Some Questions

elfhome · Post by **elfhome** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 8:20 pm

These will help me decide if I'm ready to bring Finches into my life, or not. Feel free to answer as many or as little as you like. Please bear in mind I've only started to read up on Finches, and also that my experience is with parrots only. I'm leaning heavily towards Zebra or Society Finches.

My Tiel Bella is a very curious bird. Do you think that she would stress them out too much? (I would keep them in their aviary at all times and make sure they have places to hide if they wish).
Do they do fine with loud noises? I live in a big city, and Bella is also very chatty.
Do they need a yearly well-bird visit, or should it be more frequent or less?
Is it really hard to bring in all the birds at once for their well-bird visit? Or do they need to be brought in on different days?
When I scramble up eggs for Bella can I just put aside a portion for them? What about mashes, or rice?
What about raw veggies? Can I just put aside some of Bella's peppers, carrots, and greens and chop them up finer?
Can they eat the same sprouts I give to Bella (millet, buckwheat, oats, wheat). What sprouts are too big for them?
Is the vinegar/water mix I use to clean Bella's things safe for Finches?
So, how much socialization do they need? Even though they don't like being handled what are good ways to keep them occupied? I would get several, and I hear that helps them.

lyderbug · Post by **lyderbug** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 11:36 pm

I wouldn't put the finches in the same aviary as the tiel bella. Most finches are best with their own species.

But some answers to your q's:

they love fresh veggies, outside noises shouldn't bother them too much, yes finches like egg, vinegar water is fine for cleansing, and as long as they have a partner(same sex or not) they usually are pretty happy. they for the most part, do not like to be touched, but my finches do like when we chirp towards them. They know when we get up that we feed them so they go nuts when we walk into the room.

Post by **Sally** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 2:41 am

lyderbug has already answered most of your questions, but since you mention a well-bird visit with the vet, I assume you have an avian vet you use for your cockatiel. Check with your vet, many of them work mostly with hookbills, so do not have much experience with finches. My nearest avian vet charges $45 just for the office visit, and they have little experience with finches. Since I have quite a few, mine simply don't go to the vet. I do my own medicating, and I have been fairly lucky with illnesses. I don't know if cockatiels are similar, but finches tend to not show many symptoms till they are very sick, and then they usually either get better pretty fast, or die within a day or two.

As far as sprouts go, a lot of finch people use special sprouting mixes, which are just mixtures of various seeds finches like. I don't think any of the ones you use would be a problem--even if too big, the finches will nibble at them. Some finches will eat cooked rice.

As far as socialization, finches mostly do not relate to people. They need companionship, but with other finches, preferably their own species, but they will buddy up with other species, too. Never have only one finch, it will be miserable.

Zebra and Society finches are both excellent beginner birds. The Zebras are full of personality, very entertaining, can be a little noisy, and almost always are pushy, with some bordering on aggressive. They have a tendency to feather pluck. Societies are wonderful in that they get along with just about everyone, so they cause fewer problems. Their only down side is that they cannot be sexed visually. Only the males sing, though, and they usually sing a lot, so you can spot the males in a crowd.

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:21 am

well most your questions I THINK are answered,
I dont think you intent to have the finches with the tiel correct? seperate cages and all,

I can say in my bird room i have finches, lovebirds, sun conures, tiels I also have a spoiled tiel whos QUEEN of the universe and NOT ever caged she flies and sit son any cage she chooses and all my finches ignore her,

As for loud noises. I have sun conures need I say more, lol And I vacuum daiy so nois ethey handle, lol

elfhome · Post by **elfhome** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 12:29 pm

Lyderbug has already answered most of your questions, but since you mention a well-bird visit with the vet, I assume you have an avian vet you use for your cockatiel. Check with your vet, many of them work mostly with hookbills, so do not have much experience with finches. My nearest avian vet charges $45 just for the office visit, and they have little experience with finches. Since I have quite a few, mine simply don't go to the vet. I do my own medicating, and I have been fairly lucky with illnesses.

Oh yeah, that's a big thing to consider. My avian vet works mostly with hookbills and I don't know how much experience he has with with Finches. I may end up asking around for another vet. Also, yes Cockatiels tend to hide their illnesses as well.

Yeah, I would keep them apart. Otherwise Bella would probably do them serious harm. Plus Bella has her sleeping cage and owns my home. She's flighted but likes to walk everywhere - the world's worst aviary bird.

The finches would have their own aviary or a big flight cage.

Thank you! You've all been very helpful.

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 3:46 pm

truth be known if a bird got to close to my tiel finch included she would fly away scared she has no idea shes a bird, lol

Geordie · Post by **Geordie** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 10:46 pm

I am finding it hard to believe that most finch owners do not handle their birds, my Javas are never off me, as soon as I open the cage they are all over me, Raff loves to go under my t-shirt and then pop his head out of the neck and then crawl back down my belly, Meanwhile, Riff will be sitting on my shoulder and wondering what the strange lump under my t-shirt is, he will give up pondering after a while and then start to clean my teeth. Polly loves to sit on my hand while I am at the computer and enjoys a free ride while I am using the mouse. My birds also are very comfortable going to strangers. Maybe I am lucky, I don't know, It might be the fact that they see me all the time and are used to people.

meghann · Post by **meghann** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:05 am

My birds see me constantly, but if I even go near them they flee in terror.

Geordie · Post by **Geordie** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 4:34 am

I wonder if it is just the Java species then, all of mine don't have a problem with being with people, Polly especially who really enjoys a room full of people, Riff & Raff are a bit more cautious but after about 2 minutes eyeballing any visitors then they are happy to perch on them

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 5:50 am

I have a desk and compute rin my bird room so am in there ALOT a si have tiels, suns and lovies who require one on one attention, so where as my finches are ALOT LESS flighty than some folks they still get HIGHLY upset once my hand is in there cage,

Ive had breeders comment on how laid back my birds are when folks are around but open there door and eeek wild things lol