Comments on: Finches die earlier if they’re paired with highly strung partners

By: synthetic oil vs regular

synthetic oil vs regular — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 23:19:35 +0000

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By: Daniel J. Andrews

Daniel J. Andrews — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 16:21:21 +0000

My better half has suggested that perhaps the tightly-wound finches are that way because their partner isn’t holding up their end of the bargain. Perhaps he’s not paying attention to her, forgetting anniversaries, acting selfishly, not providing the way he should, and she has to continually nag him to help do things around the nest and look after the kids. She gets stressed because these things aren’t being done and she’s stressed about becoming a nag.

I did suggest that perhaps she’s projecting a bit much (based on her previous relationship) but she was adamant that I propose this hypothesis for the good of science. And me being a good finch, I did what I was told. heh.

By: Niall

Niall — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 09:57:15 +0000

I have friends in that research group, glad to see their research getting covered here Ed. I’ve been in their bird rooms a couple of times, very interesting place, they always leave a radio on as it helps the birds relax.

By: Amy Edmonds

Amy Edmonds — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 23:51:42 +0000

One of my zebra finches died suddenly last week just shy of her 4th birthday. My other finches had lived to be 9-11 years old except for her mate, who died at age 3. She & her mate were pet store finches. The others were rescues so I don’t know their background. After her mate died she lived with the widows who then died. After that I brought home a petstore finch she didn’t get along with, so I took her (turned out to be female – hard to tell in an all-white finch) back and then brought her a nice boy who’s a great singer.

I didn’t do a necropsy so I just told myself she was eggbound and I’m contemplating a new girlie for her widower.

Their brains may be the size of peas but they do have temperaments and something like personalities. Zebra finches can’t go to therapy so I won’t make the leap that this says something about humans, but I’m glad someone’s studying zebra finches. They’re nice little pets but apparently more sensitive than they seem.

By: Ed Yong

Ed Yong — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:53:38 +0000

Oy how embarrassing. Fixed.

By: artificialhabitat

artificialhabitat — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:00:04 +0000

Small correction -
“he fed 70 of them”
“his finches”
Maybe there are more…..

Pat Monaghan is a woman!

http://www.universitystory.gla.ac.uk/biography/?id=WH1650&type=P