Appropriate finches

15 Dec 2010, 02:37

Hey everyone
I am in the process of completing my finch aviary, its dimensions are 5x6x6. Whhat finches do you suggest i keep.

15 Dec 2010, 14:14

what finches are locally available? have you kept finches before? there are many factors... I think if you can get them, keep cordons

my favourites

15 Dec 2010, 15:31

Orange breasted waxbills are a lovely little bird, then there are emblema, they are a very relaxed sort of bird, I get used as a perch when i go in the aviary, especially by the young ones!

If you want lots of movement, then parrot finches, the blue faced parrot finches seem quite shy and prefer the back of the aviary, while the red throated parrot finch is quite forward, but can be bossy too.
Gouldians are my favourite, plenty of colour, they have their moments when they swoop around the aviary.
Good luck with your choices and please let us know which birds you are thinking of getting.

15 Dec 2010, 17:18

I agree with the orange breasteds, they are still my favourites. Gouldians are nice too, very placid and sit around a lot. I think you can't have them with one of the parrot finches as they hybridize, is that right BB?

15 Dec 2010, 17:50

flab wrote: Gouldians are nice too, very placid and sit around a lot. I think you can't have them with one of the parrot finches as they hybridize, is that right BB?

It wouldnt be advisable to have a single, opposite sex bird of each species as they can hybridize. I have kept a pair of BFPF in with a pair of YH gouldians.

15 Dec 2010, 17:51

Flap, all parrot finches can hybridise with gouldians, but it rarely happens... but in case it does, if you see a "pair" of the two species, remove any eggs, and remove one of the pairs... like I said though, I don't think it happens very often.
hybrids are far less likely to occur when there are equal numbers of all species in an aviary, with no spares to pair off with others.
Agree with OBs and Gouldians, love them both

15 Dec 2010, 19:50

Jayburd wrote:what finches are locally available? have you kept finches before? there are many factors... I think if you can get them, keep cordons my favourites

Here here great little birds.

15 Dec 2010, 20:34

The first thing to do is find out what is available in your area and price range. Then let us know that, so we can advise what can be kept together from what is available. Good luck, welcome to the hobby and the forum.
LML

15 Dec 2010, 23:54

Ok so i have seen the recommendations and i have to say they are interesting, I am still new to this hobby.
I live in Barbados and we have Goudians, Cutthroats, Societies, Courdon Blues, Star Finches, Javas and Canaries. I have not heard of anyone having parrot finches.

16 Dec 2010, 06:40

Hi Saara,......Barbados!.....do you mean Barbados in the Carribean?!....wow.....we're reaching people all over the world!!

I have no idea what you have available over there. It could be that you can obtain some of the species we suggest, but some may be terribly expensive, and you may have access to some that we could only wish for in our dreams!

Have you any idea what species you can get there....or even take some photos at a birdmarket or shop for us to see.