Banding Waxbills

[Strawblady2000]

Hiya!

This may have been addressed before...but has anyone come up with a good way to band waxbills?

Currently I ly use split bands for breeding records...but I'm very hesitant in banding my berries for safety reasons. I can slice the rings I have in half so they do not take up so much room on the leg...but I was worried that the actual diameter of the ring may be too big and cause it to catch or other injury.

I've heard of using the sheath or tubing, but do they stay on?

Joking of course, but I;m tempted to paint their nails to identify them!

[Waxbillman]

hello Nikki

the smallest size split rings are ok for ringing berries you don't need to cut them in half it has no detriment to them they will still breed and all that, the ring is a danger when its the wrong size and then it can br riggled off and get caught in the toes, etc
some people suggest using the thin plastic that covers small electrical wires, however these things i am told, can fall off.

and as for painting their nails, i wouldn't bother the females just cannot decide on a colour that suites them :lol: it has been suggested in certain areas but i don't think its worth doing as it will soon wear down (i imagine anyway, i have no experience in these matters).

all in all you should be alright ringing strawberries - certainly adults anyway, though i suppose the small sub species (amandava punicea) its easily the size of a gold breasts the youngs en anyway.

Matthew

[Strawblady2000]

Thanks Matthew.

I think the size I have will work. They are the smallest available, so I'll have a look at them again before doing so.

LOL about the nail polish! Youre probably right about the color and how long it would last. Also...I'd hate for them to peck at their toenails trying to remove it, lol.

[Strawblady2000]

Matthew,

A stupid question...

How does one differentiate between the smaller subspecies (punicea) I've seen pics on the web, but they are difficult to compare.

I ask because my new pair (which are the first I've obtained from a local source) looks a bit different. The hen look sthe same, BUT the male is very very reddish orange with ALOT more white spots.

They seem a little smaller than the other pairs I have.

[Waxbillman]

hello Nikki

Amandava amandava the nominate race is the largest of the 3, it is the black bellied race, the cocks when in colour are read all over with decent sized spots and a very deep almost back belly.

amandava flavidiventris is again a decent sized bird, the cock when in colour is not bright red, its more of a rosey orange pink colour with a orange belly, he has has more spots all over he going right up to his neck some large as well (or my male does anyway)

amandava punicea is by far the smallest of the 3 it has smaller spots as well, has is a lovely red colour all over.

i will say this i have seen many avadavats and many have differences.

but all very nice birds

Matthew

[Strawblady2000]

Terrific descriptions Matthew!!!

2 of my males have a bit of black on them, but the one is more red than black. I always attributed the more black ones to melanism for some reason, as they are housed indoors. But...I dont think they are old enough to have gone through more than 1 molt or so, so we'll see next year.

Also, I've seen the orangish one you were talking about. At first I thought it odd that it looked like a berry but at the same time didnt, lol. I went back to purchase it (a few months ago) and someone beat me to it, lol.

Very interesting!!! And...terrific info for other berry keepers as well! Nice to know exactly which subspecies we keep, etc.

Awesome!

[Waxbillman]

no problem Nikki

strawberry finches are very strange birds and can have alsorts of colours when going in and out of colour, melanism is a problem, even to breeders of these, its the most prone finches for this, but at least they mounts out of it,

Matthew