Content
O mandarin diamond or just mandarin, it is also known as Zebra Finch and is from Australia. In the last 5 years, this bird's trend has become popular due to its easy maintenance and the joy it transmits indoors. It is also common to breed these birds because their reproduction is very simple.
Depending on the area where it lives, the size of this bird can be larger or smaller and it is found practically all over the world due to the large number of followers of this wonderful species of bird. Keep reading at PeritoAnimal to know all about the most adorable birds.
Source- Oceania
- Australia
Physical appearance
It is a bird of very small size which usually measures between 10 and 12 centimeters in length and reaches 12 grams of approximate weight. The beak of the mandarin diamond is short and compact, adapted for eating multiple seeds.
Sexual dimorphism is evident in this species of bird, as males have colored cheeks while females have a simpler plumage. Virtually all color variations show this diformism with the exception of full white mandarin diamonds.
Due to the large number of amateur breeders, there are many varieties of mutations that give rise to very beautiful and unique species. It is impossible to classify them all, but we were able to summarize the best known:
- common gray: Most of the body is gray in color although the neck and tail have characteristic black stripes, hence the name Zebra Finch. At the end of the wings it has a brown, speckled plumage. The belly is all white.The common gray female is completely gray with a white belly. It just has the speckled tail and a black tear under the eye.
- black cheeks: As its name indicates, this specimen stands out for its black cheeks. Only males show this phenomenon, although there are reports of females that also have this characteristic.
- white and brown: It is a variety of mandarin that has a white and brown plumage. Spotted areas can vary on the wings, upper body or head. The stripes on the tail are also usually brown, although you can also find them black in color. These specimens can be very varied and unique, with or without the usual spots on the wing feathers.
- White: There are completely white mandarin diamonds. In this case it is very difficult to determine the sex and, for that, we must be guided by the color of the beak, more reddish in males and more orange in the case of females.
Behavior
Mandarin diamonds are very sociable birds who live in large colonies that favor their survival. They like to relate and communicate, for this reason, having only one mandarin diamond is a sadness for them, who cannot enjoy those of the same species.
If you want to have several mandarins in a large cage or flying boat, we recommend that you mix several females as they will have a positive and friendly behavior with each other. If you want to enjoy the presence of one or two males, we advise you to have several females for each male, otherwise there may be rivalry attitudes. It is important to note that simply having a couple can exhaust the female, who will be constantly forced by the male to reproduce.
Are very chatty birds, especially males, who will spend the whole day singing and relating to their partners and even yourself. Although they are a little scared birds, if you adopt them as an adult, mandarin diamonds over time get used to those who feed them and take care of them. They will respond to your whistles without hesitation.
As mentioned above, the mandarin diamond reproduces quite easily and regularity. There are many people who create them for pleasure since it is a ritual to observe how they make the nest and then take it out together. Overall, we speak of a species that is quite loyal to its partner.
care
The mandarin diamond is a bird that, although it has a small size, loves to fly and need space. Make sure you have a large cage, preferably horizontal: 1 meter x 70 centimeters is totally acceptable.
In the cage must have various utensils like sticks or branches, which you will find in regular stores, there are very beautiful fruit tree branches that, in addition to decorating your cage, will make it a unique place for your mandarins. The rib bone cannot be missing, as it has a high content of calcium, which is very necessary.
You will also need to have containers for food and drink, which are always fresh and clean.
In addition to your basic needs, it is important that you have your fun times, therefore, you can leave toys and mirrors within their reach. Water is another source of fun, as the mandarin diamond loves to clean itself. Provide them with a pool or a small container, they will get wet and like it, and you will also be preventing the appearance of mites and lice.
THE food Mandarin diamond is very simple, it will be enough if you have at your disposal special seeds, which you will find in any pet store. They should contain about 60% birdseed, 30% millet and about 10% linseed, canola, hemp and niger. Including egg yolks from time to time will give them extra energy and vitality in the plumage, remember to take them off when you pass by. You can give them alfalfa, something they love a lot and they'll devour them in the blink of an eye.
Giving them fruit is very important, for this, try first giving them small pieces of different types such as orange, apple or pear, find out what your mandarin diamond likes best. Finally, as a prize, you can also leave several insects within your reach, just once in a while.
Interact with your mandarin diamond for him to know and enjoy with you. Talk to him, put on music or whistle and enjoy watching him every day, as they have a high energy level that makes them adorable for bird lovers.
Health
It is important that you go look at your mandarin diamond to find out if you have any health problems, below are the most common problems:
- trapped egg: If you are creating mandarin diamonds this can happen and it is a serious problem, as the female can die. You will see that it is a trapped egg because it has a swollen abdomen and makes weak, painful sounds. Take it carefully and give it a small massage in the area of the egg so that you can expel it. If that doesn't happen, take her to the vet immediately.
- Paw Fracture: If you notice that your diamond has a fractured leg, you should pick it up and immobilize it with two rods and a gauze, in two weeks it should heal without problem. Try to figure out why this happened and if it's a problem with the cage, change it.
- Anemia: Food deficiencies translate into this disease. You can identify it by a discoloration of the beak or paws. Vary your diet and offer different foods.
- Chloacite: Consists of an inflammation of the cloaca, more common in females that lay eggs. Cleanse the area and apply an ointment based on oxide and zinc, in addition to offering him a more varied diet.
- acariasis: It is the appearance of mites and lice. Avoid this problem by putting a pool in your diamond's cage to take a bath, and in pet stores you will find antiparasitic spray to solve the problem.
- Abnormal beak growth: In this case we are talking about a consequence of the lack of rib bone. It can cause shortages in your food. Break the bone and leave it within your reach so that you can gradually solve the problem.
Avoid diseases such as bronchitis and acariasis on the paws by keeping your mandarin diamond in a clean and dry environment, without humidity or drafts, direct contact with the sun is also not advisable.
Curiosities
- Mandarin diamonds learn to sing by imitating the sound that their parents or adult companions make, they reproduce a sound very identical to what they hear, for this reason, the singing of the mandarin diamond has thousands of possibilities.