Despite the fact that keeping canaries will not bring you much trouble, for the normal life of the birds, you will have to create the right conditions. Unpretentious canaries will need a properly equipped comfortable cage or a spacious aviary, fresh food, regular water treatments, walks around the room and much more.
Choosing a place to live canaries
For a cage with a bird, you need to find a suitable place and decide where it will stand, so as not to rearrange it later. Moving for a canary is a lot of stress, it will not be easy for her to get used to the new environment.
To make it easier for the canary to adapt to a new place, at first she will need peace. If you start moving the cage to other places, the bird's mood may worsen and anxiety about changing housing will develop into nervousness.
The center of the room or the floor are not the best places for a cage because of the possible draft that can cause a cold in a canary. The presence of drafts is easy to check with a burning match or candle. If the flame fluctuates, then there is a draft.
Putting a cage in the kitchen is also a bad option - toxic fumes from burning Teflon, dishwashing detergent and other things can poison the bird. In addition, there are often drafts in the kitchen due to ventilation.
The hallway is also not suitable for a canary. The constant movement of the household will disturb the bird. And from the periodically opening door, the same draft, harmful to bird health, arises.
It is good if you put the canary in the room where you most often visit. Then the bird will not feel lonely. And you can combine the usual business and communication with a feathered friend.
Dark corners, heaters are also unsuitable places. In the dark, the bird will feel bad. She will become lethargic, drowsy, and will rarely sing. Due to too dry air, she may develop dermatitis or baldness. What climate is suitable for living canaries at home, we will describe below.
It is better to place the cage near the wall opposite the window. The wall will give the canary a sense of security, and the window - a lot of sunlight, which favorably affects the development of the bird. You can’t put the cage on the window itself: in winter, the canary can freeze, and in summer it can overheat or get sunburned.
Top, bottom or middle
In addition, at the bottom, the canary can become a target for a pet, and carbon monoxide accumulates at the top. Especially in houses with stove heating. Even a small amount of carbon monoxide can kill a canary, which is still used by miners in some countries. To avoid the death of a bird, you can not smoke next to it, light aroma sticks or spray aerosols.
For the cage, you can purchase a special stand with a low center of gravity that holds the cage in one position. At the top of the stand there is a hook on which the cage is hung. On sale you can find convenient tables for cages, equipped with drawers for storing bird accessories and.
Optimal climate
In order for the canary to feel good in your home, keep the temperature for it at eighteen to twenty-two degrees and the humidity at least fifty percent.
In the warm season, take the cage to fresh air so that the bird can sunbathe. Cover part of the cage with a cloth to create shade so the canary doesn't get sunburned. Keep an eye on the canary while walking, otherwise predator birds and cats can hurt her.
In winter, the canary will need additional light. To artificially increase daylight hours, use ultraviolet lamps by placing them a meter from the cage. And for warming, half a meter from the cage, you can install an electric lamp of twenty-five watts.
Alternative option
Instead of a cage for canaries, you can purchase or make an aviary with your own hands. In such a structure, the birds will feel protected, especially if the interior of the enclosure is as close to natural conditions as possible. Depending on the season, enclosures can be divided into two types: indoor and outdoor.
Let's take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of each type.
room view
Indoor enclosures are suitable for keeping a large number of canaries, so it is better to put such a structure for those who plan to breed them. In the indoor aviary, birds have the opportunity not only to communicate with relatives, but also to choose a pair to taste.
Although it is possible to keep one singing canary in the aviary. The natural environment, which is easy to create in a spacious enclosure, can reveal new musical talents in it. For example, you can place many plants, branches of deciduous trees in the aviary.
It is more convenient to install such an aviary in the corner of the room. In this case, you will have to do only one wall. Its height can be equal to the height of the room, at least two meters must be retreated from the corner. It is good if the aviary is located near the window.
It does not matter whether you buy a ready-made aviary or make it yourself, the main thing is what material it will be made of. Its frame can be wood, plastic or metal. Outside, the aviary can be decorated under the interior of the room. If you are going to paint it, do it only from the outside - the paint can poison the canaries.
