saying that the large commercial breeders have not done some very good work here also...just that amateur hobbyists have more scope to disregard commercial trends. We should be very wary of the 'Brown Bird Syndrome'.