General Health
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First thing to look for is: "are the birds healthy". A_x000D_
healthy zebra finch is characterized by the following features: _x000D_
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- Active
- Not puffed up
- Has good balance and flies well
- Vent area is clean
- Beak is clean and has smooth surface
- Legs are clean and feet are normal
- Seems well nourished
- No plucked areas
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Use the above list as a checklist. Take a look at the health section of the_x000D_
troubleshooter to see why these things are important.
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Please don’t buy birds that look sick or plucked from a pet shop because you feel sorry_x000D_
for them. If you do, you will only be supporting the practice of not taking good care of_x000D_
the birds, and more birds will end up in the same condition.
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Gender
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Second thing to check is the gender of the birds you are planning to buy. If you want a_x000D_
pair, there is no sense in going home with two males or two females.
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With most zebra finch varieties, you can distinguish between the two genders by looking_x000D_
at the cheeks of the birds. A coloured cheek patch means that you have a male, while a_x000D_
cheek that is of the same colour as the head/back means that you probably have a female_x000D_
(or a young male). The best way to distinguish zebra finches, though, is to look at the_x000D_
beak. Healthy male zebra finches have red beaks, females have orange beaks. You should_x000D_
also be aware that young zebra finches have black beaks that gradually change into the_x000D_
adult colour as they get older, so beware of young birds.
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Background information
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Get as much background information about your birds as possible, for instance: _x000D_
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- Who bred them?
- What is their age?
- Are they related?
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