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Providing the proper nutrition for Society Finches

FrogsGoMoo

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I'm hoping to get a nice fully nutritional diet for my Society Finches. Currently, these are the big 3 products I use:

Amazon.com : LAFEBER'S Premium Daily Diet Pellets Pet Bird Food, Made with Non-GMO and Human-Grade Ingredients, for Finches, 5 lbs : Dry Pet Food : Pet Supplies (Pellets)
Amazon.com : (3 Pack) Zoo Med Laboratories Bird Banquet Vegetable Mineral Block, Small : Pet Supplies (Vegetable Mineral Blocks)
Amazon.com : Zoo Med Laboratories Bird Banquet Fruit Mineral Blocks, Small (3 Pack) : Pet Supplies (Fruit Mineral Blocks)

I also have these placed around the cages:

Amazon.com : Penn-Plax Bird Life E2 Natural Cuttlebone, Mango and Banana (6 Bones Per Package), 6 Pack (BA658) : Pet Supplies (Fruit-flavored Cuddlebones)

I also give them a "branch" of spray millet once a week and throw in sliced up tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, cut up apples, and strawberries every day on rotation in their cages as well. If there are other fruits and vegetables I should provide that provide nutritional value that is usually not easily found in seed or pellet products, please let me know. The only reason I stick to these a lot is since we always have them around the house anyways for our personal diets and it's a mere convenience thing.

I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything since I let them breed (if they breed too frequently I plan on putting a stop to it to prevent them from hurting themselves) and I don't wanna lower their quality of life over a hobby.

The only thing I feel I'm missing is egg food. Should I buy a premade mix and mix it into their pellets? I've been using this product in a separate container in their cages:


But I keep seeing people reference just hard boiling an egg and smashing it up and putting it in their cage. Would this be the best option? Or would a mix like the one listed above be better? They seem to really like that egg food and tend to go for it over their pellets, which is my concern. Should I mix it into their pellets for something like an 80% pellets to 20% egg food ratio to ensure they're getting their full nutrition?

My girlfriend's Canaries also require a color food to help keep their color, anything like this for Society Finches? Or does a healthy diet ensure they keep looking vibrant?

I don't care too much for cost or whatever factor may arise since I take my pet care seriously and I'm still fairly new to taking care of finches, and I want to do the best I can to ensure they live long healthy lives.
 

finchly

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I currently have 3 nests with a total of 10 society finch babies in them. They're so sweet. I think you will really enjoy them.

I would not give them tomatoes, theyr’e pretty acidic. There are other veggies that are better. I would increase both the ratio and the variety of fresh Whole Foods.

For egg food, there are good reasons to give both commercial and fresh egg. Or, make your own dry mix and use that in place of the commercial food. There are times when you want to leave it in all day or overnight - that’s your dry. Then you want to offer fresh eggs, which are loaded with nutrition. What I do is mix the fresh boiled egg with the dry until it’s light, sort of whipped consistency. I serve that with their fresh veggies. When they have eggs or babies, dried egg food available all the time.



Hubby is calling - more later.
 

finchly

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There is no particular food like the canary color food for finches. A great diet, clean water and baths should keep them in great condition.
If you’re having trouble getting them to eat pellets, by all means mix it with egg food or seeds. Sometimes I wet the pellets in warm water and stir them into the veggie mix.
Also, don’t expect too much . Remember one finch only eats a teaspoon or 2 a day.
 

FrogsGoMoo

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I currently have 3 nests with a total of 10 society finch babies in them. They're so sweet. I think you will really enjoy them.
Currently have 1 nest with 5 eggs that should be hatching this weekend, definitely looking forward to mine!

I would not give them tomatoes, theyr’e pretty acidic. There are other veggies that are better. I would increase both the ratio and the variety of fresh Whole Foods.
I was worried about tomatoes being acidic as well, glad to get those worries confirmed before I gave it to them too often. I've only given them tomatoes 3 times but I'll definitely stop. And what other types of fresh foods would you recommend are best?

