the Soft-bill Suprise for me?

[Scratchy]

So I have been analyzing myself a good while now and come to realize that parrots just aren't for me. even the less needy parrots like budgies don't appeal all that much.

I have a close interest I can't explain with all the soft-bills though. finches, doves, canaries, you get the point.
Now as we all know most soft-bills are not like parrots. they don't like close interaction with a few exceptions. I want this bird to be small and with at least some interaction (can perch on finger) so I have been considering these soft-bills:

1. canary (I had a previous experience with one, although I was much more foolish 2 years ago and didn't take as good a care of it as I can now.)
2. Diamond dove(s?) (heard some conflicting info, some sources say they are very skittish and won't tame, and others say they can tame down albeit a bit harder than ring-necks)
3. Society finches. (Not as hand tame as the other choices, but I've heard more about taming them when they are grown compared to other finches, also I think they are funny lil guys....thoughts?)
4. Java finches (Heard these guys can also become hand tame much like canaries, can't find much info on them in terms of taming....again thoughts....also places they are illegal in would be helpful.)

Would love to hear what wisdom I may get. ​

 

[Atomiklan]

I LOVE my society pair! They are so sweet. They have their good and bad days in terms of skittishness, but they are getting better all the time. You just have to work with them. Check out my YouTube channel "AtomiFlock" and you will see the progress I have made over the last several months.

 

[Scratchy]

I LOVE my society pair! They are so sweet. They have their good and bad days in terms of skittishness, but they are getting better all the time. You just have to work with them. Check out my YouTube channel "AtomiFlock" and you will see the progress I have made over the last several months.

In fact when snooping around on the forum I found your post and then your YouTube. Your society’s are quite a fine duo. I commend you for all that patience you possess.

 

[Dona]

I had a canary for 17 years. We loved him. He sang a beautiful song and was somewhat interested in our family. I did not try to handle him. Back when we took videos of special occasions with the kids you can always hear BeeBop in the background, singing his little heart out. Then a few years ago I got another canary. He was very friendly, always interested in us, chirped loudly when we had salad to demand some greens, jumped on his swing when I told him to, always trying to interact and show off for us. I wonder if he could have been handled. But he had multiple strokes and did not even live a year. So sad. But I loved having canaries. I think they are wonderful birds.

 

[Scratchy]

I had a canary for 17 years. We loved him. He sang a beautiful song and was somewhat interested in our family. I did not try to handle him. Back when we took videos of special occasions with the kids you can always hear BeeBop in the background, singing his little heart out. Then a few years ago I got another canary. He was very friendly, always interested in us, chirped loudly when we had salad to demand some greens, jumped on his swing when I told him to, always trying to interact and show off for us. I wonder if he could have been handled. But he had multiple strokes and did not even live a year. So sad. But I loved having canaries. I think they are wonderful birds.

I’m very sorry to hear about your 2nd bird. Bet they are having a grand time up the rainbow bridge though.

 

[finchly]

Societies are very friendly and nice. Canaries, there are many different types of canaries and different songs. Don’t discount the hens; I have a canary hen that I haven’t been able to sell because everyone want s a male, but she is clever and would make a great companion! She doesn’t sing but she vocalizes a lot.
I have Glosters and am totally crazy about them. They are curious and slightly larger than finches.Canaries are easier to tame than finches except if you start with a baby they can all be tamed.

I also have Gouldian finches - colorful and interesting. I don’t hand tame mine but I know people who do.

With finches, some people say they can go back to un-tame if you let them be with the flock. I have no first hand knowledge of this.

Glad to have another possible finch owner on board! I love the littles.

 

[TikiMyn]

Diamond doves Made me fall in love with birds! I have never had a close interaction with them, but the ones I have ‘met’ were not skittisch at all. And they were birds in a pet shop(not a great one) and were likely quite stressed. They were interested to see you if you approached them slowly and talked softly
I can’t Wait to hear about your bird(s) once you have them!

 

[sunnysmom]

Or you could get a silkie chicken! They're on my "someday" list.

 

[Clairecanary15]

I have 15 adult canaries and some youngsters at 9 weeks in my aviary . The 9 week youngster landed on me with 3 other adults.. wow I was really pleased.

They all have their own personality. ..obviously..and some are more friendly than others. I don't make the effort to hand tame my birds they are simply friendly and incredibly inquisitive. One of my Blues gets very eager when he sees the seed and I stroke him..he isnt bothered..he has a very soft tummy..others of mine would fly off alarmed but not my Blue.

They are beautiful birds and very rewarding. If you did want to get canaries I would suggest you spend time with the birds in mind before you purchase to see which ones are happy to see you and interact.

 

[finchly]

I have 15 adult canaries and some youngsters at 9 weeks in my aviary . The 9 week youngster landed on me with 3 other adults.. wow I was really pleased.

They all have their own personality. ..obviously..and some are more friendly than others. I don't make the effort to hand tame my birds they are simply friendly and incredibly inquisitive. One of my Blues gets very eager when he sees the seed and I stroke him..he isnt bothered..he has a very soft tummy..others of mine would fly off alarmed but not my Blue.

They are beautiful birds and very rewarding. If you did want to get canaries I would suggest you spend time with the birds in mind before you purchase to see which ones are happy to see you and interact.

