Palmistry 

Migratory canary. Canaries: appearance and habitat. Meninger's Curly Canary

The house canary is a subspecies of finch native to the Canary Islands. The bird is found in the Canary Islands, Azores Islands and Madeira Island. More than 5 centuries have passed since man tamed the bird. As a result of selection, the finch's vocal apparatus has changed. The singing of a domestic canary differs from the singing of wild species.

Canary: maintenance and care at home

Varieties of canaries

In most cases, yellow canaries are kept as pets. But this does not mean that the bird’s plumage is only yellow. There are three main types of house canaries.

Colored canaries. The color of colored canaries is varied: yellow, red, green, gray, white, variegated. Gray canaries are especially notable, they are born from the combination of green and yellow breeds. As a result of crossing, the color of the birds varies from matte black to silver. The red canary is the most striking, this color is rarely found in nature. Variegated canaries come in a wide range of colors and their common name is harlequin.

Decorative canaries. The distinctive features of the birds are their unusual plumage and body shape. The names of some breeds of decorative canaries speak for themselves, for example, curly and humpback.

Singers. Canaries of all kinds sing. Singers have beautiful melody variations, their voices are more musical. Dim birds are traditionally considered the best singers. Canary breeders especially highlight green and yellow individuals. Red birds are spectacular, but their voices are not pleasing to the ear. Pied birds without scarlet shades in their feathers sing wonderfully. Only the male performs arias. The bird sings throughout the year, with the exception of molting time. The most notable performance is in February-March, when the mating season is underway. The female only sings along: briefly, rarely, less melodiously. Caring for any type of canary is the same. Anyone 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, and under comfortable conditions they reproduce 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. A door on the side and a double stainless steel bottom are characteristics of a good cage. The double bottom will make it easy to clean the cage by changing the sand in it, and will facilitate the necessary regular disinfection.

The place where the cage stands must be well lit: a dark corner is not suitable, 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 most suitable. They are installed at such a distance from each other that the bird jumps from perch to perch when flapping its wings.

Cleaning the cage requires a careful approach. The entire contents of the cage: tray, feeders, perches, drinkers, are cleaned at least 2 times a week, pouring boiling water over them several times. The next step is treatment with a disinfectant solution, for example, chamomile infusion or potassium permanganate solution. After treatment with the solution, dry. The pallet is covered with white paper, which is changed every 2-3 days. Clean, river, dry sand is also suitable as bedding.

Feeders are most convenient if they are hinged and extend out. It is not practical to place the feeder at the bottom of the cage, as the birds scatter the food. Hanging feeders allow birds to eat in a comfortable position and the owner to have less to clean up.

Canaries love water treatments. Bathing is good for birds. Water cleanses the skin and helps strengthen the feathers. For bathing you need a special container and water at room temperature. A container of water cannot be left in the cage for a long time; after bathing, the container is removed. The bathing suit must be washed every day. A month after birth, the pet is ready to get acquainted with water procedures. Birds are gradually accustomed to bathing. The sooner the process begins, the better. After all, then the pet will be freed from fear of water.

A drinking bowl is installed in the cage and filled with water at room temperature. The material of the drinking bowl is 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 long daylight hours. In winter, additional lighting can be provided by installing a lamp next to the cage. Birds wake up at sunrise, so at night in the summer the cage is covered with a cloth. This measure will allow the pet owner to sleep longer.

Feeding

In the wild, the Canary finch, following its instincts, feeds on greens, grains, and insects in the right proportions. Home conditions oblige the bird owner to take care of a balanced diet.

Reproduction

The female will lay the first egg 10-12 days after sexual intercourse. Then laying occurs every day, usually a couple has up to 5 testicles. After the first egg appears, it is replaced with a wooden one. This is done with each subsequent testicle until the last one. When the female lays the last egg, all those previously taken are returned to the nest. If the eggs are not replaced, the chicks will appear on different days, which will lead to the risk of death of the youngest ones.

Eggs should be removed from the nest with a spoon, not with your hands, so as not to crush them. Store in a box with soft litter. The female incubates the eggs for two weeks. Birds begin to feed their offspring within a day, some, especially caring parents, after a few hours.

