Please help me with my finch....

[chirpy]

cjegan2014

Hi there

I found some black ones on ebay for $53- free ship.
Seeing as your boss wants you to take care of the finchie maybe he can invest in it for you - or go halves? its worth an ask

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Canary-Parakeet ... 20e0edd43b

[Nerien]

I have the white petco cages, and you can see the birds inside just fine. In fact, as the walls where they are are white, I think the white cages look better if in front of white walls. I have a black wire cage, same design, also, and against the white wall I think the black cage is more obvious, not less. So if you can't find a black cage for your bird, go ahead with the white one, it's not so bad. The space inside is much more important.

[Corkysgirl]

I saw some flight cages while I was on Amazon also...while looking for a divider for one of my cages. I own a few of the white flight cages exactly like Ginene has. I love them! I couldn't watch the video for some reason. It didn't work for me. Wish I could have seen your bird. You're going to enjoy her so much! If you get a male zebra, they may multiply quickly. Then you'll be addicted like many of us. It's a great addiction to have! Enjoy!

[cjegan2014]

Thank you guys so much for your reply. I will see what's going on with the video and upload some new videos and pictures.....I have a question though...how intelligent are these birds ? Does anyone know ?

[cjegan2014]

Here's a new video of my Zebra Finch...still haven't got the cage just yet....VID_20140403_073957.mp4 - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B01a4a ... sp=sharing

[finchmix22]

I think intelligence varies by species. For example, we know parrots are very intelligent and learn at a level similar to a young child. I have observed my Green Singers to be intelligent and curious birds. They are not as flighty and more calm and seem to want to interact with me. We hand tamed two GS in the past and began to teach them tricks, just like you might train a parrot.
As far as my other species, they seem instinctively smart, but I don't know if they are intelligent like parrots. My Society's seem a little more curious and the parrot finches and owls are more flighty and less interactive with humans, but they're very interactive and social with each other.
Welcome to the forum!

[chirpy]

My society seem to know when the veggies are coming the routine of taking things out of te cage to them = new food!
Well that's as far as mine know lol

[Corkysgirl]

I think intelligence also varies from bird to bird within a species. I have raised hundreds of zebra finches but my first two which are 10 years old now are my smartest by far. Only the male...brother to the female, has ever reproduced...for some reason, though the female has fostered others offspring very well. The female and I have a special relationship. She comes over to me and sits when I'm on the computer. She interacts and seems to understand much more than other finches. She's also the Matriarch. She won't get in her nest to sleep until every other bird in the room settles down at night. She's a worrier! By the way, cjegan2014, I know your post is a little older so I'm not sure the status now. In watching your video, I think she's trying to tell you she wants a mate. I hope you found a larger cage. White works fine for me. I love my white flight cages.

[MiaCarter]

Agreed!
Intelligence definitely varies among species and there are different types of intelligence too.
Finches aren't like parrots and more interactive hookbill species -- they can't learn to speak and they don't "play" like many of the smarter species. But that means they also don't have many of the behavioral/emotional problems of those larger, smarter birds.
95% of finch behavior is driven by instinct, I think. Whereas some of the smarter bird species are less instinct-driven and more "conscious."

But like all animals, they do best with routine and can easily learn through repetition. So for instance, my finches (also Zebra finches) know that when I come in and turn on their light in the morning and start pulling out the food bowls that it means it's time to eat and come out to fly! So they get excited and start bouncing around and singing.

I've found that finches do better learning when you associate a unique whistling or similar sound (rather than words) with a routine. I'll make random whistlings and squeaks until one resonates with them (they all fall silent and look at you or all start vocalizing in response).
Then, I'll pair that sound with an action, like feeding time or putting my hand inside the cage to clean or whatever.
I guess it's my attempt to speak bird. Over time, they'll recognize what your sounds mean. So for instance, if I make the feeding time sound, they get excited and start making their way to the lower perch.
This works better with the smarter hookbills, but it also works with finches as long as you're consistent.

From what you wrote, it sounds like you've tried to let her out of the cage?
This can be tricky, as catching them can make this more trouble than it's worth. But if you have a room that you can bird-proof and don't mind catching her or waiting for her to return to her cage, she'll love stretching her wings.
Just be sure to eliminate dangers in the room. NO CEILING FANS! These are a death trap! No toxic plants. Cover trash cans. Avoid those little air fresheners with the sticks in the jar -- they're full of chemicals and they're the perfect size to land on. And just be sure to create an environment where she can't escape to the outdoors.
I have a bird-proofed room for my guys and I'll pull up the food bowls for disinfecting and cleaning while they're flying around. Then, an hour or two later, I'll return them when it's time to go back to their cage and they make their way back to the cage naturally because they're hungry and I've stocked it with goodies!

Many finches aren't hand-friendly if they haven't been handled as youngsters. But with training and patience, many adults can be hand-friendly. The cliff's notes version: You can start by moving the cage alongside you while you're on the computer or doing something else where you're sitting quietly, with minimal movement. They'll quickly get used to your presence. Then, you can stick a finger through the bars or put your hand through one of the doors and just be patient. They'll come to check it out. Stillness is the key early on, then gradually, you start moving slightly and get them used to that. Once they're comfortable with landing on your hand inside the cage, you can try it outside. As with any animal, it's a gradual process. And it won't work with all birds. Some just aren't all that interested in humans.

Did you get her a friend? I *strongly* recommend this. Finches are super social. In most cases, a single finch is a sad finch.

I think of it in human terms: I love my animals, but no matter how bonded you are and how human-like an animal is, it just doesn't compare to the company of another human.
I think it's the same way with birds, dogs, cats, etc. A relationship with a human is wonderful, but it can't replace the relationship with another of their own species.

If you're still covering the cage, make sure it's a fabric with a tight weave that her nails won't get caught in.
Years ago, I covered my cage with a fleece blanket and one of the finches landed on the bar and her nail snagged the fleece fibers. She got stuck and I had to rescue her. She wasn't injured, as I was in the room when it happened and helped right away. But if I wasn't there to help and she remained stuck, she could have been hurt or even died.
I don't cover my cages anymore. They have a quiet room that's nice and dark at night -- no TVs or lights to bother them and no foot traffic to cause night frights.

Best of luck! I saw you posted a few weeks ago so I'd love to hear how your girl is doing!