|
|
Post by siobhan on Nov 17, 2014 12:20:11 GMT -5
I was at Petsmart yesterday and they have a canary alone in a cage with a bald spot on his head (practically the whole top of his head) and a sign on his cage that he's "reduced for quick sale." Which annoyed me more than I can express in family-friendly terms. He was all fluffed up and didn't look at all well or happy, and I'm sure the bald spot is another bird plucking him. They usually have more than one canary in the cages together. I never had a canary, but I do have Greta's empty cage all set up and ready to go. My grandmother raised canaries and loved them. I realize he might not be in very good health, but on the other hand, maybe getting out of the store and into a warm home where he's loved will perk him up.
The thing is, I don't know anything about canaries. Granny's canary hobby was before my time and she died when I was only 5, so all I know is Mom mentioning it (she attributed my love of birds to Granny's genetic influence, LOL). Do you let them out to fly around? Can you tame them to sit on your finger? Or would he be happier left alone and in his cage? He'd have to live in Ringo's room because the parrots would walk on his cage and scare him and stress him. Ringo might, too, but she's only one bird whereas in the parrots' room he'd have six of them annoying him. The last wild bird I tried to rescue was a robin, and he lived in Ringo's room until he died, and she was very concerned and sweet about it.
|
|
|
|
Post by easttex on Nov 17, 2014 14:11:21 GMT -5
You seem to be the kind of person that animals in need just find their way to.  I haven't known all that many canaries, and never personally known one that was handle-able, but I would bet it would be possible if someone put enough time and effort into it. Undoubtedly easier if the bird is young. I think they can free fly, but they are finches so tend to be skittish, and are probably best kept confined to a smaller room, and when you have enough time to let it get hungry enough to return to the cage. |
|
|
|
Post by siobhan on Nov 17, 2014 14:45:32 GMT -5
I would probably have to convince Ringo to take back her old cage, and give her big flight cage to the canary, so if he remained skittish and/or they didn't get on, he could still get enough exercise. She spends all day every day free to fly around her room, though she does like to hang out in her cage (her choice to make), but because of that she doesn't need that big flight cage. Greta's cage is small and not suitable for living in full time. I tried to give Greta a bigger cage and it scared her to pieces -- she was a shy and easily upset bird -- so I let her keep her tiny cage and figured that since she really only slept in it, the size wasn't important. However, her small cage would do for the canary at first, while he got used to us and settled in, and I could worry about switching cages around later. It's certainly as big as the thing they have him in at Petsmart.
|
|
|
|
Post by cnyguy on Nov 17, 2014 20:52:36 GMT -5
It's been more than 50 years since I've lived with a canary, but I can remember that our canary Billie (previously called William, until she laid an egg  ) was quite content to stay in her cage. However, I have known of canaries who would happily perch on a finger. So it is possible to work with them to do that. Billie's cage was rather small, probably only about 18" x 12" x 20" but it seemed to be big enough to suit her-- though, as with parrot cages, I suppose that bigger is better and even a little canary would appreciate a little room to move around. |
|
|
|
Post by Jan and Shah on Nov 17, 2014 22:18:03 GMT -5
Hi Siobhan, I have had canaries in the past but never trained them. As they were kept in their cages all day, I purchased long flight cages so they could fly from one to the other. I know you are upset about Greta, but why don't you get that little canary? I know it might not last for long but at least its last few weeks on earth will be filled with love and caring.
|
|
|
|
Post by siobhan on Nov 17, 2014 22:46:16 GMT -5
I did go and get her (turns out she's a girl) and she looked much better and more alert today. They told me she's been at the store about a year, and that their vet had looked at her and done tests and she's perfectly healthy. They don't know why she has that bald spot. She was eating millet enthusiastically when I got there, and her poop looked normal to me, but it wouldn't have mattered. I'd made up my mind. It's horribly cold today, but I took off my winter scarf and wrapped it around the box and hustled her out to my truck in a hurry and got the heat going so she wouldn't get too cold. I got her home and dug Greta's cage out of the storeroom, which I hadn't dismantled because you know how long a cage stays empty around here, and fixed her up with water and food and cleared a spot for the cage and got her into it. Ringo was curious but not pushy about it, and after I made sure Trixie (that's her name) was comfortable, I let her be for the most part this evening. I checked her periodically, and I took out Greta's swing, which she liked but it was kind of big for her, and replaced it with a swing from Benjy's cage that he didn't use anyway. It's more her size, but I can't tell yet if she likes it. If she ignores it, I'll put Greta's swing back, even though it's kind of big for a tiny little thing like her. She hops around from perch to perch and seems interested in the toys, but doesn't know what to do with them. She didn't have any at the store and only one perch. Now that I've seen her in Greta's cage, which seemed small for Greta, I think it will probably do fine for her. If she settles in and I can tame her down, I'll try letting her out, but after a year in a small enclosure at the store, she may not care. It's hard to guess what Ringo will do, but so far, so good.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jan and Shah on Nov 18, 2014 0:04:54 GMT -5
Good for you Siobhan. And welcome to Trixie. Let us know how she goes.
