They will often all crowd into one nest to lay and incubate their eggs. One drawback to aviary breeding is over eagerness. When breeding in groups, you must make sure you have more than three pairs to prevent a pecking order. Society Finches are one of the most reliable breeders! They can be bred as individual pairs housed separately or as groups in aviaries. They are so social and such busy bodies that they can often get in the way of, and disrupt the breeding habits of other more private birds! Keep an eye on your energetic friends in an aviary! Society Finches are active and very friendly. When you need to handle your finch to examine it or clip it’s nails, place your palm on it’s back and wrap your fingers around the bird with your thumb and forefinger on either side of it’s head. Handling/Training:įinches are simply enjoyed for their antics and play rather than training. They are most friendly, have an ideal temperament, and are never aggressive toward other birds. Society Finches are very, very social and should be kept in groups (except when breeding a single pair). Weekly wash and dry the entire cage, including the perches. Every two to three days change the paper on the bottom of the cage and sprinkle it with about 1/8″ of fresh grit. The basic cage care includes daily cleaning of the water and food dishes. Maintenance:Īlthough finches require very little time, a clean environment as well as fresh food and water daily is a must to prevent disease and illness. Plants that are not poisonous, such as fruit trees, privet, forsythia, and honeysuckle bushes will make the space more enjoyable for the finches. Dishes for food, water, grit and bathing water must be included along with perches and nests. The screening should be 3/8″ square mesh. Society Finches also do very well an in aviaries or bird rooms. Place paper on the cage bottom that can be sprinkled with grit, or use a grit paper. Provide separate dishes for food, water, treats, and grit. Tree branches of a similar size also make good perches and will help to wear the claws down naturally. Provide two or three good softwood perches about 3/8″ to 3/4″ in diameter. It should have good light but be away from doors and windows where direct exposure to sunlight can make it overly warm. Place the cage where it is well ventilated though free from drafts, and against a wall at eye level. Society Finches do well indoors in a cage. Bird nail trimmers and styptic powder to stop the bleeding are available at pet shops. Their nails may occasionally need to be trimmed, but be careful never to clip into the vein as the bird can quickly bleed to death. Offer your finch a bath occasionally by providing a bath dish that is 1″ deep with a 1/2″ of water, or a clip on bath house. The lime in the cuttlebone also aids in digestion. Provide a cuttlebone because the calcium it provides will give your bird a firm beak, strong eggshells when breeding, and will prevent egg binding. Grit should be provided in a special cup or sprinkled over the bottom of the cage floor. Grit with charcoal is essential to aid in digestion and it contains valuable minerals and trace elements. Finch treats of seed with honey, fruits and vegetables are fun for your bird too, as well as nutritious! Other supplements include egg foods, apple and pear. In a separate cup supply green foods regularly, such as chickweed and spinach. A good finch seed mix will provide their everyday preference for millets and canary seed and is readily available at a pet store. Care and Feeding:įresh food and water must be provided daily. Society Finches are totally domestic and large numbers are bred in captivity. No two Society Finches are alike! Distribution: Tri-coloreds, crested forms (developed in the 1930’s), and solid colors are also seen. They have three basic color varieties: chocolate and white, fawn and white, and pure white. Society Finches reach a size of 4 1/4″ to 4 3/4″ (11-12 cm). : Lonchura domestica Learn more about the Society “Family”, the Estrildidae Finches here: Finch Families Description:
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