Aussie Finch Forum

my two/three week old zebra finches are already curious about the outside world. which i thought was strange since i read that it usually takes them a month or two until they actually become curious. is this strange behavior or is this normal?

Zebras are one of those crazy birds that have been known to jump out of the nest for a look around well before they are sufficently well feathered. So just exercise patience and keep putting them back in the nest untill they are fully feathered and the weather is warmer.
That's how I treat mine.
LML

its funny when i put them back in the nest sometimes they refuse to stay inside the nest. they'll hop out and stand on the perch for awhile. its quite cute to watch.

Yeah it happens, my Zebra's started without me being ready to watch once, and they both unfortunately died
certainly makes you pay more attention when you go in the aviary now, especially around breeding season!!

There is no such thing as a Zeb breeder who has not lost some young to this silly habit of theirs.
You just do the best you can at putting them back and holding your hand over the nest enterance till they seem to have settled.
LML

thankfully all three of them survived. i noticed two of the babies always stick together and one always seems like the loner. whats even more strange is the dad started pulling and plucking the tail feathers of the loner baby. got me a bit worried watching. anybody know what this behavior means?