• 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

Pictures I don't know what I'm doing with canaries! (Sad updates #35/54)

Ali

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/16/20
Messages
8,043
Location
Dorset, England, UK
Real Name
Alistair
I found this piece of information, is this true?:

Hello, you've read conflicting info on this because you have been reading material written by people who Don't Know Canaries, and who treat them as 'just another finch'. True, canaries are a member of the finch family, but if you want to know how social they REALLY are or are not, look up Carduelan Finch; that's the finch family canaries belong to. To help you out a little, I will point out that my website at A Place For Canaries covers this subject in exhaustive detail, and so do my books; if you have read ANYTHING I've written then you probably know my answer already. But for the record, NONE of the carduelan finches are social; instead, like canaries, and unlike most other finch species, they are territorial. This means that another bird in the cage is NOT considered to be a pal, but is either an intruder or (for part of the year only, and only if both birds are in top notch physical condition) a potential mate. Neither attitude promotes peace, and in fact the most usual result of making two canaries share a single cage throughout the entire year, no matter how large the cage is or what their genders, is the eventual death (and it will be a slow,lingering one) of the less dominant of the two. This death can take a year or two to occur, and all the owner usually knows is that one of their two canaries 'died suddenly without warning' (that the owner could see).
Were they both the same gender? Does it mean that the other one will physically kill the other bird? I would think there would be injury or something?
 

sunnysmom

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/16/13
Messages
28,803
Location
Pennsylvania
Real Name
Michelle
It's so good of you to try to help them. I'm sorry you lost one. :(
 

dollfish

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
12/10/19
Messages
1,000
Location
Istanbul
Real Name
Zeynep Dollfish
Were they both the same gender? Does it mean that the other one will physically kill the other bird? I would think there would be injury or something?
There was a male and a female, the female died. This female sometimes laid eggs and theast time was two weeks ago I think. I read somewhere else about the same thing that they should not be kept together year-round but so many people seem to do so, perhaps in larger cages though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ali

Ali

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/16/20
Messages
8,043
Location
Dorset, England, UK
Real Name
Alistair
There was a male and a female, the female died. This female sometimes laid eggs and theast time was two weeks ago I think. I read somewhere else about the same thing that they should not be kept together year-round.
It isn't something I have ever heard of. Hopefully @finchly will be back soon. Sorry
 

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
This idea that they shouldn't be kept together is not generally supported I think. You're right that a bigger cage would be better -- but I don't think cage size has anything to do with it.

@Ali what people think is that by being together the male can either chase the female to exhaustion, or his presence "pushes" her to lay eggs which wears her down. Clairecanary, who used to be a member here???? Her name is not coming up for me. Anyway Claire has a canary facebook group, there are some knowledgeable owners there and this has been discussed. They do not seem to keep the males and females separate.

And I know if @dollfish has seen chasing she would have separated them.

I'm sorry you lost this one dollfish. I know you were trying so hard to improve their lives.
 

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
Hubby has journeyed to the next town with my most recently passed finch's body to get a necropsy. That's really the only way you know what happened - and sometimes not even then! I will be anxious to learn what the vet finds. He might not find anything at all, unfortunately.
 

dollfish

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
12/10/19
Messages
1,000
Location
Istanbul
Real Name
Zeynep Dollfish
Now the question is, will Meep be lonely without a female Meep? That's actually what I was searching online when I came across this information.
 

dollfish

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
12/10/19
Messages
1,000
Location
Istanbul
Real Name
Zeynep Dollfish
Hubby has journeyed to the next town with my most recently passed finch's body to get a necropsy. That's really the only way you know what happened - and sometimes not even then! I will be anxious to learn what the vet finds. He might not find anything at all, unfortunately.
Hey finchly, I was just about to doze off when I realised I was too caught up in my.own grief and forgot to say that I'm sorry that you lost your birds. You are very lucky that your husband was able to take your bird to get a necropsy. I hope it is nothing contagious and the rest of your flock stays healthy.

I'll surely will trouble you with my questions in the future but for now, thank you for all your support and advice about my ones.
 

expressmailtome

Ripping up the road
Administrator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/15/10
Messages
49,992
Real Name
Matthew
I am so sorry. I have lost a canary and 2 finches --- one each day for 3 days. They weren't even in the same room! 2 are in quarantine and one sadly was a 7 year old in my bird room. :( These little guys can just go - no warning.

It could have been anything. Mites, protozoa, worms. Bacterial, fungal, viral. Who knows?
I am sorry for your losses.
 

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
Hey finchly, I was just about to doze off when I realised I was too caught up in my.own grief and forgot to say that I'm sorry that you lost your birds. You are very lucky that your husband was able to take your bird to get a necropsy. I hope it is nothing contagious and the rest of your flock stays healthy.

I'll surely will trouble you with my questions in the future but for now, thank you for all your support and advice about my ones.
You’re most welcome. Most people say a male canary does fine without a friend. Personally, I think they do form bonds and appreciate a flock mate.

I am sorry for your losses.
Thank you.
 

Zara

♥❀Livin´ in Lovebird Land❀☼
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
1/8/18
Messages
31,366
Location
Reino de España
Clairecanary, who used to be a member here???? Her name is not coming up for me.
It won´t autosuggest because she has not posted in a very long time. You can still tag her by typing her name out @Clairecanary15 :)
 

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
It won´t autosuggest because she has not posted in a very long time. You can still tag her by typing her name out @Clairecanary15 :)
Thank you! I couldn't remember the 15. Usually I just hop over to FB messenger and tell her she's needed. :D
 

dollfish

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
12/10/19
Messages
1,000
Location
Istanbul
Real Name
Zeynep Dollfish
Guys we have lost both canaries. The male was having difficulty breathing and tail bobbing. Turns out he had massive feather cycsts all over his body. We lost him during the operation, he couldn't take it.

Thank you everyone for the help, I love you all.
 

Ali

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/16/20
Messages
8,043
Location
Dorset, England, UK
Real Name
Alistair
Guys we have lost both canaries. The male was having difficulty breathing and tail bobbing. Turns out he had massive feather cycsts all over his body. We lost him during the operation, he couldn't take it.

Thank you everyone for the help, I love you all.
I'm so sorry
 

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
Guys we have lost both canaries. The male was having difficulty breathing and tail bobbing. Turns out he had massive feather cycsts all over his body. We lost him during the operation, he couldn't take it.

Thank you everyone for the help, I love you all.
I am so sorry.
 

Clairecanary15

Sprinting down the street
Joined
5/7/18
Messages
381
Location
United Kingdom
Real Name
Claire
Hi
Canaries are fine alone. The article is incredibly one sided..boarding nonsense. I have two cockbirds alone as they are in smaller cages. I have hens who live together. An aviary would provide room for more than one cockbird. Im sorry your hen died bless you but he will be ok.
 

dollfish

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
12/10/19
Messages
1,000
Location
Istanbul
Real Name
Zeynep Dollfish
Hi
Canaries are fine alone. The article is incredibly one sided..boarding nonsense. I have two cockbirds alone as they are in smaller cages. I have hens who live together. An aviary would provide room for more than one cockbird. Im sorry your hen died bless you but he will be ok.
Thank you so much for your reply. I have unfortunately lost both of them, but I might get canaries in the future [these weren't mine]. I'll keep your advice in mind!
 

Zara

♥❀Livin´ in Lovebird Land❀☼
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
1/8/18
Messages
31,366
Location
Reino de España
I´m very sorry for your losses :(
 
Top