Food for 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 eggs. The food must be stored in the refrigerator.

It’s easy to prepare porridge:

  • boil a glass of water;
  • pour a teaspoon of cereal into a glass and cook until the cereal is boiled;
  • add 150 grams to the boiled cereal. milk;
  • after the milk boils, add 3 teaspoons of cereal and cook;
  • Salt the cooked porridge and pour an egg into it.

As the chicks grow, the volume of prepared food increases..

A week later, the canar joins the care of the offspring. On the eighth day the chicks open their eyes, on the twelfth the chicks try to fly out of the nest. Then the canary takes full care of the children, as the female must prepare for the next clutch and incubation of eggs.

After the ability to fly has been established, the chicks are fenced off from their parents with a lattice. In this case, the female and male will feed the young through the bars. The need for separation is due to the fact that, while remaining together, the 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 the usual feeding regime.

In three weeks the canaries begin to try to sing. The songs of young birds are not as beautiful as the trills of adult birds, but they make it possible to separate males from females. Females do not sing.

One of the breeding methods is keeping one male with two females. This option creates a serious burden on the female. Breeding in pairs produces healthier offspring and is easier for birds to tolerate.

Colored canaries are bred in the same way as songbirds, but they require 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 bright colors and beautiful appearance.

Crossing a pale individual with a brightly colored one is allowed, no matter who has the more intense color - the female or the male. Part of the brood will take the father's data, part - the mother's data, there is a possibility of the birth of defective chicks.

Lifespan

The average lifespan of a canary is about 10 years With good care, birds live up to 15 years. Good care includes:

Canaries are beautiful birds that improve their singing skills throughout their lives. Birds can bring joy as pets and live in perfect harmony with their owner.

If you decide to have a feathered friend, but parrots seem too difficult to care for (read about how to care for parrots), you may want to consider canaries. These are one of the most musical birds, quite unpretentious in matters of their maintenance, and for more than a century in a row they have been delighting their owners with melodic trills and the variety of their colors and shapes.

Our publication will tell you more about keeping canaries at home...

What do canaries look like?

The body length of an adult domestic canary can reach 12-14 centimeters, while wild species are somewhat smaller and differ from domestic ones in their coloring. In males, the green color of the plumage on top is combined with longitudinal black stripes, the upper part of his head, the throat area and rump are yellow-green, and the color of the chest closer to the tail turns yellow, while the belly is painted white. The color of the female canary is somewhat paler, she has more gray feather tips, and her back is brown-gray with black stripes. And, here are domestic canaries, they have a bright yellow plumage that covers the bird from head to toe. You can also find a cross between a wild canary and a domestic one - in this case, its color is also very beautiful, and green and yellow colors predominate in it.

Such an attractive appearance and clear voice of the bird, its cheerfulness and sociability make it one of the most beloved birds.

How canaries became domesticated

History claims that at the beginning of the 14th century, Portuguese and Spanish sailors began to bring these small and vocal birds to their homeland from exotic countries. Most likely, these were already domesticated canaries, which were purchased from local residents, who often kept the birds in small cages woven from tree twigs. Gradually, canaries became more and more popular, and from wicker cages they moved into expensive and gem-encrusted cages of noble nobles who liked this bird.

Features of keeping canaries at home

Well, if you decide to have a canary in your home, you should know that these birds are easily and quickly tamed and get used to the owner, they are very trusting, breed well at home and can even be trained. With good and proper care, the bird can live up to 15-18 years. The main thing is to create the most comfortable conditions for her for this.

Canary cage

For a canary, you should choose a cage whose size would be up to 35 centimeters in length, up to 22 centimeters in width, and up to 29 centimeters in height. At the same time, the distance between the rods should be no more than 1.2-1.4 centimeters, so that the bird does not inadvertently stick its head between the rods and get stuck. The cage door should be located on the side. It is better to make the bottom double, and it is advisable to make the inner bottom from stainless steel. Such a bottom should be retractable, then it will be more convenient for you to clean and put away the cage, change the sand in it and carry out periodic mandatory disinfection.

