• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Help starting my research?

laracroft

Strolling the yard
Joined
3/28/19
Messages
142
So this is a question for the future, I'm not in a position to be adding to my flock right now, but I really like finches and canaries, and I think I might like to get one and/or some in the future, and I'm trying to figure out if that's a good idea or not. Right now I have a parrotlet who I adore, and who is probably pretty spoiled tbh. So I was wondering if you all could answer some questions/direct me to reliable resources. One thing I'm sure of is that I don't want to breed, so if I understand correctly I could get a group of finches of the same sex or a single canary? Do I have it right that finches should be housed in groups but canaries should be housed solo? Also, I haven't been able to figure out how much out of cage time they need daily? Micah is used to getting a lot, and I think he would resent them if I had to cut back on it too much. But he definitely can't be trusted out at the same time as another bird, especially one that's smaller than him.

I'm sure I'll have more questions in the future before I go through with this, but I for now I'd just like a starting point, really. Thanks in advance!
 

Serin

Sprinting down the street
Joined
3/18/18
Messages
459
Location
Indiana
Canaries are happiest in male/female pairs, can be kept alone though.

Zebra finches can be kept in pairs of any sex or groups of more than six but are aggressive and may fight.

Society finches are my favorites and very sweet and social in any group type.

Javas are smart and personable but aggressive. Best kept in pairs either same or different sex.

They like to come out of the cage as often as you let them, but if the cage is big enough they do not need to at all.
 

finchly

Cruising the avenue
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
5/16/14
Messages
12,708
Location
SW Florida
Real Name
Finchly
So this is a question for the future, I'm not in a position to be adding to my flock right now, but I really like finches and canaries, and I think I might like to get one and/or some in the future, and I'm trying to figure out if that's a good idea or not. Right now I have a parrotlet who I adore, and who is probably pretty spoiled tbh. So I was wondering if you all could answer some questions/direct me to reliable resources. One thing I'm sure of is that I don't want to breed, so if I understand correctly I could get a group of finches of the same sex or a single canary? Do I have it right that finches should be housed in groups but canaries should be housed solo? Also, I haven't been able to figure out how much out of cage time they need daily? Micah is used to getting a lot, and I think he would resent them if I had to cut back on it too much. But he definitely can't be trusted out at the same time as another bird, especially one that's smaller than him.

I'm sure I'll have more questions in the future before I go through with this, but I for now I'd just like a starting point, really. Thanks in advance!
Hello, you have it right. Finches 2 or more, canaries can live solo (I have all mine in pairs or groups of 3-4). Oh - I also have some canaries in a cage with Gouldian finches right now. It’s working out just fine. It’s a 7 foot cage though.

I don’t give mine consistent out of cage time, but the littles are okay with being out for an hour and going back in. If you get a good size cage you don’t have to let them out at all.

And you’re right - parrotlets can’t be trusted around the finches. One of mine occasionally sneaks into the finch cage while I am cleaning it - and he gets on the perch amongst the finches! Like “you can’t see me, I’m a finch!”
 

fashionfobie

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
1/4/19
Messages
5,246
Location
Qld, Australia
Real Name
Natalie
@Serin there may be a better thread for this, but I am curious about nail clipping and Javas. I saw some at the pet store and their nails were very curly and clearly over grown. How do you go about nail care with finches?
 

Serin

Sprinting down the street
Joined
3/18/18
Messages
459
Location
Indiana
Just pick them up, easiest in the dark when they wont see it coming, and clip them with a set of fingernail clippers.Cut in front of a light so you can see the blood vessel in the nail and dont cut into that.
 

laracroft

Strolling the yard
Joined
3/28/19
Messages
142
Thanks for your responses!

@finchly the image of your parrotlet pretending to be a finch is adorable! I'd be worried about Micah attacking the finches, though. He's been an only child since he came home with me, and I think he'd be hostile to other birds in his space and getting his attention.

How big a cage do they need in order to not need time out? I assume it would have to be pretty large, they're very active birds, right?

Also, what kind of toys do they like?

Eta: oh wow, I just saw Gouldian finches for the first time and may have fallen in love. They're so pretty!

And another question I forgot to ask--where does one go to find these little birds? Are they as likely as the big ones to need adoption? I know that the nearby big pet store has finches and sometimes canaries, but honestly I'm wary of buying living animals from them as idk how well they're treated or what sort of situation they come from. I'd have to do more research to be comfortable with that.
 
Last edited:

finchly

Cruising the avenue
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
5/16/14
Messages
12,708
Location
SW Florida
Real Name
Finchly
I'd be worried about Micah attacking the finches, though. He's been an only child since he came home with me, and I think he'd be hostile to other birds in his space and getting his attention.
That could be. They tend to be aggressive.

How big a cage do they need in order to not need time out? I assume it would have to be pretty large, they're very active birds, right?
Yes. If you only have 2, the absolute smallest cage would be 30X18X18. However that's not much flying room. I have this but they have to fly almost straight up, it's not ideal. So I took 2 cages, removed the facing sides, and zip tied them together to make a 7 foot long cage. They have plenty of flying space in it.

Also, what kind of toys do they like?
Finches don't really do toys, except they love to swing and they like shredding toys. They love to play in a handful of hay or a package of paper shreds.
Canaries like toys a little more, same things as finches.

where does one go to find these little birds? Are they as likely as the big ones to need adoption?
You can usually find a local breeder. If there are bird shows in your area, that is a good place to start asking questions.

I have never seen any in rescues, but I have seen a lot of zebra finches in rescue.
 
Top