Claire do you hand tame yours when they are babies? I have the 4 nestlings, I do not want to hand-feed as the parents are doing a great job. But I would like to handle them. They're feathered out so they won't be in the nest much longer.

 

[Serin]

I have lots of experiences with all four.

Diamond doves seem very wild and not at all tameable but some people say they've done it. My experience was even babies handled every day for hours would not allow any handling after they learned to fly.

Society finches can become tame enough to sit on your hand to eat. I have never had one become so comfortable it would step on your finger, though babies stay friendly for a while untilt hey are weaned and if you play with them they will fall asleep in your hand and allow petting. Mine grew out of it.

I have never had any luck taming any adult canary. I hand-fed five chicks once from hatching to adulthood, and of them one stayed tame for two months then reverted. The others began to fear me within a week of weaning and were totally wild adults.

But I find Javas amazing. I have a tamed female who I have had for a few months now. I bought her from a shop and had her finger-trained in just a few days. I have bought another this week and I got it on my finger the same night I brought it home. Both were young but not babies at purchase and were n cages of others at the shop. Once isolated they tame extremely fast - they just need to get over the initial fear of you, which I find takes about half an hour of just sitting with your hand in the cage, reading or something. After that time, with both my Javas I was able to calmly move my finger up to their bellies and have them step up without becoming afraid. My first Java steps up to come out of or into her cage now and will not fly away from me ever, my new one is still nervous and has not left the cage yet but he will step up if I gently touch his belly. I expect within a week he will be at her level and I can move them in together.

My tamed Java lives with five other finches (same cage) which are not tame and she has not regressed.

 

[Scratchy]

I have lots of experiences with all four.

Diamond doves seem very wild and not at all tameable but some people say they've done it. My experience was even babies handled every day for hours would not allow any handling after they learned to fly.

Society finches can become tame enough to sit on your hand to eat. I have never had one become so comfortable it would step on your finger, though babies stay friendly for a while untilt hey are weaned and if you play with them they will fall asleep in your hand and allow petting. Mine grew out of it.

I have never had any luck taming any adult canary. I hand-fed five chicks once from hatching to adulthood, and of them one stayed tame for two months then reverted. The others began to fear me within a week of weaning and were totally wild adults.

But I find Javas amazing. I have a tamed female who I have had for a few months now. I bought her from a shop and had her finger-trained in just a few days. I have bought another this week and I got it on my finger the same night I brought it home. Both were young but not babies at purchase and were n cages of others at the shop. Once isolated they tame extremely fast - they just need to get over the initial fear of you, which I find takes about half an hour of just sitting with your hand in the cage, reading or something. After that time, with both my Javas I was able to calmly move my finger up to their bellies and have them step up without becoming afraid. My first Java steps up to come out of or into her cage now and will not fly away from me ever, my new one is still nervous and has not left the cage yet but he will step up if I gently touch his belly. I expect within a week he will be at her level and I can move them in together.

My tamed Java lives with five other finches (same cage) which are not tame and she has not regressed.

Wow that’s awesome! I really need to ask though. In what states are java finches illegal to own?

 

[Serin]

Georgia and California.

 

[MnGuy]

I tamed a canary and he was great. I’d love to do it again.

 

[Clairecanary15]

Claire do you hand tame yours when they are babies? I have the 4 nestlings, I do not want to hand-feed as the parents are doing a great job. But I would like to handle them. They're feathered out so they won't be in the nest much longer.

I don't hand tame my canaries. My 8/9 week old landed on me with no treats...couldn't believe it.
When the breeding season is over I do sit on a stool in my aviary with treats...honey stick or millet. I place either on my lap and tuck my hands away..they hop all over my lap. If I cross my arms with hands tucked away they hop on my arms to. I wear long sleeved tops when I do this because they dont seem to like bare skin.
With your chicks I think it depends if you are keeping them all? As you are doing the right thing by letting the parents feed them its wise to let them leave the nest with further feeding from parents until they start eating soft food for themselves and weaned I would have thought. I also wonder if you do want a hand tamed canary they would need to be separate from the parents in time..I am unsure. Sorry I don't have much to go on

Claire

 

[Clairecanary15]

Just thought to - some of my adults were adult newcomers who are friendly. .they are all different and some just watch me from afar

Claire

 

[finchly]

I tamed a canary and he was great. I’d love to do it again.

I also wonder if you do want a hand tamed canary they would need to be separate from the parents in time..I am unsure.

Hmmm. @Serin any thoughts?

I held each baby yesterday. They are so cute! And about ready to fledge I think. I do not have plans to keep them all but OTOH I still have 2 of the 3 “hurricane Irma” canaries. And I adore them! The third one went to a really awesome home.

Think I will try to just handle them a lot and see where it leads. And do as you suggested @Clairecanary15 with the millet. I had a hand tamed finch just from medicating him as a baby, I didn’t separate him (the training was unintentional) but he stayed tame all his life.

 

[TikiMyn]

Really interested to see how everything works out @finchly ! One day I would like to have a few finches or canaries Societies and Java finches are my favorites

 

[Clairecanary15]

I do think the earlier the contact in the chicks/juveniles life the better..same to tame other animals

 

[Serin]

You can probably tame a canary if you isolate it from fledging. I feel I would have had better success with my hand-feds if they weren't kept as a group.