Aussie Finch Forum

Saw a bloke advertise black breasted double bars. Not sure if they are actually a mutation, but rather, is due to insufficient lighting. Can anyone confirm this? Just curious. Cheers

I saw it too & strongly suspect they are a case of induced melanism. If so, this is not a mutation & will not pass onto offspring gentically & should eventually moult back to normal when kept in "favourable" conditions.

Mate of mine had some, bought from the pet shop at normal (pet shop) prices

They moulted out to normal

So perhaps 'induced melanism'

However one day a true melanistic will probably occur

May be worth a punt if the price is what you consider to be reasonable

Be worth asking the seller if they have passed the trait on

The seller in this case is a dealer so he would probably tell you whatever he thinks you want to hear.

@tiaris lol not sure if you've dealt with him before but I have. But he is a shifty bugger - won't say any more!!!

Yes, I've previously sent birds to him.

Probably melanistic like others have said. But I thought there had been RARE incidents of birds that did not moult out. Unfortunately have not heard of any that passed it on but.
LML

Melanistic birds kept in less than ideal circumstances will maintain the melanism long-term. Its usually only when ideal environment & diet is provided that the normal colour moults back in.

I breed one the nest had 4 young and one had a pure black chest i thought i might have fluked something i beleive he was a male but he ended up going to normal double bar but it took sometime. tony