The mesh that wraps around the frame should be made of stainless steel with a chrome or nickel finish. Copper or brass mesh can oxidize and become poisonous to birds. Galvanized nets are also harmful - a canary can get poisoned if it swallows a loose piece. The optimal size of the grid cells is one and a half by one and a half millimeters.
The aviary should have a pallet that facilitates the cleaning of the aviary. It is better to choose a stainless steel tray - it is durable and easy to clean. Plywood pallets quickly become unusable under the influence of moisture and litter; they cannot be treated with boiling water or chemical solutions. Tin pallets bend easily. If you make a pallet from separate tin sheets, gaps will form between them. It is difficult to choose litter and leftover food from them.
To keep the enclosure clean for as long as possible, you need to pour sand or special gravel on the pallet, which is sold in any pet store.
The main disadvantage of indoor aviary is a lot of noise. Not everyone is able to withstand the discordant singing of canaries, among which it is difficult to distinguish the songs of individual canaries. The closer the nesting period, the louder the singing will be. In addition, birds can arrange fights for partners or territory.
Bird food and droppings not removed in time can attract small rodents: mice, rats. They can scare canaries and infect them. Rats can even eat chicks sleeping on the floor. To prevent the appearance of rodents, it is necessary not only to periodically clean the enclosure, but also to beat half a meter of walls from the floor and the floor itself with iron sheets. Make sure there are no gaps.
street view
If you can keep canaries in an indoor aviary all year round, then the outdoor view is only suitable for the warm season. This is its plus - fresh air and sunlight favorably affect the health of canaries.
You can install an outdoor aviary on the balcony or in the courtyard of a private house. Minimum dimensions:
- length - four meters;
- width - two meters;
- height is two meters.
To prevent rats, ferrets or cats from getting into the aviary, it must have a solid foundation. Dig a hole sixty centimeters, fill ten of which with rubble. Then put the tarred metal mesh, the diameter of the cells of which should not exceed ten millimeters.
Surround the pit around the perimeter with brick and concrete blocks, in which fasten wooden blocks every half a meter. Fill in another twenty centimeters with rubble. The remaining thirty centimeters should consist of soil. Attach boards to the bars so that the aviary has three closed walls. The fourth wall must be covered with the same mesh as that of the indoor aviary. The roof can be made from boards. The main thing is that there are no gaps anywhere.
The main food of canaries are mixtures consisting of oats, millet, hemp and canary seeds and other grains and seeds. What else can be given to these birds, you will learn from the article.
pet care
Canaries that are cared for regularly look good and feel great. Constantly monitoring their appearance, physical and mental state, you prolong their life and make it more comfortable.
If a bird cannot sharpen its claws in a natural way, they begin to grow and interfere with it. Because of the long claws, the canary runs the risk of breaking fingers. Hang a special grindstone and bark perches in the cage. If this does not help, you will have to cut the bird's claws yourself.
Take advantage manicure scissors or tweezers. Carefully, trying not to touch the blood vessel, cut off two millimeters from each claw. If you still touched the claw capillary and blood began to flow, drip hydrogen peroxide onto the wound.
When caring for a bird, do not forget to hang a bathing suit in the cage. In summer, this should be done daily, and in winter - twice a week. By installing a swimsuit, you will give the birds the opportunity to freshen up and put their feathers in order.
Water should be at room temperature at twenty-seven degrees. To prevent the bird from choking, the water level should not exceed two and a half centimeters. Choose a bathing suit with a rough bottom that will prevent the canary from slipping.
For swimming, choose the first half of the day so that the bird has time to dry before the evening. You can not dry canaries with a hairdryer - its vapors are fatal for them. And the towel dries the bird's skin. Better put the bird in a cage and put a twenty-five watt lamp half a meter away from it.
If the birds are ready to splash all day, remember to change the water every three to four hours. Due to dirty water, a pet can. If the canary doesn't want to bathe, don't force it. Better try to interest by playing with water with your fingers or by spraying it on the cage with a spray bottle.
Canary care is not complete without regular walks around the room. Free flying allows the birds to keep themselves in shape. Before each walk, check the safety of the room: close doors and windows, remove poisonous plants, small objects, toxic substances, liquid containers, drive out pets.
Canaries, the maintenance and care of which is at the proper level, live happily ever after. The state of feathered pets depends only on your attention and efforts.
