Help me Decide Plz :)

[jasonK]

OK, so I need some help and advice deciding on my new 'pet' bird(s). The choice is between a canary, canary mule, or European Goldfinch.

I know they are not hands on birds like budgies or parrots, and I just would like to keep them for their beauty and song, as well as being able to sit near the cage and watch them doing their own thing.

I work from home as so the bird will rarely be left alone for any amount of time.

I understand about how to care for a canary, but, I can not find information about keeping pet European Goldfinches, or Canary Mules...I can only find info about keeping them in bird rooms for breeding, showing and selling.

Here are my questions:

European Goldfinches
1. Is one male happy on to live on his own in a large cage like a male canary?
2. If I buy a young one will it get as tame as a canary, I mean not get freaked out when anyone goes near the cage?
3. If they need to be kept at pairs, will there be fighting or problems in the breeding season.
(I would be fine letting them nest and lay eggs (I would just replace the eggs with dummy ones).

Canary X Goldfinch Mule
1. Do these do best as a single male bird for song, or are they happier in pairs?
2. Do they have the same temperament as a canary or the goldfinch?

I will add that I have experience keeping and breeding many exotic songbirds, parakeets, quails, fancy pigeons, ducks, peacocks, chickens and 'softbill' birds, Gouldian Finches and zebra doves etc, so I am not new to bird keeping, but, I have no experience with British Native Finches or canaries.

I have had to rehome all my birds as I am emigrating to the UK from Thailand. But I can not imagine myself without a bird or two around as they have been part of my life for many years. I am going to live on a narrowboat, so space is too limited for the kinds of birds I have kept before...they need very large flight cages or outdoor aviaries.

Thank you for any advice. I don't want to get a bird with will be unhappy living with me.

 

[WillowQ]

I will need to look them up. I don’t know much about canary’s goldfinch mules but I think European goldfinches are very beautiful.

 

[jasonK]

I will need to look them up. I don’t know much about canary’s goldfinch mules but I think European goldfinches are very beautiful.

Thank for your reply. If you look on You Tube you can see many goldfinch mules singing....their song is a mix between canary and goldfinch and is beautiful and very varied. They also look unusual colours and patterns.

I prefer the song of the mules, the look of the goldfinch, and the easy care and tameness of the canary.....so you see why I can't decided lol. Sometimes I think the canaries song can sound a bit so harsh and 'aggressive', rather than relaxing and peaceful. But, I guess that depends of the breed.

At the moment I am leaning towards a Goldfinch Mule male as a pet.

 

[Gouldluv23]

Icey, maybe consider a Belgian Waterslager Canary. Their songs are much quieter and not harsh like a lot of red canaries can be. If you have limited space, a canary or canary mule might be a better choice than a Goldfinch. Best of luck with your move and whichever you decide!

 

[Sparkles99]

I’d choose amongst the various breeds of canary. Being domestic, there are many. And they’d likely be happiest.

 

[Nhan_Dxo]

No idea on the others but as someone who loves, own, bred, and handfed canaries (particularly Red Factors, german roller, and and timbrado). If you want a singing bird I advise hunting down a MALE canary because they're the ones to typically vocalize the songs that, well, songbirds are known for. If you just want a cute companion who will tweet here and there then either sex will work.

Red factors are fun because they need a special diet with cartenoids to maintain their red plumage (also called rubinos and are a hybridized bird- so not a true pure blood canary)

German and Timbrado were bred specifically for singing.

Go to a breeders house or a specialized avian petshop for a good quality canary because chances are those guys will have better cared for, sometimes dna-sexed, and "friendly" finches in comparison to a typical pet shop.