Accessories for the cage

Feeders for food can also be placed on the bottom of the cage, however, as practice shows, birds often scatter food, so it is better to make the feeder retractable and hinged. In this position, it will be convenient for the bird to eat, and you will have to clean up less.

Be sure to make sure that there is a special perch in the canary’s cage - it consists of round perches, the thickness of which is at least 1.5 centimeters. The surface of such perches should remain rough and not cleaned, and the distance between them should be such that the canary can flap its wings while jumping from one perch to another.

You should be aware that canaries love water, so they adore all kinds of water procedures. By the way, they are good for birds, cleanse the skin and strengthen the plumage of canaries. The main thing is that the water for such a bath should not be cold or hot; it is better to take it at room temperature; it should be poured into a special bathing suit, which you attach to the outside of the cage door so that water does not get into the cage. However, the water bath should not be kept in the cage all the time. After the bird has bathed, the bathing suit should be removed and the cage doors closed. These swimsuits must be washed every day.

To ensure that your canary is not afraid of such water procedures, accustom her to them from an early age. When the canary reaches 35 days from birth, you can begin to introduce it to the bathing suit and water.

The cage should also have a drinking bowl for the canaries. The water in it should be at room temperature, and it is better to let the drinking bowl itself be glass or porcelain. It can be installed at the bottom of the cage, in a place convenient for your feathered pet.

Between the bars of the cage you can also install small feeders or plastic plugs into which you will periodically pour bird feed.

Where to put a canary cage

The canary cage should be installed in a well-lit place, but not in direct sunlight or in a draft. If you have the opportunity to close the doors to the room and cover the window, you can let the canary out of the cage to fly. However, make sure that the bird does not fly into the corridor or out the window.

Cleaning the canary's cage

You should clean your feathered friend's cage at least 2 times a week. At the same time, it is better to place the bird in another cage during cleaning. During cleaning, you will also need to remove and wash all accessories in hot water, including drinking bowls, bathing bowls, and perches. Once a month it is worth disinfecting the cage.

After cleaning the cage, you should not immediately transplant the bird there. Let the cage dry well and ventilate, only then can the canary be returned to it.

The main type of food for canaries is a grain mixture. However, to prevent birds from becoming obese, it is very important to comply with the daily feed allowance, as otherwise the birds may become obese.

On average, 1 adult bird requires 1-1.5 teaspoons of this grain mixture.

When the canary begins the molting period, the daily food intake can be increased to 2 teaspoons.

Birds can also be offered grated carrots, yolk, honey, soft and green food (bell peppers, cabbage, lettuce and spinach, dandelion and celery, parsley, pears, apples, strawberries) as feed. Canaries can also be offered other vegetables and fruits; they should be cut into small pieces and inserted between the bars of the cage.

Despite such a rich diet, do not forget about mineral nutrition for poultry. It is better to pour it into a separate feeder and give the canaries chalk, crushed egg shells, shell rock or coarse sand, and charcoal. Non-carbonated mineral water can serve as an addition to this feeding.

It is very important that the bird always has access to food, since the bioenergy metabolism of canaries is quite intense and they cannot be left without food even for several hours.

You can periodically add nuts and sunflower seeds to the canaries’ menu. However, new products should be introduced gradually, since a sudden change in diet can cause intestinal upset in the canary and cause untimely molting.

By the way, when you buy a canary, be sure to ask what its previous owners fed it in order to make a smooth transition to your feeding diet.

How to tame a canary

Canaries are very sociable birds, so if you take care of them, groom them, talk to them in a gentle and even voice (it is recommended that the bird sees you while you talk), you will definitely gain the trust of your feathered friend and become friends with him. When the bird gets used to you, you can teach it to sit on your hand or shoulder. Find out here.

Before you get a pet, you need to thoroughly study all the information about it. Firstly, this concerns the species characteristics of the selected pet, its characteristic features, and requirements for living conditions. Only with all the information will you be able to make the right choice and create the most comfortable environment for the new resident of your apartment or house.