|
|
|
|
Post by biteybird on Nov 18, 2014 6:05:09 GMT -5
Hi Siobhan, good on you for rescuing a tiny bird in need. I currently have about 20 canaries in an outdoor aviary. They are perky, lively little birds and easily pleased. I've read that strong draughts are dangerous to them, but if yours is inside it won't be an issue. In my experience canaries are only interested in toys as far as stripping/dismantling them goes...sometimes they will be attracted to moving metal bells with their beaks, or just generally investigating something new.
They are definitely less demanding and less social 'maintenance' than parrots.
I have had some singleton canaries that will hop on my finger, but don't expect a parrot-type engagement from them. Having said that, they look at me intently and they are a lovely breed of bird that will lift your heart, especially when they whistle (males only)!
I've bred canaries that, inexplicably, have had bald heads from the start and seemed happy. None have lived longer than 3 years or so, but that may be coincidental.
Good luck and let us know how you go.
|
|
|
|
Post by siobhan on Nov 18, 2014 10:04:53 GMT -5
Trixie is in there singing right now, and she greeted me this morning with a funny little chirp that sounded like something you'd hear in a cartoon. When I uncovered her cage, she looked right at me and started chirping, and she hopped on her swing and tried all her perches and investigated her water dish. I'm going to put a little dish on the floor of her cage so she can have a bath if she likes. I'll bet she never got one at the store. I think she likes us.
|
|
|
|
Post by siobhan on Nov 18, 2014 14:06:02 GMT -5
She also had some breakfast and a drink of water and checked out her bathtub, but hasn't had a bath yet. She sang and sang while I dried my hair (I also use that room for my dressing room) instead of being afraid of the hair dryer, too. Ringo always chatters and whistles to the hair dryer, but I didn't think Trix would this soon.
|
|
|
|
Post by easttex on Nov 18, 2014 15:21:08 GMT -5
It sounds likes she is just where she ought to be. |
|
|
|
Post by siobhan on Nov 18, 2014 16:44:13 GMT -5
I don't think Trixie's always been bald. The store clerk who takes care of the birds there told me she thought maybe Trix had rubbed her head against things so much she wore the feathers off, so she must have had feathers at one time. Maybe she had a bad molt and was trying to work off the pins and overdid it. A friend of mine was going to go and adopt her if I didn't, after he saw me post about her on Facebook, but I beat him to it. LOL He's got a tiel and a pigeon and is almost as crazy a bird person as I am.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jan and Shah on Nov 18, 2014 18:27:59 GMT -5
How wonderful that Trixie is so engaging and probably very thankful for getting a new home. I love reading about her. She sounds very happy in her new digs. Canaries are lovely little birds.
|
|
|
|
Post by siobhan on Nov 18, 2014 18:42:12 GMT -5
I don't know why I never thought of getting one before. Most of my birds are foundlings and rescues, and nobody ever offered me a canary, so that's probably why. They are very expensive at the store and bird fairs. But, expensive or not, I always stop and speak to the birds at Petsmart but for some reason had not particularly noticed the canaries before and on Sunday, when I couldn't stop looking at her, I took it for a sign that I should take her home.
|
|
|
|
Post by cnyguy on Nov 18, 2014 21:25:49 GMT -5
Welcome to the flock, Trixie! It isn't necessarily only male canaries who will sing or whistle. That assumption was why my family decided to name our canary William, which (see above) was an incorrect assumption. |
|
I haven't known all that many canaries, and never personally known one that was handle-able, but I would bet it would be possible if someone put enough time and effort into it. Undoubtedly easier if the bird is young. I think they can free fly, but they are finches so tend to be skittish, and are probably best kept confined to a smaller room, and when you have enough time to let it get hungry enough to return to the cage.
) was quite content to stay in her cage. However, I have known of canaries who would happily perch on a finger. So it is possible to work with them to do that. Billie's cage was rather small, probably only about 18" x 12" x 20" but it seemed to be big enough to suit her-- though, as with parrot cages, I suppose that bigger is better and even a little canary would appreciate a little room to move around. 
