Canary FAQ’s
By Connie S. Soto
How long does a canary live?
A healthy canary can typically live for 10-12 years.
What are the lighting requirements to ensure canary health?
Canaries can be raised successfully with either artificial
or natural light. Consider a bird’s natural environment in the wild when making
the decision for the canaries lighting. The key to help them respond well is to
limit the number of hours of light making it mimic the rising and setting of
the suns natural cycle. Canaries benefit from a routine and if artificial light
is used it would be beneficial to use a timer.
Is it important to cover the bird’s cage at night?
Covering the cage at night can assist in providing a draft
free, dark environment for the canary. If the bird is located in a low traffic
area and the lights are set to a timed routine then it is not necessary for the
bird’s health to be covered at night.
What about drafts?
A draft directly on your bird can be detrimental to the
health of your canary. Even a draft from a fan in warm weather can be just as
bad. It is very important to protect the canary from drafts as it can be fatal.
How should bird seed be stored?
Store bird seed in a cold dry place as stale see can cause
problems for the canary.
What causes moths and larvae to be present in bird seed and
are they harmful to the birds?
Moths and larvae can be found in bird seed when conditions
are to warm. Storing bird seed in a refrigerator helps to keep the seed fresh
for a long time. The moths and larvae will not harm a bird but if there is a
large amount of them discard the seed.
How much and how often should a canary be fed?
Fresh seed should be offered each day. It is very important
to have both food and water available at all times. Any small bird can dehydrate
or starve to death in just a few hours. Two tablespoons of seed per day is
about the right amount to feed a canary bird.
How often should bath water be offered?
Canaries as well as finches typically love a daily bath. At
a minimum offer the canary a bath at least once a week. To prevent a chill
offer the bath early in the day so that they are thoroughly warm and dry by bed
time.
When should the bath water be removed from the cage?
A half hour is a good amount of time for the bird to bathe.
Sometimes they are slow to take their bath and some hop in right away. It is a
personal thing for them. It is important to remove bath water after the bird is
finished to prevent accidental drowning.
What tips are suggested for cage litter?
Newspaper seems to be the easiest and the most inexpensive
litter available. It is important to never use cat litter! Corn cob litter can
become moldy and requires daily changing. Paper cage liners typically are more
expensive and work quite well.
All litter should be inaccessible to the birds. The litter
should be placed under the floor rungs and not on top of them. Illness can
occur if a bird is allowed to pick though the droppings.
Should the canary be allowed to fly free?
The cage is the canaries’ home and he feels safe there.
There are a lot of things in a home that are hazardous to a free flying bird. Hazards
in a typical home could cost the bird its life.
What else can keep or make your bird feel safe?
Provide at least one wall near the canaries’ cage. Fear of
predators is instinctive and having the wall provides the canary with a feeling
of safe shelter. High traffic areas can give your bird anxieties; place the
bird’s cage in a low traffic area. Keep a careful watch that cats or dogs
cannot taunt your bird.
If the canary escapes its cage, what kind of hazards exists
in a home?
It would be impossible to list all the hazards that can be
found in a home.
Among some of the most obvious can include
candles,
cats,
dogs,
fans,
fire places,
hot surfaces,
light bulbs,
mirrors,
open water,
stoves,
windows
What other type of hazards exist when the canary is in its
cage?
Again it would be impossible to list them all. One of the
most common is Teflon non-stick cook ware and irons that are coated with Teflon.
When the temperature of the Teflon exceeds 500 degrees toxic fumes are release
and can be fatal to any bird.
Other hazardous items are
aerosol sprays,
bug bombs,
carbon monoxide,
cigar smoke,
cigarette smoke,
cologne,
deodorant,
flea repellents, collars or sprays
foggers,
lotions,
most kitchen and
bathroom cleaners
nail polish,
paint vapors,
perfume,
pesticides,
polish remover
Companies that make Pyrethrin
solution has an incomplete warning on their label, what caution should be
suggested?
