Plan about 2.5 square feet of space for each pair. 3 Answers. Relevance. 3 Answers. or remove the babies? Veterinarian's Assistant: ... Ok if its eating and drinking and able to fly I would separate it. My zebra finches successfully bred two little guys. The problem is the mother has laid another clutch already and is chasing the babies around.. what do I do? ), Returning to Work? When Can Baby Zebra Finches Leave Their Parents? When I was new to birds, a friend cautioned me about housing two pairs of finches together. Here’s How to Help Your Pet (and Yourself) Manage the Stress, Please Don’t Go! The second one was not growing, so I took it from the parents and put it in with the other three. One pair recently had three babies and the other pair had two, but one died. If zebra finches are overcrowded, a pecking order quickly emerges, and individual birds tend to fall into a distinct social order according to age, dominance, health and other factors. Interestingly, light colored (mutation) birds almost invariably endure the worst aggression. Both babies are males, so now there are three with the dad. Zebra finches can lay a maximum of eight eggs, but usually have 2 to 5 eggs in their nests. Its the presence of the female and nest which motivates the plucking. Have multiple feeding stations to prevent dominant finches from guarding the food. Q. I have two pairs of zebra finches in a flight cage with a center separation due to constant fighting between pairs. If these distractions do not stop the male from plucking his babies, remove him from his family temporarily. They have left the nest and seem to be feeding themselves, however they aren't flying. Most of the birds seemed too preoccupied with harassing the neighbors to raise a family. I would give them more time with their parents. When the eggs hatch it is time to feed your nesting finches with rearing / nestling food – a very crucial stage – which provides them with enough supplements. Add at least one more pair of zebra finches before moving the birds into a flight cage. Do not offer more nesting material when eggs or babies are already in the nest. Should I move them to a separate cage? Can you have more than one male in a cage? The eggs have hatched about 4 or 5 days ago. Caitlin UltimoAugust 23, 2012Behavior / Stress & Anxiety. old baby zebra finch. Answer Save. Should I move them to a separate cage?A: Baby finches go through several stages of development. I have two pairs of zebra finches in a flight cage with a center separation due to constant fighting between pairs. I know at a certain age you need to separate the babies from the parents. Q: I have 5 new baby finches. A: Baby finches go through several stages of development. I tried an experiment and set up four 18- by 18- by 30-inch cages with two pairs of zebra finches and two nest baskets in each. The male zebra finch is eager to build a fresh nest and start another family before his current babies are fledged. How To Manage Separation Anxiety In Cats. Normally this kind of picking is not too serious, but you can deter it. What does this mean? Under such conditions, lower ranking and young birds can suffer from insufficient food and bullying. When can they leave their parents? Terms of Use Privacy Policy Interest-Based AdsChewy Careers, The Best Toys for Anxious Dogs and Their Stressed-Out Humans, How to Keep Your Dog Calm Around Fireworks (While Still Having Fun! Your babies don't sound like they are quite old enough to go to their own cage just yet. I once had a male zebra finch build a nest directly on the backs of his mate and babies. All rights reserved. Don’t house two pairs together. They have left the nest and seem to be feeding themselves, however they aren't flying. One pair recently had three babies and the other pair had two, but one died. I have 3 week old zebra finches and I think they arent weaned yet. gail. Q: I have 5 new baby finches. These toys look like nesting material to the bird but do not detach from the cage bars as he tugs at it. should I remove the nest with the egg? Those that did nest, produced few babies. The second one was not growing, so I took it from the parents and put it in with the other three. Once the babies fledge, they can be placed with their father so their mother can rest as he assumes feeding duties. The female will care for the babies on her own. All four are doing great, but the parents are picking feathers off all four of the babies. Copyright © 2020 Chewy, Inc. A practical rule of thumb for housing finches is one pair, three pairs (or more), but never two pairs per enclosure. The birds raided each others nests for material, attempted to control food dishes and antagonized each other. Over the next three months, only about half the pairs attempted breeding. No name yet around 6 wks. Place a few canary tassel-type toys around the cage or a few strands of clean jute string tied near a perch to distract an overzealous zebra finch from picking at his babies. After some initial excitement and confusion, the cages now housing three pairs were suddenly peaceful and productive. How long do the Zebra or Society Finch parents feed the fledglings? Do I have to separate the Zebra or Society Finch babies from the parents? 9 years ago. The babies are being fed by their parents and are chirping.