Questions about Perry cannery

[Pippa!]

Hello everyone! So I have a couple questions about my cannery. First I need to tell the story of how I acquired him. My mom and I visited a local pet store and saw 2 parakeets and this cannery in a very dirty cage. We inquired about the birds and found out that they had just been dropped off at the pet store, right before we walked in, by a man who was going to let the birds go in the parking lot if the store didn’t take them. We really liked the look of the parakeets and of course we would take the cannery since he was in the same cage. Side note the parakeets were very young about 4 months old. So we ended up buying all three birds for only 30 dollars. We quarantined the birds in a separate cage, for three weeks, from my other birds, a cockatiel and a parakeet. They seemed perfectly healthy so we moved the birds in a large cage together. Since then we have had no problems between the birds. I am aware that canneries and finches should not be kept with parrots. I did try to move Perry cannery out of the large cage once when they were bullying him a bit. But he was very depressed when I did this. So I keep him in the same cage with all my 4 parakeets and cockatiel. He is definitely lowest in the pecking order and doesn’t really have a special cage mate besides a mirror he loves. He has never been seriously injured by they other birds beside a few good pecks. I feed him the same as my other birds(parakeet seed, cockatiel seed, veggies, and crushed pellets). I also feed him a leaf of baby spinach every day because he really loves baby spinach. I believe he is a Spanish Timbrado cannery but I am not positive. He definitely does not sing like a Spanish Timbrado. He acts very much like a parakeet. He definitely has no idea he’s a cannery. He makes little peeping noises and tries to imitate his cage mates. My questions are as follows: Is it possible to sex a cannery? Should I be feeding something different to him? Should I get him a cage mate like a lonely finch? Is there anything special I should know about canneries(I honestly know nothing about them)? Does he look alright to everyone? I’m so sorry for making this so long and for asking so many questions. Thank you all in advance.

 

[Monaco]

I would remove him from that cage immediately! Mixing hookbills with passerines is a dangerous business. He is likely very stressed out, and you may have been seeing him finally get some rest. A varied diet is great, and I would add some smaller canary seed or a canary/Finch blend to the mix. Mix some dark lettuce and other greens in to the spinach routine. Too much spinach isn't great, once or twice a week is probably fine. Mine loves everything that belongs to the ekkie even though he has his own enrichment items, and has lots of behaviors similar to larger birds including mimicking their sounds. Males tend to pick up sounds to add to their songs, females don't usually sing, so it may be a while before you can judge sex.

 

[Pippa!]

Well I have had him for about two years now in the same cage with my other birds. The cage is huge and he has plenty of room to escape if he needs to. I have had no instances were he has been injured. He gets upset when he is separated from the flock. I’m thinking he is a boy since he is very vocal. Thank you so much for the tip! I will start looking for some smaller seed!

I would remove him from that cage immediately! Mixing hookbills with passerines is a dangerous business. He is likely very stressed out, and you may have been seeing him finally get some rest. A varied diet is great, and I would add some smaller canary seed or a canary/Finch blend to the mix. Mix some dark lettuce and other greens in to the spinach routine. Too much spinach isn't great, once or twice a week is probably fine. Mine loves everything that belongs to the ekkie even though he has his own enrichment items, and has lots of behaviors similar to larger birds including mimicking their sounds. Males tend to pick up sounds to add to their songs, females don't usually sing, so it may be a while before you can judge sex.

Well I have had him for about two years now in the same cage with my other birds. The cage is huge and he has plenty of room to escape if he needs to. I have had no instances were he has been injured. He gets upset when he is separated from the flock. I’m thinking he is a boy since he is very vocal. Thank you so much for the tip! I will start looking for some smaller seed!

 

[Zara]

I have had no instances

It only takes a second.
It only takes one time.

https://forums.avianavenue.com/index.php?threads/re-supervised-socialisation.231669/

 

[Pippa!]

It only takes a second.
It only takes one time.

https://forums.avianavenue.com/index.php?threads/re-supervised-socialisation.231669/

Too true. But we also need to think about about his mental health. He loves being in a flock.

 

[AussieBird]

Too true. But we also need to think about about his mental health. He loves being in a flock.

Think about giving him his own canary flock then.
@finchly

 

[Pippa!]

Think about giving him his own canary flock then.
@finchly

I will thanks.

 

[finchly]

Hi, what @Monaco said is right, he needs “his” blend of food. Otherwise he could miss out on some nutrition. I feed mine a finch and canary blend.

It’d be really great to give him a cage, the 30x18x18 size would be fine, and a cage mate. Preferably a female canary.

I’m not sure what kind he is but he’s pretty and looks healthy!

it is possible but difficult to sex them - but he sings so we can say boy.

If you want him to sound more canary like, play him some YouTube canaries singing. He’ll pick it right up.

 

[Pippa!]

Thank you! I will try to find some cage mates for him. I just don’t want him to be lonely. He’s lived with this flock for two years.

 

[Sparkles!]

I think you know that all of us are really trying to encourage you to do right by your birds and get them in suitable housing. The cockatiel needs its own cage. The canary needs its own, too. If all four budgies get along, (and you are responsible about not letting them breed) then they can stay in your one larger cage.

Here’s the thing. You ARENT taking them “away from their flock” by providing separate suitable housing. Birds are not dumb. By giving both the cockatiel and the canary individual cages, you’re providing them safe spaces *within* their own flock. Birds are smart enough to realize who’s in their household/flock/family even if they are separated by entire floors within a house. They can still hear and smell even if they can’t see them. But we aren’t even saying you have to divide up all your birds into different rooms! All we are telling you is that your current set-up, with 6 different birds of 3 different species jammed into 1 single cage is not okay. Some on here would even argue it’s harmful. And unethical. And your argument of “I’ve been doing it this way and had zero problems all this time” really doesn’t hold water. Like many have mentioned, you are deliberately taking unnecessary risks that have proven to be fatal. You wouldn’t be the first person to wake up to a dead canary that a budgie attacked during the night. Or a cockatiel that had its toes chewed off from a budgie. And not to mention all the dietary issues, etc, other members have brought to your attention for both the canary as well as your cockatiel.

You keep brushing the advice of many experienced keepers to the side.

None of your birds need you adding friends to their lives right now. But what they do need, is safe and suitable independent housing.

 

[Pippa!]

Thank you! I definitely am not adding any birds to my cage right now. I’m going to work on finding cages for Pippa and Perry(cockatiel and cannery).

 

[finchly]

I don’t know your situation. You might be able to get huge nice cages for them. But if cost is a factor, try eBay or Craigslist .
im glad you care so much about your flock. 6birds is a lot of work!

 

[Pippa!]

I don’t know your situation. You might be able to get huge nice cages for them. But if cost is a factor, try eBay or Craigslist .
im glad you care so much about your flock. 6birds is a lot of work!

Thanks so much. I just want to find a decent sized cage for Pippa.