Male canary died, female on nest

[Luvmyparro]

We had a male canary that was a rescue, so we don't know how old he was. Red-factor but we could never get much red on him. We have a young female red factor attempting to sit on her 3rd nest. She is calling for him. Should I wait to get her a friend after she is done with this nest attempt? Will she accept another one, they were quite the pair inseparable? Looking for guidance here.

Thanks!

 

[sunnysmom]

So sorry for your loss.

@finchly ? @Zara ?

 

[Zara]

I´m very sorry for your loss

Sorry, I do not know about canaries. I would think introducing a new male is not a good idea, but I do not know.

@Clairecanary15 @Destiny

 

[Destiny]

When did the male die? Do you know what killed him?

...

If you do decide to get another canary, keep in mind that you will want to keep the new bird separate from any of your current birds for at least four weeks. Quarantine is necessary to ensure that the new bird is in good health and not carrying any obvious diseases that could get your other bird(s) sick. You will also want to prepare for the possibility that the new bird will need to be permanently housed separately from your female canary, if they do not like each other.

I have not kept canaries, but from what I have read about them, two male canaries should not be housed together as they are territorial and they will fight. Two females may be housed in the same cage, as long as they have compatible temperaments and enough space. Keeping male and female canaries together is controversial. Some people say it is fine, but other sources say it should be avoided except if you intend for them to breed, because the male will harass the female in a confined space and the presence of a male might encourage too much egg laying, which can be very hard on the female, especially if she is not in breeding condition and provided with adequate calcium. Again, separate cages would be better than a shared cage, in this case.

In general, I would recommend holding off on getting a replacement bird. It isn't urgent, since canaries seem to do fine as solo birds.

 

[finchly]

So sorry! I would not introduce a male right now. For one thing, you need to quarantine the new bird. Another, she's calling for him not a new bird. So wait even tho I know it is frustrating when they are calling.

She will probably love to have a new partner in a couple months, since that's what she is used to.

Keeping male and female canaries together is controversial. Some people say it is fine, but other sources say it should be avoided except if you intend for them to breed, because the male will harass the female in a confined space and the presence of a male might encourage too much egg laying, which can be very hard on the female, especially if she is not in breeding condition and provided with adequate calcium. Again, separate cages would be better than a shared cage, in this case.

The thing about not housing them together has been largely disproved by the reliable sources I know. [Show breeders, NFSS members, Florida Canary Fanciers, others.] Sometimes you wonder where these things come from!

When I have pairs, I keep them together except for a short period when I separate all my male and female canaries and finches to let them rest and build their health. Or rather, prevent them from getting run down by having too many clutches (I only allow 2 clutches, never 3 in a season). I would prefer to keep the ones I have than let them over-breed and possibly die young.

 

[Destiny]

If had to guess, I would bet that the advice to house male/female canaries in separate cages dates back to a time when many birds were being kept in cages roughly the size of a postage stamp. Crowded conditions are hard on any bird and inability to escape male attention tends to add more stress on female birds in particular. I'm sure over-breeding and shortened lifespan can happen under the wrong conditions. In a larger cage or with more out-of-cage time or better cage layout, it is probably less of a concern. And I'm sure it can also depend on the temperament of the individual birds, if they would do well together.

That being said, I would personally advise against housing male and female together if you are not prepared to handle fertile eggs and potential offspring Breeding canaries is a greater challenge than keeping them for companionship and requires careful oversight. A lot can go wrong if you are inexperienced, especially if you don't do enough research before diving into breeding for the first time.

If you are aware of the potential challenges and able to handle them, I don't see a problem with housing them together, of course. Just being cautious.

 

[Luvmyparro]

I really appreciate the info everyone is giving. It is heartbreaking to hear her looking and calling for him. The vet thinks he was old. I am relieved to see her eating her fresh fruit, veggies, and cuttlebone this afternoon. They are housed in an outdoor climate-controlled aviary. 2 birds 2x4x6 feet. We live in Texas, so we spend most our time in the yard. When our friends started working from home due to Covid, they said they now understand my yard-office. She's young only 2 eggs in May I believe, then she had 4 end of July. I don't know what she has now, if any eggs I didn't want to bother her. I just know she's sitting. I'm used to our pets living past their life expectancies, which I hope is due to growing their food and offering fresh food.

 

[Destiny]

That sounds like an ideal set-up for a pair of canaries. Lucky birds.

I'm not sure the proper protocol for bonded birds who have lost a mate. My gut instinct is to wait a little while before introducing a new male. Birds may not grieve in the exact same way as humans, but I do think they can feel loss and will seek their missing mate after they are gone. It feels appropriate to me that she be allowed time to grieve and accept the loss in her own way. I don't think it would necessarily help her mental state to rush the introduction.

Also, from a physiological perspective, I would expect her to be more interested in a new male after she has finished with her current clutch and she is back in breeding condition. At that point, her hormones should be encouraging her to seek out a new mate.

 

[finchly]

Oh it’s birdie heaven then! Maybe she’ll finish sitting soon. You could spend that time looking for a male. One close to her age would be best but sometimes they surprise you.

 

[iamwhoiam]

So sorry for your loss.

 

[Luvmyparro]

She hasn't had any of her eggs hatch, not sure they are fertile. Maybe they just liked each other's company, which is just fine for us. He was so sweet and got on my finger and we carried on with canary conversation. Don't know what I said, but he enjoyed our conversations.

 

[RTjio]

Hi this is just happened to me right now. Yesterday my beautiful male canary passed away and right now the female (after laying eggs but all infertile) is calling for him and frantically fly here and there.
I am still thinking whether i shall get another male or female or leaver her alone.
May i know how do you end up with? I will really appreciate your reply as your condition is very similar with mine right now.

 

[tka]

This member hasn't been on the forum since 2020 so you are unlikely to get a response.

You may wish to create a new thread for better visibility.

 

[RTjio]

Ah i see. Then i will create a new thread , thank you so much for letting me know.