Orange Breasted Waxbill care guide
Amandava subflava
Orange breast are the smallest bird/finch available in aviculture in Australia. As a member of the Waxbill family and being native to Africa they love live food such as meal worms and fly pupae as well as there usual finch mix. Egg and biscuit is also good due to the protein all of which is available at Birdsville.
Natural Distribution and Habitat
Native to africa they are found in Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Angola, Namibia and Botswana.
They inhabit grassy plains and tall grasses never far from water.
Breeding Orange Breasted Waxbill
These birds can be bred 2 ways in pairs or in breeding colonies. To have the most successful breeding it is advised to keep plenty of protein in there diet with egg and biscuit and meal worms and fly pupae. Some greens are also important with fresh seeding grasses, spinach, bok choy and finely chopped veges.
These birds will nest in small wicker baskets, be sure to provide nesting material such as swamp grass and feathers for them to line the nest.
Diet for Orange breast Finch
Seed– feed your o-breasts a good quality finch mix especially if you want to breed your birds. Be wary of some supermarket mixes as the quality can be low, if you are un sure of the seed you are using ask your local bird expert. Other seeds that may be added are maw and niger.
Sprouted– a great addition to your birds diet, be sure to clean thoroughly with aviclens to remove any bacteria before feeding to your birds
Millet sprays– a fresh millet, we recommend french white millet or pannicum
Greens– seeding grasses, endive, flowering heads of milk thistle, chickweed, dandelion, lebanese cucumber, silver beet.
Vitamin supplement– supplied to birds via the water supply this is essential for the health and vitality of captive finches.
Live food– Feed meal worms fly pupae with a small amount of wombaroo insectivore mix especially when birds are breeding
Egg and biscuit– a great protein supplement this can be fed with the above live food.
Grit– supply a good quality mix containing charcoal, crushed cuttlebone, baked egg shell, shell and limestone
Clean drinking water
The orange breast make an ideal finch for a mixed collection of birds. They may be small
but are quite a hardy finch and can hold there own and usually get along well with other species of finch.
Sexing The Orange Breasted Waxbill
In adult birds it is easy as the male has much more orange on the breast and has a red stripe above the eye.
More information coming soon.
Found in store, for more details call Birdsville 9667 2555.