If you liked the article, please like and share it with your friends.
The geographical homeland of canaries is the Canary Islands, hence the name of the bird. The history of the domestication of the canary is quite fascinating - for five centuries man has tamed and used this bird for his own purposes. As a result, the canary changed its voice and became known to the whole world.
The little bird that we used to see in pet stores and listened to more than once is none other than a canary. One of the most popular pets around, the canary hasn't always been this way. Once she sang differently and looked different.
The ancestor of the canary is the Canarian canary finch, which for its residence chose the island of Madeira, as well as the Canary and Azores. It was on the Canary Islands in the fifteenth century that the Spanish conquerors discovered it.
Assessing good conditions and having settled on the islands, the newly-minted owners became interested in the wonderful singing of small green-yellow birds. Local tribes surrendered under the yoke of the Spanish invaders. Together with the captives, the conquerors also received captured songbirds in reed cages.
Having finally tamed the finches, the sailors began to take them with them on a voyage. So at the beginning of the sixteenth century they came to Europe, changing their name. The Canarian canary finches came to be called the abbreviated kanario.
The name behind them was firmly fixed, although the birds began to get to Europe from other islands, where each tribe called the finches in its own way. And in each country, the name changed depending on the characteristics of the language. In Russia, these birds were called canaries.
Cunning and wealth
Wild finches were inconspicuous, but their wonderful voices were able to win the hearts of people. Due to the sudden popularity of the "commodity", the sailors began to buy from the islanders and capture many birds that were taken to Europe.
However, most of the birds remained wild and could not survive the separation from their homeland. They died, if not on the way in the holds, then in the very first days on land. The import was huge, but high mortality prevented the birds from spreading across Europe.
A little about the content and behavior of birds
Like many domesticated birds, the canary turned out to be picky. However, it depends on the conditions whether the pet will be healthy, how well he can sing and whether he will live the prescribed seven to twelve years.
Canary canary finch or, in a simple way, canary is a bird of the finch family.
The canary is native to the Azores and Canary Islands. About 90 thousand pairs of canaries live in the Canary Islands, and in the Azores the population is approximately 60 thousand pairs.
Also, these birds live in Madeira, but their number there is much lower - 5 thousand pairs. They tried to breed canaries in the Hawaiian Islands and Bermuda, but they did not survive there. Canaries were brought to these islands in 1930, and by the middle of 1960 all individuals had died.
Today, the Canarian canary finch is found in Puerto Rico. What awaits this population in the future is not known.
Appearance of a canary
Finches reach 10-14 centimeters in length, and weigh from 9 to 24 grams, but the average weight is 15 grams.
The canary is a small bird. The wingspan varies from 20 to 23 centimeters. Males have a dark green plumage color with longitudinal dark strokes. The throat and upper part of the head are yellow-green. Their belly is white, and the lower part of the chest is yellow. The undertail is white with dark stripes on the sides.
The color of females is dominated by brown-gray colors, diluted with black strokes. The plumage of females is not as bright as that of males. Juveniles have brown plumage with dark veins.
The behavior and nutrition of canaries in nature
Canaries live among bushes and trees. For these birds, areas with little vegetation are considered the most preferable.
The Canarian Canary Finch lives not only in forests, but can also be found among the sand dunes. These birds live at an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level.
Canaries feed mainly on plant foods. Birds forage forage on the ground and among vegetation. The diet of canaries consists of weeds, seeds, fruits and herbs. Canaries also eat insects.
Canary breeding
Canary nests begin to be built in the spring. The pair builds a nest on a tree, at a height of 3-4 meters from the ground, well camouflaging it among the leaves. The nest is constructed from twigs, moss and leaves.
The bottom of the nest is lined with hair and feathers. In the Canary Islands, the nesting period is in March-July, but the peak of egg laying occurs in April.
In the Azores, canaries lay their eggs in March-July, and the peak is in May. In Madeira, the egg-laying period coincides with the Canary Islands.
Females lay 3-4 eggs, and the process of incubation takes 2 weeks. Young growth leaves the nest already 3 weeks after birth.
Canary - hand bird
People often keep canaries as pet birds. As a result of selection, canaries with different colors appear.
