"black widow" finch?

[greygirls]

We've had this female zebra finch for 4 yrs now & have gone through at least 4 males! They just die for no obvious reason. She's not mean to them or anything & they live for several months but eventually die. They always seem healthy too. It seems to happen so suddenly. We just can't figure out whats going on. Why does she live & they don't?

Also, on a side note, how long do finches live anyway?

[rivervu2]

Maybe she's wearing them out with her amorous activities, the little hussy!

[pasomystic]

Finches live 5 to 7 yrs in captivity, but usually only 3 in the wild. Maybe the males were "wilder".

[greygirls]

rivervu2, That's what we've been saying! She's just too much woman for them.

pasomystic, That seems like a short life-span for a bird. Is because they're so small?

[pasomystic]

Yes, in general, the smaller the bird the shorter the life. However, there are exceptions. Here is a site that gives you an idea of life spans.
http://www.stanford.edu/group/stanfo.../How_Long.html

[AM243]

I wonder how old the birds were when you bought them. My 2 zebras are 6 and 8 and still going strong.

[greygirls]

Well since Paso told me how short their lifespan is, I've been thinking maybe the males we've bought have been older but that seems like an awfully big coincidence that all 4 (maybe even more) have been that way.

I just feel badly for the poor girl. She's gone through so very many deaths! I know she doesn't want to be a mother! She pushes the eggs out of the nest & on the rare occasion she misses one & it hatches, she pushes the baby out! Maybe she just doesn't want any company. Maybe she wants to lead a solitary life! I don't know.

[pasomystic]

Originally Posted by greygirls

Well since Paso told me how short their lifespan is, I've been thinking maybe the males we've bought have been older but that seems like an awfully big coincidence that all 4 (maybe even more) have been that way.

I just feel badly for the poor girl. She's gone through so very many deaths! I know she doesn't want to be a mother! She pushes the eggs out of the nest & on the rare occasion she misses one & it hatches, she pushes the baby out! Maybe she just doesn't want any company. Maybe she wants to lead a solitary life! I don't know.

Am thinking she very much might want a solitary life! She certainly does not want children. Can see the 'black widow' reference more clearly now. Think I would leave her to her own cage.

[greygirls]

Well she is nice to the males though (just not her own babies). I wouldn't think she's killing the males if not for the amount we've lost for no visible reason...unless she's evil when we're not looking! I think I will leave her solitary though. I just feel badly because birds are supposed to be kept in pairs right?

[Lady_MCSE]

If she's destroying the eggs, then chances are they were not viable to begin with. Are you sure she's getting all the nutrients she needs, including a constant source of calcium?

When I worked at a pet store in college, the owners were finch and canary breeders. They insisted on crushed oyster shell for all their breeding birds. The cuttle bone is another source that can be used, and is good for the birds to sharpen their beaks on, but the oyster shell provides calcium and the grit necessary for their gizzards.

If you aren't doing so already, I would add vitamins and crushed oyster shell to her routine care. The vitamins seem a little expensive at first, but when you're talking just a drop with each fresh water change, the bottle lasts a long time.

I seem to recall hearing of females running thru males before, but I can't offhand think what the solution to that problem was (or I'd have posted already).