Getting finches to use a tube feeder

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Cpht
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Getting finches to use a tube feeder

Post by Cpht » Tue Jun 05, 2018 7:49 pm

Hello everyone,

It's been a while since I have posted but I am very happy with my little finches. I have four now and am looking to get some more. I have 2 societies, a zebra and a female whydah. An odd mix I know, but that's a story for another time. They all get along really well. My zebra is very sweet natured to be a zebra, he gets a little bossy from time to time, but nothing bad. So anyway, I see a lot of people put the tube feeders in for their finches like you put outside for the wild birds. I decided I was going to give it a try. I put it in this afternoon and they were TERRIFIED of it. I decided to leave it in there and they have since calmed down and basically are ignoring it. Now, how do I get them to understand that is where their food comes from? They are still wary of it, but not as perturbed as they were. Will they just go to it when they get hungry enough? I do not want to deprive my babies of food, but I really want this to work. Should I put something attractive in it like some egg? I also apologize if this is posted in the wrong section. I was having trouble figuring out how to make a new post. I really do adore these birds. My male society loves to court his girl and he is constantly singing and dancing around the cage. She has started laying eggs, but unfortunately she has laid them on the bottom of the cage and they have all gotten broken. I'm going to try to put a nest down there and see if she will lay them in there. I would absolutely love for them to raise some babies! Any pointers in that area would be great too! I am becoming a bird hoarder, lol. I bought a couple of parakeets a few weeks ago and I am trying to get them a little more tame. One of them bites really bad. They are very different from my parakeets I had before and it's going to take some time for them to come around, but I think they will. These birds are so wonderful and I love to hear them chattering all day. I talk to them all of the time and they always make me smile. God sure knew what He was doing when he created birds. They are awesome!
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wildbird
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Re: Getting finches to use a tube feeder

Post by wildbird » Tue Jun 05, 2018 11:20 pm

Try putting a sprig of millet on the feeder, but always have food available in the dishes or cups they are used to. If there is a nest available, the Societies would normally use that to lay eggs in. It might be that they are too young or a first clutch might do that. In time they will get it right.

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Fraza
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Re: Getting finches to use a tube feeder

Post by Fraza » Wed Jun 06, 2018 3:16 am

Cpht nice society finch u
FINCHES I HAVE
Bengalese
zebras
Java sparrows
Silver bills
java x beng hybrid



PETS IVE HAD
dogs
Fish
Cocktiel
Doves
Hybrid cherry x Bengalese
Stars
Heck’s
Canary’s

My favourite is COCO my grey pearl society cock been here since the start my flock leader


YOUTUBE CHANNEL
https://m.youtube.com/results?q=fraser% ... de101&sm=3

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Sally
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Re: Getting finches to use a tube feeder

Post by Sally » Wed Jun 06, 2018 11:39 pm

Cpht I agree with wildbird that you want to make sure they are eating, so you may have to put their usual seed dishes back in till you make sure all of them are eating from the tube feeder. Spray millet is a good idea, as most birds love it like candy, and that will let them know the tube feeder is a source of food.

I'll move your post to the General Questions forum, since you had several questions dealing with different areas of finch care. You can find a lot of information at www.finchinfo.com, too.
3 Purple Grenadiers, 1 Goldbreast + 1 cat.

National Finch & Softbill Society - http://www.nfss.org

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