ZEB TEMPERAMENT

Includes Species Profile.
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mick1933
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Posts: 15
Joined: 03 Jul 2017, 13:29
Location: Charmhaven NSW

Hi another questions about Zebs. How are they in a mixed aviary. I have been breeding birds all my life but am new to finches. I have read articles on the net that say Zebs are easy going birds and fit in well with other species and other articles that paint them as some sort of Frankenstein monster.
In one article I read it said to either have one pair or at least 3 pairs to avoid problems. What is the general opinion of experienced breeders. I want to have a mixed aviary of Red Breasted Parrot Finches, Stars, Gouldians, Painted and a couple of Fyfe canaries, as well as Zebs if they are OK and I can get some pretty mutations. Mick 1933.
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starman
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Posts: 590
Joined: 04 Oct 2016, 18:51
Location: Coastal N.S.W.

Hi Mick,

I have not had Zebs for many a year but have fond memories of them. They out-bred all of my other aviary occupants combined, and that was, in itself, a problem. The parents and juveniles, while not being malicious were inquisitive and fairly disruptive of other species breeding attempts, entering their nests just to visit or sometimes to steal materials. I did not see them interfering with nestling chicks but have read that they can be guilty of that as well. Some one on here described them as ‘murderous’, and I have seen other similar comments in written texts.
At the time of keeping Zebs, my aviary was about 2 x 2.5 x 2.1, which by most peoples’ standards is small and that may have contributed to the poor behaviour…in a larger aviary they may have been less of a problem. Out of all the birds I kept at that time, they were my kids’ favourite.
I kept three pairs in what I now know to be over-crowded conditions.

P.S. Did you go to Singleton? At one stage I noticed some one in the next aisle who matched the description that you supplied in an old post. At no stage did I get close enough to enquire.
Sm.
Avid student of Estrildids in aviculture.
STUART WHITING
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Posts: 343
Joined: 03 Jun 2017, 18:30
Location: England

Zebras are nice birds to look at especially the chestnut flanked whites, creams, silvers and light backs etc, I was breeding em for some 20 odd years about 10 years ago, in that time I had probably bred some 700-800 odd zebras, may sound a lot but is only about 40 or so per year,

Many a time I actually found em to be rather problematic, spiteful and constantly bickering, generally speaking a number of hens are normally ok if housed together aswell as just 1 pair together, 3-4 pairs together seem normally ok aswell,

The trouble seems to start when you've got 3,4 or 5 zebras together, don't exactly know what it is but 3-5 birds together seems to nearly always cause problems, this is only a very rough guide as this shouldn't be set in stone as obviously no two birds are the same,

In truth after 20 years of breeding em I've had enough of em as I seriously got fed up with trying to save space and house many of em together, again somewhere along the line I'd always experience problems and constant bickering between em :yawn:

Nowadays I tend to just specialise in dimorphic Estrildids which basically covers waxbills and Asiatic finches aswell as Australian grass finches :thumbup:
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escapin
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Posts: 90
Joined: 12 Aug 2014, 15:59
Location: Gold Coast QLD

I have 2 pair of zebs in a mixed aviary. It contains gouldians, stars, zebs, strawberries, cordons, rfpf and silverbills. I find the stars to be more assertive than the zebs, but all species just do their own thing.
All birds are breeding successfully. All I suggest is that you remove the baby zebs as soon as they are old enough otherwise they breed so quick you soon have 30 pair of them which will overcrowd the aviary.
My aviary is 4 x 3m.
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Tiaris
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Posts: 3517
Joined: 23 Apr 2011, 08:48
Location: Coffs Harbour

Zebs are fine to mix with very boisterous finches or larger birds such as neophema parrots, small doves,etc. but best not to mix with most finches if you want decent breeding outcomes from anything other than the zebs.
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E Orix
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Posts: 2740
Joined: 29 May 2009, 23:30
Location: Howlong on NSW/Vic Border 30km from Albury
Location: Howlong NSW

I still have a soft spot for the normal grey Zebras as a result I keep 2 cock birds in my collection.
That way I still can see the specie but do not have the problem of being over run by their prolific
breeding capabilities.
Sadly they will just out breed and just take over your collection through weight of numbers.
They may start off slowly then before you know it the first babies are breeding and so on.
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mick1933
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Posts: 15
Joined: 03 Jul 2017, 13:29
Location: Charmhaven NSW

Hi Starman. No unfortunately didn't make it to Singleton. Didn't finish my aviary in time. Have to catch up sometime.
Thanks everyone for the advice I think I will give Zebs a miss. Would rather err on the side of caution. Regards Mick 1933
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starman
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Posts: 590
Joined: 04 Oct 2016, 18:51
Location: Coastal N.S.W.

mick1933 wrote: 04 Nov 2017, 14:26 No unfortunately didn't make it to Singleton.
I thought it was a bit of a longshot that it may be you Mick, ....try to get up there at some stage , I think you would really enjoy it.

Your decision on the Zebras is probably the correct one for now, at least.
They are, never the less, good fun in isolation and a nice little bird to keep.
Sm.
Avid student of Estrildids in aviculture.
STUART WHITING
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Posts: 343
Joined: 03 Jun 2017, 18:30
Location: England

starman wrote: 05 Nov 2017, 15:49
mick1933 wrote: 04 Nov 2017, 14:26 No unfortunately didn't make it to Singleton.
I thought it was a bit of a longshot that it may be you Mick, ....try to get up there at some stage , I think you would really enjoy it.

Your decision on the Zebras is probably the correct one for now, at least.
They are, never the less, good fun in isolation and a nice little bird to keep.
I vouched I'd never keep zebras again after breeding em for over 20 odd years but all this talk on zebies laterally is slowly getting me interested once again :think: ........lol
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Tiaris
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Posts: 3517
Joined: 23 Apr 2011, 08:48
Location: Coffs Harbour

I found the best way to enjoy Zebra finches was to house them in small (1m x 3m) aviaries with a pair each of Zebra Finches & Scarlet-chested Parrots. Both species did very well on the same diet - dry seed, sprouted seed (with a bit of softfood powder or egg & biscuit mixed in) + greens. Kept all my other finches in a separate bank of larger planted aviaries away from the Zebs.
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