Our article will be useful for those who want to get a canary.

You will learn about the species of this beautiful songbird and its living conditions in its natural environment. And also about what is required from you to maintain it.

It is worth noting the fact that the canary family has many species. Although many mistakenly believe that this bird in its classic version is the only one of its kind.

There are a lot of breeds of decorative canaries and an inexperienced person can easily get lost in their abundance. For maximum convenience in classifying birds belonging to the same species, they are divided into breed groups. Among them are:

  • humpbacks;
  • painted;
  • curly;
  • crested;
  • colored;
  • curly canaries.

Each of them has a unique set of characteristics and qualities, differs in requirements for living conditions, nutrition, as well as external qualities. This is the information that everyone who plans to get this singing beauty needs to know.

Now let's talk more specifically about each of the above groups.

Humpback canaries

This group includes several varieties, namely:

  • Munich birds;
  • Belgian;
  • Scottish;
  • Japanese;
  • jiboso.

Belgium is rightly considered the birthplace of this breed group. Because it was in this country that the first humpbacked canaries were born. They differ significantly from others:

  • large in size (body length reaches 22 cm);
  • life posture of birds (vertical body with arched neck). At first glance, it may seem that the bird is bowing to those around it. Experienced poultry farmers, true fans of this breed, try to further emphasize this feature of their pets by placing the perches in the cage in such a way that the bird has to constantly bend, increasing the bend of its neck.

The species was especially popular in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the country in which it was bred. But the cruel times of the First World War did not bypass this sphere of human activity; canine breeding suffered seriously, as a result of which the further development of the breed came to a standstill. But today, if you wish, you can still find the humpbacked bird.

You can see the appearance of the bird in the photo.

Painted

This group is divided into only two subgroups:

  • lizard or lizard. It is this variety that has a high price on the poultry market. This strange name is explained by the presence of a scaly pattern on the upper part of the plumage. The white border that outlines each feather gives it special beauty. Scientists distinguish two color groups of lizard painted canaries:
  • silver;
  • golden

There is also a blue-gray color, but it is less common. The golden representatives, which are characterized by an orange tint of plumage, are particularly beautiful.

One cannot ignore the fact that such a unique pattern is not present in the bird throughout its entire life. Its appearance dates back to the second year of life, and its disappearance to the third. As a result of molting, the bird gets rid of it. You can find out more detailed information about this process in our other articles.

  • London As for the English, these are small representatives of their family with a tendency to frequently change color. The periods of maturation are reflected in the appearance of these birds. For example, in early adolescence they have a green-brown color, which gradually turns to yellow-orange with a black tail. Toward maturity, the color becomes more modest, evolving during the molting process.

Curly

This group contains six species categories. Four of which can boast English roots, and the remaining two are Swiss.

English:

  • Border;
  • mini border;
  • Yorkshire;
  • Norwich.

Swiss:

  • Bernese;
  • Spanish

Kenars of this breed group are characterized by narrow, compressed feathers that fit tightly to the body. Thanks to this arrangement of the feather covering, it has a silky, smooth texture that is pleasant to the touch and the same body surface. As for appearance, it is quite diverse, for example, Norwich canaries are quite large, well-fed birds with a short tail and legs, while Yorkshire representatives are more delicate and sophisticated. They can be considered an example of model appearance among the bird world. A small head, thin body, short beak and unusually long tail will not leave anyone indifferent. The coloring also surprises with its bright colors. Figured canaries are yellow, green, brown, and sometimes even pure white.

Crested

You have already seen what crested kenars look like in real life. Now let's talk about who is usually classified in this category. This group includes 4 varieties:

  • crested cauliflower;
  • Lancashire Large canaries can be crested or crestless. If there is a crest, it is distinguished by fairly large dimensions. Therefore, he slightly covers the bird’s eyes. They have a whimsical disposition and require careful care;
  • Gloucester. It is considered the smallest, since the body length from head to tail is only eleven centimeters. These birds can have a crest that does not cover the bird’s eyes, or without it;
  • baptism


Colored

Canaries of this species subgroup differ from others in the variety of existing colors. Scientists explain this fact by the fact that the plumage of birds combines two pigments (lipochrome, melanin). Thanks to the first, birds have black, red-brown, yellow feathers, while the second helps to create bright colorful accents and colors. If the owners want to somehow adjust the color, this can be done with the help of nutrition. For example, sunflower or hemp seeds, which are oily by nature, will darken the bird’s fur, but carrots, crushed corn, and sweet bell peppers will add bright colors.