Recommended sizes of cages for singing kenars: length - 35-40 cm, width - 20 cm, height - 20-25 cm. Perches in cages should be placed in such a way that the bird, jumping on them, does not touch the walls of the cage with its tail. Feeders and drinkers are recommended to be hung near the door.
An indicator of the optimal size of the cage is the wingspan of the bird. The cage should be large enough for the canary to fully open its wings without touching the bars of the cage. In a large cage, the bird will feel even better.
One rule to remember is that the length of the canary cage is more important than the height. It is better to let the cage be low, but long, so that the canaries have the opportunity to fly a little. The cage can be made of wood, metal, plastic. Each of these materials has its own advantages and disadvantages.
When keeping several birds together, you should have not 1 or 2, but 3 cages at once: a small single cage (for the autumn-winter keeping of the song kenar), a nesting cage, a spacious flying cage, where the female and young animals will have sufficient freedom of movement.
nesting cage
The nesting cage is intended for the common keeping of one or more pairs of birds, so it should be much more spacious than a single cage. Its dimensions are: length - 60-80 cm, width - 35 cm, height - 40-50 cm. Cells with a wooden floor, plywood ceiling and walls made of metal rods are best suited.
The nest cage can be equipped with a retractable tray, which greatly simplifies the cleaning and cleaning of the cage. The nesting cage should have 3 doors, one of which is located in the lower middle part of the front wall, and the other two - on the sides of the cage, under the ceiling. Birds are given food and water through the lower door, so it should be wide enough for a bathing suit, a box of greens, etc. to pass through it freely.
The nesting cage is also intended for breeding canaries. Here they mate, build nests and raise chicks. Small wire nest cages can be hung from the outside of the upper side doors. This is done when the cage is not too spacious.
In large cages, an artificial nest base is used. For this purpose, you can use cups with a diameter of 10 cm and a depth of 6 cm, sewn from a thick hemp rope. They are attached inside the cage using wire baskets with hooks or metal rings that are screwed to the wall of the cage.
The nest cage should be attached on the bright side, but direct sunlight should be avoided. You can place the cage in a separate room so that the singing of other canaries does not cause additional anxiety to the female. Cage cages should be cleaned with extreme caution, trying not to frighten the female.
The cage is also used in the autumn-winter months before the birds sing, and then, starting in March, they are seated in different cages.
flying cage
The flying cage is designed for large groups of birds, such as growing chicks. The dimensions of the cage are: length - 120 cm, width and height - 50 cm each. Such a spacious room, if necessary, can be used as a nesting cage, dividing it into 2 separate compartments. To do this, it is enough just to install a retractable partition in the middle of the cage, which can be removed at the end of the nesting season.
Cell material
There are three most common cell types:
- 1 wooden;
- 2 Combination of wood and metal;
- 3 Combination of plastic and metal.
Fully wooden cage very beautiful, silent, and the bird that lives in it will not be able to hit the bars if something frightens it.
Of the tree species for cages, beech and oak are best suited, which are pink in color with small brown specks.
Such wood is beautiful in itself, so cages made from these materials are often not painted, but only covered with a colorless oil varnish on top, which makes the cage more beautiful, emphasizing the structure of the wood.
Combined wood and metal cages the bottom is made of wood, and the bars are made of metal (steel, aluminum, duralumin). Combination cages are very popular with experienced canary breeders. Advantages of combined cages: ease of cleaning and affordable price. disadvantages: just like wooden ones, they are prone to destruction from dampness and are almost impossible to disinfect.
Cage made of plastic and metal - the best option for beginner canary breeders.
Combined plastic and metal cage is the most suitable for beginners. Advantages a: the cage is very convenient to use, it is easy to wash, it can be disinfected, including chemicals, hot water etc. The disadvantage is that synthetic materials do not absorb the noise from bird jumping in a cage.
It is best when the cage bars are galvanized, nickel-plated, chrome-plated or blued. The crate of the cage should not be copper, as copper oxidizes and becomes poisonous to birds. Some substances contained in paints and varnishes can also be poisonous, so you can not cover them with certain parts inside the cage.
The bars of the cage should be made of stainless steel, as canaries are very fond of bathing, as a result of which splashes fall on the bars, which can rust if they are made of iron.
cell shape
The most common cage shapes for canaries are rectangular or domed.
