Abstract
The same scenario happens to people all over the world just as it happened to me. Walking into a pet store and seeing those active, colorful, beeping, finches flittering about in a display cage can mean love at first sight. I knew right away that I wanted to own one of these colorful little birds, but like any good bird enthusiast, I bought a book on basic care before buying my first Zebra Finch. Owning only one was great, but I soon decided that I would like to breed them.
Proper Diet
Zebra Finches can live on finch seed mix alone but it is better to offer your finches a more varied diet. I like to add millet, fresh fruits, and egg to my birds' diet. Fruits like sliced apples, oranges, grapes, melon, and other colorful foods add important nutrients to the finch
diet. I also chop hard-boiled eggs (shell and all) for my birds every few weeks. Fresh fruits and eggs spoil rather quickly in the open air so they should be removed after a few hours.
While raising their young, Zebra Finches not only are feeding themselves but up to six other birds that require ever-increasing amounts of food as they grow. One must provide the working parents a good variety of extra food and make sure that they always have clean water. Vitamin supplements work very well along with a balanced diet to ensure the health of your birds and their offspring.
A few serious heath problems can be avoided by providing a good diet. Female Zebra Finches can become eggbound or calcium deficient if they do not get enough calcium-rich foods in their diet. Both health problems can be fatal if not treated right away. Consult your avian veterinarian for proper treatment protocol. Various other ailments can be caused by insufficient protein, calcium, and/or vitamins and minerals.
Finding a "Pair"
Zebra Finches are easy to sex. Males can be visually distinguished from females. Male Zebra Finches have a black breast bar, chestnut flanks speckled with white, orange cheek patches, a scale-like pattern under the chin and, of course, the red beak. Females on the other hand are totally lacking in any of these male markings and their beaks are a lighter and more orange color.
There are Zebra Finch color mutations that have less-defined sex markings, so if you really cannot see any distinguishing markings on your bird, look at the beak color. In all but one Zebra Finch color mutation, the beak colors will still be red or orange, depending on sex.
Building a Home
Having a cage that is large enough for only two birds is fine if you do not plan to breed, but once you start breeding Zebra Finches, you soon will have not two, but three to six and eventually many more. Your breeding cage must be large enough to accommodate your breeders and their babies
without crowding.
An adequately sized breeding cage is approximately 2 feet L x I foot W x 8 inches H, but giving a pair more space is even better. Zebra Finches can breed in small cages, but I do not recommend it. They need exercise to stay fit and healthy. Cramped caging can create many problems. Cage length and width are more important than the height of the cage because of the birds' natural flight pattern.
Next, the pair will need a place to lay, incubate, and hatch their eggs. There are several types and sizes of Finch nests available. Many people use the bamboo woven nests. I use them because they are inexpensive and I can buy them at any pet store that sells birds. The bamboo nests come in two sizes, regular and large. Both work well but the larger ones are best for birds that tend to produce large clutches.
Another popular nest is the wooden nest box. They can be mounted inside or outside of the cage. (If mounted outside the cage, an opening in the cage will allow the birds to get to the nest box). These nests are easy to clean and make it very easy to count eggs and check on the chicks as they grow.
People do not always agree on what type of nesting material is best for birds. Zebra Finches are not particular-if they can lift it, they will use it in the building of their nest.
I like to give my Zebra Finches small strands of burlap and shredded Kleenex tissue to use for nesting material. It is important to make sure that what you give them is not so fine that they can get it tangled around their legs or around the chicks. Birds can die if they become badly entangled in the nesting material.