Zebra Finch - Peophila guttata

Other Names: Chestnut-eared finch or spotted-sided finch.

Colour & Inheritance:

Dominant

• Gray Normal
• Black Face
• Dominant Silver
• Crested
• Gray Check
• Fawn Cheek

Recessive

• Florida Fancy/Isabel
• Yellow Beak
• Penguin
• Pied
• Orange Breast
• Black Breast
• Black Cheek
• Recessive Silver
• White

Sex Linked

• Fawn
• Chestnut Flanked White
• Light Backed

Breeding:

What can I say but nothing is really needed to get these little guys & gals to make babies. A secure house, nest box, food and water will be all that is needed to get young from these finches. In fact it may be needed and advised to separate the pair after the 3rd brood to get back into condition. Many a greedy breeder has quite literally bred this species to death due to the birds failing to stop for themselves. The average clutch will consist of 4-7 small oval white eggs normally laid one per day. The eggs will hatch after about 12 or 13 days. This can sometimes depend on weather conditions. Young grow rapidly and are normally feathered by around 16 days of age exploring outside the nest a few days later. The fledglings are fed for an additional 14-21 days by both parents then the male. Before the young are weaned the parents will have most likely started another clutch of eggs and may chase off the young.

Feeding:

Any standard finch mix will suit the humble Zebra finch as it is very easy to accommodate in regard to feeding. The finch mix should contain White French Millet, Jap Millet, Red Pannicum & Plain Canary as a minimum. Tonic seed mixes can be offered as well, as this maybe used to strengthen your birds during winter or the breeding season. My tonic mix comprises of Linseed – (30%), Canola [Rape] – (40%), Rye – (10%) & Niger – (20%) with Rye making up the least in the ratio as it has less to offer than the rest. Green food should be given on a regular basis with Bok Choy, Endives, Parsley, Baby Spinach, Soaked Seeds, Sprouting Seeds, Sprouted Seeds and Seeding Grasses all eaten with vigour if the birds are used to them. Although not needed to breed I use both live food (gentles/maggots) and an egg & biscuit mix that I make up myself. This helps ensure strong parents and chicks thought out the breeding season. All my feeding stations host individual seeds so to offer a choice as to what seeds the birds wish to eat. As I have large outside aviaries obesity doesn’t ever pose a problem for me by doing this. It is also important to note that seed should be blown every day to rid it of empty husks. Birds can starve to death if the owner thinks the husks are in fact seed.

Housing:

Cages are a popular choice with this species as it is easy to both breed and maintain in captivity. A suitable cage size would be 30cm (Wide) x 40cm (High) x 60cm (Long) with either an internal or external nesting box. Perches should vary in size to allow the birds feet to get exercised properly. Cages should be kept clean at all times to stop both pests and disease from harming or killing your birds. If you place this cage within an area that gets any traffic, blind spots should be opened up so not to scare the birds too often. Also a cover should be placed over them at night to allow for some peace and quite. Never place the cage near a window as it can warm up very quickly and kill your birds. Aviaries are a great way to house several birds together allowing them to choose their own mate. Plenty of nesting sites should be made available to ensure they don’t fight and a strategic decision can be made by the birds. Most birds like to choose the place where their nests will be located so the more choice the easier the decision. I keep my Zebras with a host of other finch species without any real dramas. Sometimes they can get a little nest building crazy and attempt or succeed in taking over a less dominant finches nest. This is where housing only one pair per aviary works for me to stop or at the least control this problem. My aviaries are planted with both plants and grasses to not only offer seed heads but green food all the year around. All but the rear perches are natural so the feet of all birds in the flight get exercised correctly. Only 75% of the flight is roofed to allow them to perch in the early morning sun as well as during the day. Dependant of where you live 100% of the roof may need to be covered to stop Butcher birds and other pests from annoying or scaring the aviary inhabitants.