Rounded cells are very beautiful. However, the arched top is often the cause of a bad habit called helix head. Some birds already on the second day of their stay in the cage begin to bend their heads to the tail and twist it. The canary behaves restlessly, constantly bouncing and even falling off the perch. This habit does not go away even after the bird is transplanted to another cage.
The cage should also not be round around the perimeter of the base. A bird needs a corner in order to hide in it in case of a stressful situation, otherwise it may get sick. The angle gives the canary a sense of security.
Equipment
Any cage should be equipped with all necessary accessories. The main ones are drinkers and feeders. It is best to use earthenware or glassware for this purpose: jars, salt shakers, porcelain saucers, clay flower pots, etc. Feeders made of these materials are easy to use and easy to clean. They can also be scalded with boiling water.
Feeders are made from other materials, but you need to purchase only those that are not toxic to canaries. In this regard, utensils made of metal, especially galvanized sheet, are not suitable.
The cups should be about 10 cm in diameter and 5 cm high, and it is desirable that they do not have a sharp edge. They should be placed as far apart as possible and not under the perches, where bird droppings will get into the feed and water. The design is not very important, the main thing is that the feeder is heavy enough, and the bird, sitting on the side, does not overturn it.
For one canary, there should be 3 feeders in the cage: for grain feed, for sand, for soft food. One drinker for a canary is enough. In addition, there should be a cup with minerals in the cage. It is advisable to choose feeders and drinkers of the same shape and always without cracks.
Canaries love to swim. They need regular water procedures so that the plumage and skin are always clean. Therefore, it is necessary to equip each cage with a bathing suit. For this purpose, glass or earthenware dishes, as well as plastic baths, are best suited. In addition, pet stores have special hanging baths made of metal, glass or plexiglass. They are very comfortable and practical.
The diameter of the bathing suit for a canary should not be more than 10 cm, and the depth - 5 cm. The bathing suit is only half filled with water, if you pour more water, the bird may drown.
The bathing suit is hung on the open door of the front wall of the cage or placed on the bottom of the cage (in this case, it is advisable to put it on a tray or saucer). The bottom of the bath should be rough so that the canary does not slip in it while bathing.
In summer, bathing suits are installed every day, and in winter - 2 times a week.
During the period of incubation of chicks, it is advisable to completely cancel water procedures, since in case of hypothermia, both the female and her offspring may die.
In addition to the necessary accessories, the cage can be decorated with details such as swings, mirrors, and a dummy. However, experienced canary breeders believe that canaries are indifferent to such decorations, and are advised to completely abandon them. In addition, a large number of unnecessary accessories makes it difficult to clean and disinfect the cage, and also prevents the bird from moving around in the cage. It is best to install a swing in a cab, as young animals usually like to frolic very much.
As perches, you can also use branches with bark (for example, willow) of different thicknesses.
Plastic perches should not be purchased for canaries, as it has been observed that birds sitting on them often suffer from paw diseases (in particular, pododermatitis). In extreme cases, you can use plastic perches if they are covered with rubber on top.
It is recommended to choose a perch that will have different thicknesses in different places and not a cylindrical shape. As a result, there will be no constant pressure on the same points on the fingers of the bird, which will help prevent the development of pododermatitis.
Perches need to be changed constantly, especially after they are heavily contaminated with droppings. To keep the perches clean longer, do not stack them on top of each other.
The position of the cage in the room is very important for birds. It is advisable to put the cage in a place where the owner spends the most time, such as in the living room, study, etc. After installation, you should try not to rearrange the cage to another place.
The place where the cage is installed must be protected from drafts. In this regard, it is undesirable to place the cage in the center of the room. The presence of a draft is determined using a burning candle, the flame of which fluctuates with the weakest air flow.
How to choose the right place?
It is not recommended to keep canaries in the kitchen, as there are a lot of fumes harmful to birds, chemical cleaners, and the room is often ventilated, and drafts are harmful to canaries. Inappropriate places for the location of cells are dark corners, places in front of the TV, on the central heating radiator, as well as near heating appliances, where the air is very dry.
The best place is against the wall (its proximity gives the birds a sense of security), opposite the window or next to it. You should not place the cage in front of a window or on a windowsill, because in winter it will be too cold in this place, and in summer it will be hot, the bird can both overheat and catch a cold.
