How to Live with a Canary
Canaries make lovely pets for people who appreciate their melodic song and beauty. As long as they are not normally touched or held, an individual is happy living in a suitable enclosure with multiple perches. Multiple birds may be housed together only with sufficient perches and feeding stations.
What to Know About Your Canary
Originally from the Canary Islands, canaries have been maintained in captivity for many centuries. This domestication has resulted in distinct color, size and shape mutations, including various feather traits and singing abilities. These varieties from the small gene pool may result in genetic abnormalities and shortened life span.
The most common health issues to aware of are: feather disorders (cysts, baldness, other feather abnormalities), obesity, fatty tumors, and the presence of mites (air sac, trachea, tasselfoot, scaly face).
Is My Canary a Boy or Girl?
Although gender determination may not be evident in very young birds, male canaries begin singing as early as three months of age. During the breeding season, males are especially vocal, and their vent area becomes enlarged and prominent.
How to Keep Your Canary Happy
In contrast to some psittacine pet birds that appreciate human contact and interaction, canaries are not considered sociable. An individual can be content in its enclosure by itself, spending its day eating and flying from perch to perch. It is best to keep male canaries separate as they may incite fighting, but being within auditory range may stimulate singing. If breeding of canaries is being considered, the male and female should not be housed together until both are in breeding condition.
What Do Canaries Eat?
Canaries should be offered a fresh, pesticide-free food specifically formulated for canaries. Or, a variety of small organic seeds suitable for canaries may be offered along with small amounts of fresh produce. During the molting and breeding seasons, they are offered a high protein “egg food.”