Due to the dominance of one pigment or another, colored canaries are divided into several types. The main ones took their name from the predominance of pigments:

  • lipochrome. As a rule, they are painted in one color without any spots or stripes. They can be bright yellow, white, orange, red and even pink;
  • melanin. This group, in turn, consists of four color categories: black, brown, agate, and isabella. Melanin is not always distributed evenly. Because of this, spots, stripes, and variegations may appear. Kenars with symmetrical spotting are in great demand. In general, green is considered to be the original color of songbirds. White birds look unusual and fascinating.

The history of the appearance of red canaries is interesting. To achieve this color, breeders were forced to engage in interspecific crossing, combining the usual yellow canary with a red siskin.

curly canaries

  • Parisian trumpeters;
  • French curly;
  • northern;
  • Milanese;
  • Italian gibbers;
  • Paduan;
  • Swiss;
  • Fiorino (this breed is the youngest in the bird world, it was first mentioned and officially registered at the end of the twentieth century, 1983).

For the first time, curly-haired canaries, except for the last specimen, were presented in the vastness of Holland in early modern times. A distinctive feature of the birds was their large size and curled feathers on the chest. This appearance amazed the French; thanks to developed economic ties and merchant business, canaries from the Dutch expanses came to France, where they began to win more and more hearts. Accordingly, French biologists could not stand aside and tried to develop a new breed through natural selection. They succeeded. Parisian curlytails were more than 20 cm in length with a thirty-centimeter wingspan. Plus, even due to their size, the birds were extremely graceful, neat, and sophisticated. The feathers were distinguished by clear sizes, were contoured, long, and curly feathers were curled into curls that were not inferior to the curls of ladies.

Among other things, the vertical position of their body and various color variations (from variegated to white and yellow feathers) attracted more and more poultry farmers to this particular breed. An integral attribute of the canaries was their magnificent voice. The singing is in many ways similar to the singing of ordinary domestic kenars, but the presence of aristocratic notes is quite noticeable.

Remember!!! It is better to entrust the feeding of French curly canary chicks to outbred individuals, since their maternal instinct is developed at the highest level. They are able to provide the babies with proper care.

Much later, the Italians took the same path as the French. The result of the work of breeders was the birth of very heat-loving canaries.

The disadvantage of all groups of the breed is capriciousness and pickiness. Curly-haired cats are very demanding in terms of living conditions and daily diet (it must be special, combining canary seed, millet, flax and rapeseed. And very little of the latter is needed. In the warm season, greens become an obligatory component. Do not forget to also feed woodlice to avoid diseases ).

Well, we have discussed with you the existing species and breed groups of magnificent canaries. Surely you have already noticed the abundance of groups and species, their features and characteristics. It also became clear that nutrition, along with living conditions, directly depends on the chosen breed and its country of origin. Now it will not be difficult for novice poultry farmers to make their choice.

Do not doubt, the bird will delight you not only with its excellent vocal abilities, but also with its attitude towards its owners!

Quite often, people choose small birds as pets. In a small apartment, they do not take up too much space, they do not require daily walks, they do not damage furniture, and they provide much more communication than fish or turtles. Among all the feathered living creatures, budgerigars are in first place in popularity, and the domestic canary is in second place. We will talk about representatives of the latter species.

Types of canaries

Most people mistakenly believe that this bird is only yellow. Most often, they are actually kept as pets. However, the canary bird actually comes in three varieties.


Whatever canaries are chosen, their maintenance and care are the same. And even though caring for them is not difficult, every future owner of these birds must know the basics and details.