It is strictly forbidden to smoke in the room where the birds are. In the room where the canaries are kept, it is necessary to maintain a constant temperature (16–18 ° C). The cages should be arranged in such a way that the birds do not lack sunlight and fresh air.
Periodically, you need to arrange sun and air baths for canaries (at any time of the year). In summer, for this purpose, it is recommended to hang the cages on the street or balcony, making sure that the canaries do not overheat, do not get sunstroke, and provide them with protection from stray cats.
During the molting period, it is best to transfer birds to aviaries and summer cages. In bright places, canaries sing and sing twice as long as in dark places. Some hobbyists place birds closer to the light to stimulate birds to sing. Normal molting depends on the sufficiency of lighting. If the bird is kept in dark places, small feathers on the head, abdomen and sides begin to fall out, which are no longer restored after.
If there is not enough light and heat for canaries, it is recommended to turn on a not very bright (25 W) electric lamp during the day. Especially birds need additional lighting in winter, when daylight hours become short. The daylight hours of canaries should be at least 14–16 hours. With such lighting, the birds eat normally. In winter and autumn, when it gets dark early, canaries simply do not have time to eat the daily ration of food and are forced to starve. Therefore, during these seasonal periods, it is necessary to turn on the light for birds in the morning and evening.
Canaries have endocrine glands near their eyes, the function of which depends on the observance of a certain light regime, which consists in the fact that sleep in canaries should last about 10 hours in summer and 12 hours in winter, while the change of light and darkness should always occur at about the same time. same time.
Cleaning
The home of canaries and all accessories must be perfectly clean. The birds themselves, at their core, are big cleaners. They constantly preen, comb their hair, clean their feather cover.
Drinking bowls and feeders for wet mixtures must be washed and wiped dry before each change of their contents. Drinking bowls are also washed daily. At the same time, it is especially necessary to ensure that mucus, which is harmful to the health of birds, does not form on their walls.
Water in the drinking bowl must be changed 2 times a day. In the bathing place, too, there should always be only clean water, and the vessels themselves must be cleaned regularly. Birds will never climb into dirty water. But one has only to replace it with fresh, as they immediately rush to rinse and clean their feathers. Pohoroshev, the birds become happier and even sing more cheerfully. Bathing is simply necessary for canaries to maintain their feathers. If the birds are deprived of the opportunity to swim, their feathers begin to fall out without molting and then do not recover for a long time. So they can even go bald.
In order for the bird to remain healthy, it must be allowed to bathe at least 2 times a week. Bathing suits are placed in a cage for a while, and after the birds bathe, they are immediately removed so as not to soak the cage with water.
Dirt from the perches is occasionally washed off with hot water or scraped off with a knife. If you do not pay due attention to this, canaries will get sick all the time.
The cage itself is also washed regularly (at least 1 time per week). At this time, canaries can be released for a walk into the room. If the birds have not yet been tamed, you can use a transport cage or cage.
During the cleaning of the cage, the tray, all feeders, drinkers, baths, toys and branches are removed from it. All equipment must be thoroughly cleaned with detergent and clean with a brush, then rinse thoroughly with clean water.
It is advisable to disinfect the cage once a month.
claws
The bird must have strong and sharp claws. Too long can cause trouble for the canary itself when sitting on the floor or perch.
The tips of the claws are usually trimmed no more than 2 mm. For this purpose, it is quite possible to use scissors or nail clippers. It is not recommended to install emery-covered perches in the cage for this sharpening of the claws. They do not affect the length of the claws of birds. If you cut the claw more than necessary, bleeding may open.
Feather trimming
Sometimes it becomes necessary to trim the wings of canaries. This is done so that the bird cannot fly fast and far. At the same time, she remains able to fly within the aviary or room into which the canary is released for a walk. Feathers should only be trimmed on one wing, in very rare cases trimming of both wings is required. You have to cut them very carefully. If, after the operation, the canary cannot fly at all, jumping from one high place to another, it will fall down like a stone, which will lead to injury to the wings, paws and bones in the sternum or even death of the bird.
