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Changed Behavior (Red Factor Canary)

RedFactorMatt

Checking out the neighborhood
Joined
5/11/18
Messages
3
Hello, I have a red factor male canary that's about 1.5 - 2 years old. Over the last several weeks I've noticed his behavior has changed, and I'm not sure if I should be worried or if this is a phase.

Previous Behavior:
  • Morning, afternoon and evening singing / chirping. I cover his cage once it gets dark and usually in the morning once light hits he'd be singing bright and early.
  • Energetic.
  • Eating normal.
  • When out of the cage he'd explore around the room and fly to other rooms also.
  • When playing music or even YouTube videos with canary training songs he'd chirp or sing.
Current Behavior:
  • Singing / chirping has pretty much entirely stopped. Occasionally he will sing a little, but when he does and only while inside the cage he opens his wings while on a perch and leans forward while singing. The song is very very short compared to previously.
  • When he see his shadow or reflection, he'll play along as if another bird is with him when locked inside the cage and when outside of the cage. While looking at a mirror like surface he makes a sound as if he's talking.
  • I have a lamp with 5 arms and he always goes on the lamp since it's reflective, uses his beak to nibble at the rods, also wraps his feet around the rods moving up and down.
  • Still seems energetic and moving around, so I don't believe he's ill.
  • Diet seems normal, but have noticed less food thrown on the bottom of the cage. He always likes the dish where I keep crushed oyster shell mixed with protein red egg food.
  • He's obsessed with the lamp.
  • Doesn't sing with music or even YouTube videos with canary training songs.
I've been debating if I should put a mirror in his cage, but I've heard mixed reviews that a canary might think it's another bird, become territorial. On the other hand I've read it might make them sing more since they would see themselves. Maybe I should try re-locating him to another room and seeing if that makes a difference.

Thanks.
 

Clairecanary15

Sprinting down the street
Joined
5/7/18
Messages
381
Location
United Kingdom
Real Name
Claire
Hi

Does he seem to sleep more? Puffed up more. A reduction in singing could be a moult? Is he loosing feathers?

The opening of the wings leaning forward sounds like a back off warning from him..has anything changed in the room?

I always think of birds in the wild..there are no mirrors in the Canary Islands where these beautiful birds are native... just my own thought though... they do sound very cute when they are talking though.

Claire
 

Dona

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My border canaries always had a few weeks a year that they were far more quiet. Just when I would start to worry, the singing came back. But a mirror? I always thought that a mirror would make a canary stop singing. He has a mate in his cage so no need.
 

RedFactorMatt

Checking out the neighborhood
Joined
5/11/18
Messages
3
Hi

Does he seem to sleep more? Puffed up more. A reduction in singing could be a moult? Is he loosing feathers?

The opening of the wings leaning forward sounds like a back off warning from him..has anything changed in the room?

I always think of birds in the wild..there are no mirrors in the Canary Islands where these beautiful birds are native... just my own thought though... they do sound very cute when they are talking though.

Claire
Hi Claire,

Thank you for your response. He doesn’t seem to be sleeping more nor is he puffed up except of course when sleeping. He’s jumping between perches, down to the floor where the food and water are located. I’ve thought of a moult being a possibility, but always thought it would start later in the year than now. As for loosing feathers I haven’t really seen any, except very small ones just earlier when I cleaned up the cage.

Nothing has changed in the room and daily routine is pretty much the same always.

FAC88C29-D73A-4468-8080-3BDB23713ED9.jpeg
 

RedFactorMatt

Checking out the neighborhood
Joined
5/11/18
Messages
3
My border canaries always had a few weeks a year that they were far more quiet. Just when I would start to worry, the singing came back. But a mirror? I always thought that a mirror would make a canary stop singing. He has a mate in his cage so no need.
Hopefully that’s all that’s happening to my little guy and that he’ll be back to singing. As for a mirror I’ve heard that also and also that it could be good, so really mixed feelings on the situation. With his cage the plastic surround at the bottom is reflective, he keeps pecking at it probably because he sees his reflection.
 

Clairecanary15

Sprinting down the street
Joined
5/7/18
Messages
381
Location
United Kingdom
Real Name
Claire
Hi

Everything sounds ok to me..maybe he is just having a dippy moment :fairy2: a canary can have a soft moult which can occur with temperature differences...

He is in a good routine. ..only other thing is his light...i open up my curtains befote going to bed in the living room where my 2 canaries are so they get their full quota of light

Claire
 

IThinkImMe

Moving in
Joined
4/12/18
Messages
10
Regarding the mirror. I have the one on the left of the picture linked below. It's 4-sided and I have it in the top corner of his cage with a swing close to it and he LOVES it. He'll perch on the swing and rock while he dings it with his beak. Or he'll hang on to the side of the cage and look into the mirror and talk to it. But he's never aggressive with it, always playful. And he sings a lot during the day.

Amazon.com : Bird Toy Assortment size: Small - Mirror Rings Balls from Grreat Choice (4pc Set) : Pet Supplies
 

Clairecanary15

Sprinting down the street
Joined
5/7/18
Messages
381
Location
United Kingdom
Real Name
Claire
Arr I bet that is very cute to watch. I have 2 cock birds who love each other. .Ive had to separate them for now..breeding session at the mo in the aviary and they really miss each other. Had to rotate the cock birds due to other squabbles very annoying..but anyway this proves cock birds do get along and your bird is having a lovely time and thats what matters. .very cute.

Claire
 
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