The right house

First of all, you will need, of course, a cage for the canaries. It is better to choose it in a simple form, without decorative frills, domes and other details. The birds themselves are beautiful and do not need additional accessories, but cleaning the house will be more difficult. What size cage to buy depends on your goals. To keep a single canary singer, a rectangular cage measuring 45/30/25 cm will be enough. If you plan to breed canaries, you will need as many as three cages:

  1. described above - the canar will live in it during non-breeding time;
  2. a 70/30/40 cm cage in which the birds will breed;
  3. a cage up to a meter long, where the females and the younger generation will be located after nesting.

The ideal choice would be box type cages. On one side they should be lattice (or mesh), and on the rest - plywood, plastic or made of plexiglass. Any one should have two doors: on one the nest or bath will hang (this makes them easier to clean and change), and the other is for caring for the cage.

Cage equipment

The house must have several perches - canaries love to flit from place to place. It’s good if they are made of natural wood - willow, hazel or bird cherry. The perches should be at different heights and have a thickness of 8 to 15 mm, otherwise the birds will be uncomfortable on them. A canary cage should include at least three feeders: for mineral feeding, grain and soft food. A bath is a must, preferably a hanging one - these birds love to “splash in the water.” No hanging - put at least a ground bath in the cage, not too light or attached so that the canaries do not turn it over. Drinkers should be positioned with the spouts inward and the mounts facing outward. This will make it easier to fill them. That's basically all the canaries need. Maintaining and caring for them will consist of cleaning and feeding - as we see, there is nothing complicated about this. The main thing is that everything is done regularly and carefully.

Place for a cage

It is very important for the canary, whose maintenance and care you have taken upon yourself, to set up its house correctly. Drafts are dangerous for birds due to colds, so you should not place them close to air conditioners and balcony doors, and the window on the selected window sill should be closed. The kitchen is also prohibited: the humidity and temperature there are constantly changing. And the smells from cooking and cleaning surfaces will not benefit the canaries. Other pets, if you have them, should not be able to drop the cage or even reach it. In addition, it is desirable that the house receives sunlight, at least for a short time: it is beneficial for the birds. In the summer, you can put the cage on the balcony, making sure to shade part of the home so that the canaries have somewhere to hide from the sun.

Cleaning question

Since a canary is not a dog that can be taken outside to “do its business,” future owners of this bird should think in advance about how they will regularly clean the cage. To make your task as easy as possible, you should line the pallet of your feathered pet’s home with something. For this purpose, you can use sand, which will absorb excrement. It can also be easily replaced if necessary. However, keep in mind that canaries are very active birds and will likely scatter sand around the cage. Therefore, it is best to line the bottom with absorbent paper - it is easy to change, and there will be less debris.

To release or not?

There remains one last question regarding your canary. Maintenance and care include concern for her health and safety. So if you give your pet walks around the apartment (especially if you have a cat or dog at home), then you may lose your feathered friend. Open windows are a risk that the bird will fly away. Hot surfaces such as irons and burners also pose a danger to the canary. Moreover, even a curtain in which the bird can become entangled, or a narrow gap from which it cannot get out, threatens it with injury. So most canine breeders advise not to let the birds out of the cage.

What to feed a canary?

In the wild, the bird obtains its own food, paying attention to grains, greens and insects in the right doses. In captivity, she is deprived of the ability to control her diet, so the owners will have to buy special food for canaries. Moreover, you cannot replace it with, for example, food for parrots - the composition is not the same. You should choose medium-priced feed. During molting or nesting, regular food should be replaced with specialized food: this way the birds will survive “difficult” periods more easily. You can add sunflower seeds and crushed buckwheat to the prepared mixtures. Don't forget what the canary eats and soft food. She will have to be given a boiled egg a couple of times a week.

Vitamins for health

Feeding birds only grain and ready-made mixtures is the same as sitting on oatmeal and pasta all the time. Remember that the canary eats greens willingly and with pleasure. In summer, it’s easy to pick the leaves of dandelion, lettuce, sorrel or young plantain. Out of season, bell peppers, apples and grated carrots are suitable. After all, you can buy greens for sprouting at the same pet store. Just don’t go overboard with the amount of vitamins, as the bird’s stomach may react negatively to such “care.”

