Keeping Cubans

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teg33
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Joined: 30 Aug 2011, 11:59
Location: Werribee Melbourne Victoria

I am considering keeping a pair of cubans in a large cage outside. Does anyone on here keep Cubans? And if so, could you please give me some good info on how to keep/breed them?


Thanks :)
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jluna
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Joined: 04 Sep 2010, 17:03
Location: Blue Mountains, NSW

could you be more specific than 'large'?

i'd question keeping cubans in a cage - of course it can be done, but with that species there would be several issues:

a) they are extremely active birds, never still. that looks great in an aviary, looks like torture in a cage.

b) potential aggression from the cockbird to the hen. the only time i saw cubans kept long-term in a cage, the hen had been badly harrassed and plucked.

c) cubans don't roost in a nest and so if there's a cold snap and they're in an unprotected cage, you may incur losses.

d) in my experience they prefer to build their own nest and won't take finch baskets, boxes etc, so you'd need to provide enough brush etc for them to be able to construct their own. hard in a cage.

depending on what you already keep and how large your aviary is, cubans would be much better off in there, imo.
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djb78
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Location: melton vic

I have kept Cubans in a large breeding cabinet as well as an aviery, they were always happier in the aviery and bred better,the only reason for my try of breeding in a cabinet was due lack of aviery space and to see if they would breed. I found that a pair in a cabinet were a bit more aggressive towards each other probably due to space and the male was very aggressive to young once independent, due to my findings on this I will never try and breed them in a cabinet again but will use a cabinet to hold them if need be. As for breeding they can be very good and can be frustrating at times, once they start they will breed quite good but never house more than 1 pair together. All the right foods plus live food and natural nesting sites with alot of grasses and feathers they shall be fine.
Danny
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Diane
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Location: Northern 'burbs of Adelaide
Location: Northern 'burbs of Adelaide

You would need to watch them with other birds too, I had a pair in with other birds and watched them for months building nests and never had any problem with the other inhabitants, then the Cubans decided to build near the OB nest. All was well for a couple of days then one day the OB hen has a very badly pecked head and is being chased by the Cuban cock bird.
Diane
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teg33
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Joined: 30 Aug 2011, 11:59
Location: Werribee Melbourne Victoria

The cubans are going to be kept as a single pair inside a large cage that is about 1.5m tall, and 50cm deep, 50cm in width :)
Birds, Drumming, Vegetarianism, Animal Welfare, dogs, animals, and books :)
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finchbreeder
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Location: Midwest of West. Aust. Coast
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Sorry have only ever kept and bred them in a mixed avairy. No trouble accept that when hubby accidently let their youngun get past him and back into mum and dads avairy it was killed. They packed an old rat ball (the plastic type) hung from the roof with grasses and feathers for a nest, No I have never kept rats, I saw it at a garage sale and for $1 though to use it as I did. :thumbup:
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toothlessjaws
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Location: Melbourne, Victoria
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cubans are wasted a bit in a cage in my opinion as arguably their most endearing trait is their fearlessness.

in a cage i imagine this trait would be not so obvious since the birds have no choice but to stay near you when you approach.

however alternatively you could argue that they are better suited to a cage than most as the presence of humans so close is less likely to stress them.
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Finchman1
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Joined: 03 Apr 2011, 18:59
Location: Sydney

Mine breed well in a avairy there always on the go.They build there own nest in the brush.They are always waiting for their goodies in the morning.
Mine have young in the nest at the moment
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crazy cuban
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Joined: 04 Jan 2010, 10:59
Location: canberra

I keep cubans in a mixed collection there are no problems the have bred for me several times with three to four chicks in each clutch they're inquisitive and will often be the first to the food bowl.
the first time i ever bred them there nest was located just about a foot off the ground, they used a small wicker basket. they definitely DO NOT tolerate nest inspection
CC
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ianmckenzie
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Location: shepparton

I breed Cubans in mixed collection of finches. . they have gone okay when numbers up,. ie eg 4 fems and 4 males. came home one day and half of the Cubans dead. I recently come across a bloke in Victoria that has bred dozens of Cubans in one large colony of Cubans. he says no problems,. maybe they breed well in same breed colonies..? ie eg males don't attack...he has been selling same for $40 pair....
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