Finches ‘social, beautiful and fun’
Important do’s and don’ts for owners
Many species of birds are available as pets.
And they each have different needs.
Finches are some of the smallest birds suitable as pets.
They are wonderful to have around, with their beautiful colours and uplifting songs. Shelters often have finches that need a home and they can make a nice addition to your family.
Finches are social birds, so it is very important for their wellbeing to have more than one in the same space. Ideally, finches should be housed in their own large room or aviary with perches, toys, food and water.
Giving birds the opportunity to fly is important for their exercise and welfare, so the bigger the enclosure the better. If you don’t have a spare room or an aviary available, a large cage is acceptable. A typical size is at least 48 inches in length, 48 inches in height and 24 inches in width per pair of finches. For extra enrichment, you may let them out of their cage regularly to fly around the room if they are tame enough to put back into the cage.
Finches generally are not as tame as bigger birds so giving them the largest area possible to fly around on their own is the best scenario.
The enclosure should be in a quiet place with a well-lit, sunny area as well as a shady area. The temperature in the room should be about 22-24 degrees C. Habitats should be cleaned daily.
Place food and water bowls in areas away from perches to prevent contamination from feces. The bowls should be available to the birds at all times and changed daily. Pet stores sell finch seed that can be used as a base for their diet, but extra supplements are needed. You can supplement their food with a hard-boiled egg as well as fresh fruits and vegetables, millet, mealworms and insects.
Find a veterinarian who cares for birds or exotic animals in your area. This is important if one of your finches becomes sick as birds are fragile and things can progress very quickly. Your veterinarian can also help if your finches need their beaks or nails trimmed. Signs of possible illness include crusty or scaly eyes, beaks or feet, missing feathers, discharge from the eyes or beak, laboured breathing, decrease in appetite, a change in feces colour or consistency or acting sleepy.
Finches are beautiful and fun to have in your home and with the proper care, both you and your birds can thrive. Tools for enrichment
• Mirrors: They should be used as an additional enrichment tool, not as a substitute for a cage mate
• Hanging bells.
• Swings.
• Treats: Millet, sticks of seed, honey and dried fruit
• Make sure that any toys added to their habitat do not have hanging strings or dangerous sharp points where birds can get their legs caught, damage their feathers or injure themselves.
• More information: Go to http://www.finchinfo.com/ general/index.php for more information.