Minerals are a must!

Food for canaries must certainly include some seemingly inedible things. First of all, it is coarse river sand, which birds need for digestion. You can buy it at a pet store. If you don’t find it, collect it on the beach and scald it several times for disinfection. To provide birds with calcium, ground egg shells or chalk are given (can be hung on a hook). Charcoal is also needed - it is used to treat canaries in case of illness. The pharmacy one is perfect. All these supplements are placed in a dedicated feeder. Don't forget to change them weekly - birds contaminate the contents of the bowls.

Caution: Obesity!

Oddly enough, for such active birds the problem of excess weight is also relevant. Therefore, it is necessary to limit their grain diet. A couple of spoons of basic food per day is enough for one canary, so try to stick to this norm.

Breeding canaries

If you are interested in getting offspring from your pets, decide how you will proceed. There are three possibilities:

  1. Create a permanent pair. In this case, the canaries will always live in the same cage. This option is especially suitable for those who have a small poultry farm.
  2. If there are several females, the male can be placed next to them in turn. In this case, you will need a cage for each canary. Maintenance and care will therefore become more troublesome and take more time.
  3. Equip a spacious enclosure in which the birds will be kept together - 3-4 “girls” for each “guy”. In such conditions, the canaries will sort out their “matchmaking” themselves, and only one room will have to be cleaned. Just remember to put the males back in their cages when nesting is over.

In nature, all mating games begin in the spring - with warming and the appearance of sufficient food. At home, canary breeding can occur at any time.

We have already talked about the houses necessary for successful reproduction. Now let's talk about the material for building nests. Pieces of thick thread no longer than two centimeters are quite suitable, so that the canaries do not get their paws tangled in them. An additional perch should be installed next to the nest, to which the female will move before taking off. Otherwise, she may crush the egg or chick.

Mating season

The signal of readiness for mating will be a short, sharp, calling song of the canary, and the female responds to it (if she agrees) with a squeak. At the same time, she begins to collect building materials that, in her opinion, are suitable (twigs, feathers, etc.) and tries to build a nest in some secluded corner. Having noticed these signs, the canaries need to lengthen the daylight hours: then throw fabric over the cage. At the same time, the proportion of vitamin feed in the birds’ diet should be increased: greens, sprouted grains, vegetables, fruits. If the courtship process is successful in canaries, the first testicle will appear in a week, after which the female will lay eggs for another 2-3 days.

The new mother will hatch the eggs for two weeks. The male does not take part in this process. Chicks that are one month old are already quite independent. They are moved to a meter-long enclosure where they can fly. As soon as it becomes possible to determine the sex of the young, all males are seated in their own apartments, since they are aggressive towards members of their own sex and can fight to the point of injury. Female canaries get along quite well in a common cage.

How to transport canaries

Sometimes it becomes necessary to transport your birds. If transportation is intended over short distances (within one’s hometown, or at most to a country house), this can be done by placing the canaries in small transport cages measuring 15/7/7 cm. Please note that the journey should not last more than three hours: lack of space is bad will affect the birds. To make them feel calmer, you can cover them with a thick rag - “make it night.” Food and partial drinking must be in every cell.

Health control

The owner of a canary must carefully monitor his pet in order to determine in time whether he has lost weight or, conversely, whether he has gained weight, or whether the molting period has approached. Other health problems can only be determined by a veterinarian. Let's find out how to examine the bird yourself. So, the canary is carefully taken into the palm, its head is fixed with the index and middle fingers, and the body is turned upside down. Very quietly, easily the owner blows on a place not covered with feathers. It is called apteria. If panicles of new feathers or stumps are visible, this means that the bird is molting. She may need to be fed with special food. If the apteria is completely covered with fat, then your canary needs a diet and a transplant into a larger cage - a kind of gym.

A well-groomed canary raised in appropriate conditions and fed normally (the photo convincingly proves this) is unusually beautiful. And you will have fun singing!