Before deciding to trim the wings, you need to carefully consider and weigh everything. It should be noted that the appearance of the bird after pruning will suffer significantly, which is especially undesirable for show species of canaries. Removing or clipping feathers must be done very carefully so as not to damage the growing feathers, which may cause bleeding.
walks
For canaries, it is advisable to arrange regular walks around the room. They have a positive effect on the health of birds, prevent obesity and, in addition, have a beneficial effect on the musical abilities of kenars. If the cage is small, it is better to use it only for sleeping, bathing and resting canaries, and for the rest of the time, give them the opportunity to fly freely around the room under the supervision of a person. However, it is necessary to let the bird fly even if it has a fairly spacious cage.
Before releasing pets from the cage, you need to take care of their safety. To do this, close all doors, windows and vents so that the canaries do not fly out of the apartment.
Moult
During this period, birds need especially careful care, since molting itself, as mentioned above, is a painful condition for canaries. The molting period is the most responsible in the life of a bird. With the wrong content of canaries at this time, they can lead to death.
This period usually falls in July, August and September. Special attention should be given to lighting and nutrition of canaries. The food should be rich and nutritious. When it comes to lighting, most birds need enough sunlight. To do this, pets must be placed in cages located on a balcony, terrace or just outside the window. However, you should not install them in the sun itself, otherwise the birds will simply die.
A characteristic sign of the beginning of the molting period is the cessation of singing. At this time, birds should be transplanted into a room in the fresh air. The most favorable place is a summer aviary.
The domestic canary is a subspecies of the finch from the Canary Islands. The bird is found in the Canary, Azores and Madeira Islands. More than 5 centuries have passed since man tamed the bird. As a result of selection, the vocal apparatus of the finch has changed. The singing of the domestic canary differs from that of the wild species.
Canary: maintenance and care at home
Varieties of canaries
In most cases, yellow canaries are taken as pets. But this does not mean that the plumage of a bird has only a yellow color. There are three main types of domestic canaries.
Colored canaries. The color of colored canaries is diverse: yellow, red, green, gray, white, mottled. Gray canaries are especially remarkable, they are born from the combination of green and yellow breeds. As a result of crossing, the color of birds varies from dull black to silver. Red canary is the most catchy, this color is rarely found in nature. Pied canaries have a wide range of colors, their common name is harlequin.
decorative canaries. Distinctive features birds are unusual plumage and body shape. Name of some breeds decorative canaries speak for themselves, for example, curly and hunchbacked.
Singers. Canaries of all kinds sing. The singers have beautiful overflows in the melody, their voices are more musical. Soft birds are traditionally considered the best singers. Kenar breeders especially distinguish green and yellow individuals. Red birds are spectacular, but their voices do not caress the ear. Variegated ones without scarlet shades in feathers sing wonderfully. The arias are performed only by the male. The bird sings throughout the year, with the exception of the molting time. The most remarkable performance is in February-March, when the mating season is underway. The female only sings along: short, rare, less melodious. Caring for canaries of any kind is the same. Everyone who decides to have a bird should know the conditions for keeping a pet.
Canaries are quickly tamed, trusting, and amenable to education. They easily get used to the owner, under comfortable conditions they breed without problems.
Canary cage size: length 35 cm, width 22 cm, height 29 cm. The distance between the bars of the cage should not exceed 1.5 cm. Otherwise, the bird may stick its head between the bars and get stuck. Door on the side, stainless steel double bottom - the characteristic of a good cage. The double bottom will allow you to easily clean the cage, changing the sand in it, and will facilitate the necessary regular disinfection.
The place where the cage stands should be well lit: a dark corner will not work, direct sunlight is also unacceptable. It is necessary to install a perch in the cage - round perches 1.5 cm thick. Perches with a rough surface are best suited. They are set at such a distance from each other that the bird jumps from perch to perch with a flap of wings.
Cage cleaning requires careful approach. All the contents of the cage: pallet, feeders, perches, drinkers, are cleaned at least 2 times a week, doused with boiling water several times. The next step is treatment with a disinfectant solution, for example, chamomile infusion or potassium permanganate solution. Dry after treatment with solution. The pallet is covered with white paper, it is changed every 2-3 days. Clean, river, dry sand is also applicable as bedding.
