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Re: Not so good parents
Posted by KC on 8/12/05

Thanks Michael,

Oddly enough the good parents are the ones in the flight. the
trouble pairs are all in their own cages. Maybe it is just
becuase they are inexperienced. I do have egg food at all
times for them. I use basket nests. And I do hate to see
dead babies. I feel horrible for allowing them to breed
again. I'll give them one more try and if not, they will just
be some nice birds and not breeders.


On 8/12/05, Michael L wrote:
> On 8/12/05, KC wrote:
>> I have several pairs of zebra finches, all of them
>> breeding. I have two pairs that hatched their eggs and
>> know how to feed their babies. I have two pairs that can
>> hatch their eggs but don't feed the babies. They all
>> died. This is the second time around and they did the
>> same thing. Then I have another pair that hatched their
>> first clutch of 3 babies. They feed the babies but keep
>> throwing one of them out. I have to keep putting the baby
>> back. I think that they just want two babies and not
>> three. Should I just forget about breeding the ones that
>> don't know how to feed? What about the one that keeps
>> tossing a baby? I could try fostering but I am worried
>> that it would be too much for the good parents. Also I
>> don't want to interupt them and make them not take care of
>> their babies also. Just wondering if anyone has some
>> advice. Thanks
>
> Tee first thing I would suggest is to have each pair in
their
> own cage and not in any kind of communal flight.
> Some pairs do not take well to raising a family with other
> pairs that are near or have acess to their nests.
> I don't know if this is your case, but I'm starting with
that
> to get the biggest factor out of the way.
>
> Zebras, especially young pairs, often times will toss from
> inexperience. This usually corrects itself in time.
>
> They also need egg food to feed their young. Lack of food
> can be another reason for tossing if they feel that they
> cannot adequately raise young to maturity.
>
> Experiment with nests. Pesonally, I never cared for the
> basket-type nest and favored the wooden or plastic nest
box.
> They are roomier and the parents have more space and are
less
> apt to toss chicks or have a chick fall out accidently.
>
> Also, Zebras become accustomed to what they know. If you do
> nest box inspections every day, then do it every day so that
> the parents are used to you looking and checking. You can't
> abstain from this and then start to look towards the end of
> incubation or after hatch and have the parents not become
> alarmed.
>
> It's hard to see dead chicks. But rare is the pair that
does
> not go on to become good parents. Give them time and their
> personal space.
>
> Michael L

Posts on this thread, including this one

• Not so good parents, 8/12/05, by KC.
• Re: Not so good parents, 8/12/05, by Michael L.
• Re: Not so good parents, 8/12/05, by KC.