Canaries are very popular among bird enthusiasts due to their singing abilities, cheerful nature and beautiful feathers. These birds are friendly and loyal companions that can make your daily life much more joyful.
Although canaries are not as demanding as other pets, there are a few important things you should know in order to provide your canary with proper care. So, keep on reading if you want to learn how to keep a canary.
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Cages for Your Pet Canary
One of the reasons why people love canaries is that they are incredibly active birds. If they have enough space, they will be always out and about, flying, hopping, and exploring their surroundings. Canaries rarely climb the bars of their cage, so adequate space for flight must be provided.
Canary cages should be at least 60cm long, though it should go without saying that the larger the cage, the happier and healthier your canary will be.
Not only are the dimensions of the cage critical, but so are the placement of the perches. The perches in the majority of bird cages can be moved around the cage and this is important because the canary should have uninterrupted flight.
A long cage with dozens of perches is unlikely to encourage much flight. Instead, place one perch at each end of the cage, then place others much higher or lower in the cage to avoid interfering with flying.
Given their small size, canaries are able to fit their heads through surprisingly narrow openings. When choosing a canary cage, the spacing between bars should be carefully considered. Concentrate your search on models that are specifically designed for finches, as cages for cockatiels and their relatives may not be suitable.
Bird cage for Canaries
Canaries, like all birds, can be high-strung and easily frustrated if they feel vulnerable. When getting a pet canary, know that they have very little privacy in standard bird cages, so it is crucial to think about how to provide this in the home.
There are several factors to consider here. To begin, it is best to keep the canary cage in a quiet area of your home rather than a noisy or busy area, such as near the television in your living room. Ideally, the cage should be placed against a wall or in a room corner. This will teach your canary that these areas are secure.
Canaries were once used by miners to detect gas leaks for a simple reason: they are extremely sensitive birds. This implies that consideration should be given to the air quality in your home as well as the temperatures to which they will be exposed.
To begin with, canaries should not be kept in the kitchen, where cooking odors can create an unsettling surrounding. Second, avoid placing the cage in areas where it will be subjected to drafts. This includes keeping it away from windows, doors, and placing it on the floor.
As you can clearly see, there are numerous factors to consider before taking a canary in your home. It takes some effort to provide them with a happy and stress-free environment.
What do canaries eat ?
Canaries primarily eat seeds. The majority of pet stores sell bags of specialty canary mix, which is the ideal foundation for their diet . The seed can then be added to other foods to ensure your bird has a varied diet.
Vegetables and fruits can be fed to canaries in small amounts and they particularly like millet sprays and carrot tops. The only exceptions to this rule are rhubarb, onions, and garlic.
Canaries are messy eaters, scattering food in all directions. As a result, it usually makes more sense to provide food in specialized feeders rather than using open food bowls, where it will be thrown in all directions. These covered feeders also guarantee that your birds’ daily activity won’t contaminate the food with dust or feces.
There are three other nutritional requirements to consider in addition to this varied diet. The first of these is the supply of grit. Your canary will consume small amounts of grit and store it in their gizzard. The grit will be used to grind up the seeds, which are eaten whole, into a usable form.
A cuttlefish bone should be clipped to the side of the cage. Over time, your canary will take small chunks of the cuttlefish. This is a rich source of calcium in their diet and also helpful in the maintenance of their beak.
Canary Singing
If you want to buy a pet canary primarily for their singing abilities then you should be careful when choosing a bird. Only the male birds sing. The females only chirp. Anyone hoping to enjoy a canary’s song will be let down by a female bird, despite the fact that this sound is not unpleasant.
Males and females appear identical, which further complicates matters. Male and female canaries can be very difficult to distinguish from one another
The key is to simply keep a close eye on them. Try not to rush when getting canaries from a pet store or breeder; you’ll need time to simply sit and observe. You’ll need to wait until you are able to identify a male bird if you want to hear it sing.
Do canaries like to be held ?
Canaries never really develop the same level of “tameness” as a budgie. They like to isolate themselves.
Canaries breathe, digest, and move quickly, and they also have fairly quick metabolisms. As a result, when circumstances aren’t favorable for them, they are susceptible to stress.
Some people disagree with the idea of letting canaries exercise outside of their cage. In order to give your birds more exercise, some authorities advise letting them fly around a closed room frequently.
The act of catching them and putting them back in their cage, however, might not be the best idea because these birds are easily stressed. To ensure that your canary cannot hurt itself while adventuring, great care must be taken to “bird proof” the space.
Can You Mix Canaries with Other Birds
Given their small stature, your pet canary is surprisingly a self-assured bird like most canaries. They can be safely kept with a variety of other friendly birds, especially in an aviary setting. Budgies or cockatiels, for instance, get along well with canaries. They could well get along with other finch species, but extra care should be taken to prevent your canaries from bullying smaller or less cocky finch species.
