Hello from Orange

[birdie01]

Hello there.

I am interested in finches and breeding them. I have only bred some budgies years ago and they did great. I have come here before i decide on what to get to see if it's something i can do well for the little bids. i dont want to breed and sell really big, just really have a nice aviary for out the back and for the kids to learn about caring for animals and that.

I hope this is ok! I will try not to ask dumb questions ;)

thanks

BD

[GregH]

I think that's a great way for kids to learn about animals. If you can breed budgies you can breed many finches. Even if you specialise in zebra finches you can have a very fulfilling hobby as there are challenges and triumphs and tragedies at every level. The great thing about finches are that they are small, quiet and often cheap and easy to breed depending on the species and how you treat them. While they aren't affectionate towards humans they can be enjoyed on their own terms.

[Diane]

Hi and welcome to the forum.
No question is ever dumb.

[ray_223]

Hi Birdie01,

You might like to talk to some local people here in Orange.
The Orange Bird Society have a meeting next week - http://raymondsmith.com/orange-bird-society

We will be busy making final arrangements for our bird sale - http://orangebirdsale.com/ - but there will be plenty of people who can give you some tips.

[Jayburd]

welcome
the only dumb question is the one you don't ask

[jusdeb]

welcome

[shanny2]

yeah welcome zebras are a beginners finch but a nice addition for any aviary

[birdie01]

thankyou all very much for your warm welcome!

I was thinking zebra finches are a good place to start from the small amount i have read. I lived about 100 ks out of Alice Springs for several years and enjoyed the songs of the birds in the area. especially I liked the sound of the finches feeding their young and I think they were Zebra finches.

Thank you all again for being welcoming to me and yes, the kids will learn well about the cycle of life and responsibility to animals. My younf son, who is 7 will not be happy as he very much wanted a 'friend', but I am sure he will enjoy them.

thanks!

[Jayburd]

Shanny, there's no such thing as a beginner's finch.
It may be suited to beginners but if I were the most famous bird keeper in australia I'd still have them, and I'm sure many agree.
You can never be 'above' keeping something

[shanny2]

your right let me rephrase that zebras are a good finch to start off with there are others but the zebra is the best choice to start with just until you get the hang of them then get something more challanging to keep like a star or gouldian finch i have 8 zebras birdie and 7 gouldians i did have about 12 or 11 zebbies last year until they all died they were the first and the best zebbies that i ever had specialy this one pair there where enough nests but they didn't want the nest they made there own and know i have these ones who are a full of excitement to watch and its good to teach the younger kids my mums bestfriend has 2 boys who would want to go into my cage with the cockatiels that are in there now this is when my other finches where in there i wouldn't let them in because i didn't want any birds to fly away so i brought one of those coded padd locks and i did tell them what they where doing like eating, bathing and other bird stuff that they did so good luck with the birds and i have a goul that i want to house multible birds together in one big aviaries finches and all. birds to me is a hobby or something that you can not pass well thats just me. and i would love to hear about any success with breeding your birds.