Pyrethrin solution is a commonly used product for
birds. The label cautions highly toxic to fish but they neglect to mention
cats. Maybe they do not believe people have cats and birds in the same
household but that simply is not true. Keep your cat alive, use with caution
when using Pyrethrin for your birds!
Pyrethrin is derived from the extract of chrysanthemum
flowers, and is an excellent control for insects. Chrysanthemums are toxic to
cats so it makes sense that this product should have a warning for cats.
As a side note, the label should also warn the gardener
that Pyrethrin is toxic to honey bees.
How can a person tell if their bird is ill?
Birds have a tendency to hide illness because in the wild
they would be easy prey. This means that you have to observe closely to notice
when a bird is sick. The most important way to know the health of your bird is
to learn what normal behavior for your bird. Sitting on the bottom of the cage
may mean illness for one and normal for another. It would be impossible to list
all possible signs of illness.
Signs of illness can include
Fluffed out feathers
Sleeping more than usual during the day
Acting listless
Sitting on the bottom of the cage
Can you catch them when normally they are
hard to catch?
Do they sit around with their eyes half
closed?
Is there a look of wetness around the beak or
eyes?
Are there stains or feces in the vent area?
Do they have diarrhea or their drippings
discolored from normal?
Do they make noise while breathing?
Do they breathe with their mouth open?
Do they bob their tail up and down?
Have the bird’s feet become scaly?
Do they have droopy wings?
Do they shiver?
Any of these signs or other signs that are not normal for
your bird should be a warning to take action.
What basic things should be done when the canary is ill?
The following is given as a basic guide to give some
immediate relief but it is not intended as medical advice. Consult your local
veterinary for care.
First and foremost is to isolate the bird to keep other
birds from becoming ill. Provide some warmth and easily accessible food and
water at the floor of the cage.
Items you will need include
A small hospital cage
A clip on light, 80-85 degrees is about
right, do not to overheat his cage
A towel to cover the cage
A small waterer
clipped on at floor level
A shallow dish for bird seed, use one that
does not tip easily
Keep in mind that when your bird is feeling better and you
want to return to him to his regular cage it is important to bring him back to
room temperature slowly. Quick temperature fluctuations are never very good for
canaries. These basic steps never hurt and might help and could possibly be all
that is needed for a minor problem.
If a new bird is purchased can the bird join the existing
flock?
A new bird should be quarantined for a month before it is
introduced to the other birds that live there. This will protect the existing
flock from possible illness.
How many canaries can share a cage?
Canaries are not really social birds and are perfectly
happy alone in a cage. Two males most always fight, and unless it is mating
season a male and female will also fight. Finches on the other hand become
lonely and are much healthier and contented living together.
What are considered safe or bad foods?
This list is suggested only and is not complete. If it is
not listed and you are not sure do not take a chance.
Food that is bad for your bird include
Alcohol
Asparagus
Avocado - Highly toxic, quickly fatal
Butter
Caffeine
Chocolate
Cream
Eggplant
Milk
Nutmeg
Olives
Rhubarb
Food that is safe for your bird include
Apple
Apricot
Banana
Blackberry
Bean sprouts
Broccoli
Brown rice
Cauliflower
Cherry
Cabbage
Collard greens
Corn
Guava
Grapes
Green beans
Green peppers
Kale
Leaf lettuce
Melon
Mango
Nectarine
Oats
Pear
Peach
Pineapple
Potatoes - sweet potatoes
Pumpkin - pumpkin seeds
Pearl barley
Raspberry
Soy beans
Sprout seeds
Strawberry
Spinach
Snap peas
Swiss chard
Whole wheat
Are vitamins necessary for the health of a canary?
Vitamin supplements is beneficial to the canaries diet the
same as they are beneficial in a humans diet.
How often should a canary be fed fruits and vegetables?
Fruits and vegetables should be offered at least twice a
week.
What other suggestions should be considered for the canary
diet?
Bird seed, fruits, vegetables, vitamins, hard boiled eggs,
oyster shell, cuttle bone are all important elements
toward a balanced diet.
Tiki
January 15, 2008