Zebra Finches

During a visit to Auburn last Christmas we visited with our favorite art teacher, Dana Ross (formerly Dana Solomon).  She had a little bird cage hanging with two Zebra Finches inside.  We fell in love with these little birds.  She assured us that they were easy to take care of, quiet and would lay eggs but likely those eggs would never hatch.  Birds and fish are the two pets allowed in our building and since the girls feel like they have a major void without furry friends in our lives we agreed to get some Zebra Finches.  It took us until a month ago to find the cage and get the birds.

 

 

I wouldn't exactly describe them as quiet, and they are very messy when they bathe in their water dish and flick their food all over the place.  The cage lining needs to be changed every other day and fresh water given every day.  But other than that we are quite taken with these two little birds we have named Van Gogh and Matisse (Matisse is a female).  As soon as we put a nest in there we had eggs and just last week one of those eggs hatched.  Out came a tiny, pink, featherless body.  It is fun to watch these diligent parents take turns caring for the newborn.  So much for the eggs not hatching!  Luckily the local pet store will take the babies.

The male has the orange cheeks.  Mom is sitting with the eggs and newborn.

Gotta love pet adventures!