Feeders are most convenient if they are hinged and retractable. Putting the feeder on the bottom of the cage is not practical, as birds scatter food. Mounted feeders allow the bird to eat in a comfortable position, and the owner to clean up less.
Canaries love water. Bathing is good for birds. Water cleanses the skin and strengthens the feathers. Bathing requires a special container and water. room temperature. The water container cannot be left in the cage for a long time; after bathing, the container is removed. Bathing suit must be washed every day. A month after birth, the pet is ready to get acquainted with water procedures. Accustom the birds to bathing gradually. The sooner the process starts, the better. After all, then the pet will be spared the fear of water.
A drinking bowl is installed in the cage, filled with water at room temperature. Drinking bowl material - porcelain, glass. The drinking bowl is installed between the bars of the cage in any place convenient for the bird.
It is useful for a bird to arrange flight walks around the room. In this case, a number of conditions must be observed to ensure safety.
- close all doors and windows;
- remove hot, sharp objects;
- remove pets from the premises.
When creating comfortable conditions for the bird, you should think about good lighting and a long daylight hours. In winter, you can provide additional lighting by installing a lamp next to the cage. The birds wake up with the sunrise, so at night in the summer the cage is covered with a cloth. This measure will allow the owner of the pet to sleep longer.
Feeding
In conditions wildlife the Canary finch, following instincts, feeds on greens, grains, and insects in the right proportions. Home conditions of detention oblige the owner of the bird to take care of a balanced diet.
reproduction
The female lays her first egg 10-12 days after intercourse. Further laying occurs every day, usually a couple has up to 5 testicles. After the appearance of the first egg, it is replaced with a wooden one. This is done with each next testicle until the last. When the female lays the last egg, all previously taken ones are returned to the nest. If the eggs are not replaced the chicks will appear in different days, which will lead to the danger of death of the youngest.
Eggs should be taken out of the nest with a spoon, and not with your hands, so as not to crush. Store in a soft box. The female incubates the eggs for two weeks.. Birds begin to feed their offspring in a day, some, especially caring parents, in a few hours.
The food for the chicks in the first days consists of a hard-boiled egg, finely chopped and mixed with white grated breadcrumbs. After 3-4 days, porridge is added to the diet. Porridge is cooked from rice and millet in milk with the addition of an egg. Food must be stored in the refrigerator.
Cooking porridge is easy:
- boil a glass of water;
- pour a teaspoon of cereal into a glass and cook until the cereal is boiled;
- add 150 gr. to boiled cereals. milk;
- after boiling milk, add 3 teaspoons of cereals and boil;
- salted into boiled porridge and pour an egg into it.
As the chicks grow, the amount of food prepared increases..
A week later, the kenar joins the care of the offspring. On the eighth day the chicks open their eyes, on the twelfth day the chicks try to fly out of the nest. Then the kenar takes full care of the children, as the female must prepare for the next laying and incubation of eggs.
After the ability to fly is established, the chicks are fenced off from their parents with bars. In this case, the female and male will feed the young through the grate. The need for separation is due to the fact that, remaining all together, adults pluck the babies. After two weeks, the chicks are completely independent: they can fly and eat a mixture of grains. Kenars are placed in one cage, females in another and transferred to a normal feeding regimen.
In three weeks kenara begin to try to sing. The songs of the young are not as beautiful as the trills of adult birds, but they allow you to separate males from females. The females do not sing.
One way of breeding is to keep one male with two females. This option creates a serious burden on the female. Breeding in pairs produces healthier offspring and is easier on the birds.
Colored canaries are bred in the same way as songbirds, but they need more attention. Attention should be paid to the selection of individuals for mating. For example, two intensely colored red birds will produce weak offspring with sparse feathers. On the contrary, individuals with a pale color will give birth to healthy chicks with a bright color and beautiful appearance.
It is allowed to cross a pale individual and a brightly colored one, no matter who has the most intense color in a female or male. Part of the brood will take the data of the father, part - the data of the mother, there is a possibility of the birth of defective chicks.
Life span
The average lifespan of a canary is about 10 years., with good care, the birds live up to 15 years. Good care includes:
Canaries are beautiful birds that improve their singing skills throughout their lives. Birds are able to bring joy as pets, live soul to soul with the owner.
