Zebra finch life span?

[Nicole Celeste K]

How long does the average zebra finch live? I once read about five
years, but one of my finches is as lively as ever at 6 years old. If
you know, please e-mail me or post the answer to the group. Thank you!

Nicole

[Catherine M Quinones]

Nicole Celeste K (nico...@cyberhighway.net) wrote:
: How long does the average zebra finch live? I once read about five

: years, but one of my finches is as lively as ever at 6 years old. If
: you know, please e-mail me or post the answer to the group. Thank you!

I've heard up to 10-12 year lifespan if they are well cared for. The
average is much lower, because so many don't get vet care (many people
figure, these birds are so inexpensive, why bother?), and get inadequate
diets (e.g., all-seed, when in fact these guys will eat about anything).
For instance, I too have a zebbie that has been with us for 5 years now
and he's looking good and is as active as ever. He had to go to the vet
after the 'tiel tried to lobotomize him, and the vet was all impressed
when I said he was that old... I guess most of the finches they see are
younger and in bad shape (in particular nutrition-wise).

--
===============================================================
Cathy Quinones quin...@mindspring.com
http://www.mindspring.com/~mintz/coverpg.html = bird care info
Poicephalus rule!!

[Kathleen P. Lyons]

In <318D6B...@cyberhighway.net> Nicole Celeste K

<nico...@cyberhighway.net> writes:
>
>How long does the average zebra finch live? I once read about five
>years, but one of my finches is as lively as ever at 6 years old. If
>you know, please e-mail me or post the answer to the group. Thank
you!
>

>Nicole

I know someone who's single male zebra lived to be 27 years old, in
spite of a too small cage and seed only diet. Go figure. My pair is
six.

KT

[traveller]

I bought a zebra at K-Mart. It lived for 11 years on a seed diet.