For egg food, there are good reasons to give both commercial and fresh egg. Or, make your own dry mix and use that in place of the commercial food. There are times when you want to leave it in all day or overnight - that’s your dry. Then you want to offer fresh eggs, which are loaded with nutrition. What I do is mix the fresh boiled egg with the dry until it’s light, sort of whipped consistency. I serve that with their fresh veggies. When they have eggs or babies, dried egg food available all the time.
Definitely like the idea of simply offering both, it gives me that reassurance of ensuring they're getting proper nutrition either way. And for the egg, do you simply just boil a regular chicken egg, and smash it all together with the shell and all? And what's your process of doing so? I tried doing it with a fork and it was a bit of a pain in the butt to get the shell pieces completely broken down.

There is no particular food like the canary color food for finches. A great diet, clean water and baths should keep them in great condition.
If you’re having trouble getting them to eat pellets, by all means mix it with egg food or seeds. Sometimes I wet the pellets in warm water and stir them into the veggie mix.
Also, don’t expect too much . Remember one finch only eats a teaspoon or 2 a day.
They fortunately have no issues with pellets, they've been on pellets since I ran out of the original seed the pet store I bought my original finch from ran out. They just tend to prefer the egg food over the pellets for some reason. And one last clarification, should I provide seeds as well? Just do a small ratio in there? I'm thinking of maybe doing a mix of 70% pellets, 20% commercial egg food, and 10% seeds maybe?

And is there a link to your book? I'd love to give it a good read since I don't want to have to bother you every time I have a question and would much rather support your work as well.
 

finchly

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Definitely like the idea of simply offering both, it gives me that reassurance of ensuring they're getting proper nutrition either way. And for the egg, do you simply just boil a regular chicken egg, and smash it all together with the shell and all? And what's your process of doing so? I tried doing it with a fork and it was a bit of a pain in the butt to get the shell pieces completely broken down.
I agree, the fork is a pain! Yep I smash the whole thing in an inexpensive food processor from Walmart. Be careful not to overdo it, or it turns to a thick paste!


I'm thinking of maybe doing a mix of 70% pellets, 20% commercial egg food, and 10% seeds maybe?
Ok that works. Where are the fresh foods? I really think you want some- I’ll leave the % to you to work out. You can bump up to 20% seed safely I think, since they need seed.

I actually think it’s great that they’re on pellets. So many people have trouble getting them started on pellets when they first get them!

I have a list of foods someplace, trying to find it. I’m at the beach with the wrong glasses.(I know, poor me :D)
 

FrogsGoMoo

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Here you go:

Awesome, just ordered one! Thanks!

I agree, the fork is a pain! Yep I smash the whole thing in an inexpensive food processor from Walmart. Be careful not to overdo it, or it turns to a thick paste!
Just ordered a food processor as well. Should I just use it for eggs, or any other fresh foods as well? They seem to handle everything else just fine, but they tend to fling apples all over my office. :p

Ok that works. Where are the fresh foods? I really think you want some- I’ll leave the % to you to work out. You can bump up to 20% seed safely I think, since they need seed.

I actually think it’s great that they’re on pellets. So many people have trouble getting them started on pellets when they first get them!
Well, fresh foods is in a separate container that I let them forage from for enrichment on top of expanding their diet. So if I were to include that in my original example it would probably be something like 50% pellets, 20% egg food, 10% seed, and 20% fresh foods. I was more of referring to mixing the 3 together for a blend to provide.

I have a list of foods someplace, trying to find it. I’m at the beach with the wrong glasses.(I know, poor me :D)
At least your glasses are still functional, mine broke 2 weeks back so I'm left blind at the moment! :blind:
 

finchly

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I had missed your previous post. I use the food processor for almost everything. And I’ve nearly stopped using the various slicing blades; the one that sits in the bottom is my go-to, and I’ve learned what order to put things in to keep from turning some foods to mush lol.

Hope your glasses are fixed by now :D
 

FrogsGoMoo

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I had missed your previous post. I use the food processor for almost everything. And I’ve nearly stopped using the various slicing blades; the one that sits in the bottom is my go-to, and I’ve learned what order to put things in to keep from turning some foods to mush lol.

Hope your glasses are fixed by now :D
Yeah, I figured the first few weeks would be a learning experience.

And unfortunately not, I work from home and I've been letting my girlfriend chauffeur me around whenever we go places since she's the one who broke them in the first place. :p Maybe in a few weeks when I stop being lazy!
 
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