WB mousebird rarity?!

[Missi]

In reading "Mousebirds in Aviculture" I noticed Kateri states that WBs do not exsist in private collections! Now, I kept in mind the book was published in 2001 but I found that to be interesting...I thought the WBs were more common than the BN! Guess I thought wrong!

 

[srtiels]

Nope...WB are the most commonly bred of the species in the US. Since the publishing of the book many things have changed.

Imported WB came into the US which gave breeders new clean bloodlines to rejuvinate the dwindling, existing captive species.

Speckled and RF are on the decline because most captive collections are getting old, and no longer reproductive. SO MUCH is dependant on varied bloodlines, and without breeders working together or new import bloodline any species of mousebird can dwindle down in numbers in captivity.

Captive blue-naped got a burst new blood when 21 were imported last year.

I am always on the look-out for new bloodlines, and searching for one more unrelated WB line to add to my flock. Fortunitely my RF and BN are wild caughts so I don't have to be as selective and research captive breeder bloodlines to find some females for my boys

 

[waterfaller1]

Good morning Mousebird Lovers!!!

 

[srtiels]

Good morning Mousebird Lovers!!!

-------------------------------

Good morning Carole. Hows the weather up there? It has gotten down in the low 30's last night, and still very breezy and nippy this AM.

ALL the mousers are doing fine. The parents recognize the sound of the sliding glass door and know when I'm coming out to check. I topped of the fruits, but the soaked pellet bowls were empty so I just refilled them with pellets, sprinkled some insecta, bee pollen, and powdered minerals on them and poured on some peach juice. Little eyes were watching me as I took the bowls away to warm up in the micro-wave. As soon as I placed the bowls in the cage ALL the mousers came down chowing down, including the BN parents. There was just the baby in the nest by itself for a minute as the parents ate the warm soaked poellets. They all had to wipe their beaks on the branches before going back in the nest to feed Chubs.

 

[Missi]

Tell us about your RF mousers, Susanne! Do they breed?

P.S. Morning Sunshine (Carole)!

 

[srtiels]

Missi, I have 2 male RF mousers, ages unknown, and from wild caught sources. Both a males. One female died, which we beleive was from old age, and the other female got wet from a sudden storm, went torpid and I could not pull her out of it.

RF are more laid back and very sedate mousebirds. I call them 'lounge lizards' because they like to lay on their platform. RF are more chunky than BN, and look similar, but without the bright turquoise patch on the nape of the head. They also have the red facial mask but it is more of a salmon color, whereas the BN can get a nice rich red facial skin. Eye color is imilar to the BN, except more of the pale amber-grey color shows.

I am on the look out for females for them. They are in the cage next to the WB and when they hear the babies being fed they come over to that side of the cage and listen

 

[Missi]

I am on the look out for females for them. They are in the cage next to the WB and when they hear the babies being fed they come over to that side of the cage and listen

Awwwweeeee

 

[Kristy]

----------------------They all had to wipe their beaks on the branches before going back in the nest to feed Chubs.

Glad to hear all is well in Mousebird clan

 

[Anne & Gang]

yup all as well in the mousebird clan..it just warms my heart to read all the posts about them and learn so many new things

 

[Missi]

It is a fun & exciting ride, that is for sure!

 

[Babybreau]

So glad things are happy in Mousebirdland! I love radi g these updates and learning about such a unique species of bird! Thank you so much!!