How many birds will fit???

For questions about finch enclosures (cages & aviaries).
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lovezebs
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Re: How many birds will fit???

Post by lovezebs » Wed Sep 09, 2015 8:06 pm

Lucille & Sally & Sojourner

I have often wondered where the idea of keeping birds in 'small' cages comes from. When I walk into the stores and see these little tiny things (that I wouldn't keep a mouse in), it just sets my teeth on edge and makes me angry.

Why do manufacturers even make these silly things ? I honestly can't fathom. I wouldn't keep ANY bird in some of these cages. How can you take a being that was meant to fly , and put it into a container, where it barely has room to turn around, and expect it to live out it's whole life in that tiny cell.

Even with the large flights, I often look at the feathered kids, and feel that it's not fair to them. I would love to give them so much more room.
~Elana~

Linnies~ Canaries ~ Zebras ~ Societies ~ Gouldians ~ Orange Cheeks ~ Shaft Tails ~ Strawberries ~ Red Cheek Cordon Bleu ~ Goldbreasts ~ Red Brows ~ Owls ~ Budgies ~ Diamond Firetails ~ Javas ~ Forbes Parrot Finches ~

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Sally
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Re: How many birds will fit???

Post by Sally » Wed Sep 09, 2015 8:44 pm

I once bought a Strawberry male from a lady who had listed him on craigslist. We met in a parking lot, and she produced this tiny travel cage with this little finch inside. I was appalled when she told me that this cage had been his home for the year or so that she'd had him! With that, I knew I had to buy this little guy, just to get him out of that cage. He could not fly. I started him out in a large flight and soon realized that he could not fly, he could only hop. It took months for him to develop wing muscles enough to be able to fly, and he never did get really good at it.

This lady thought she was doing the right thing, she bought the cage the pet shop told her was 'perfect for a finch'. Unfortunately, she must have done no research at all, or she would have realized that he could not live in that cage.
3 Purple Grenadiers, 1 Goldbreast + 1 cat.

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

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Re: How many birds will fit???

Post by Lucille » Thu Sep 10, 2015 4:32 am

lovezebs wrote: Lucille & Sally & Sojourner

I have often wondered where the idea of keeping birds in 'small' cages comes from.
In the past, some canary keepers used to say that small cages kept a canary's mind on its singing instead of playing. (Which of course I disagree with and do not think is true).
While a modern canary site does say that bigger is better, here is their recommendation for cage size:
A clean, roomy, secure cage out of direct sunlight (too hot in the afternoon) or drafts (too cold)—a single bird requires a cage of about 12’’ x 12’’ x 10’’ at a minimum

Even now, if one goes to take a look at cage sites, cages advertised for canaries are some of the smallest sold.

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lovezebs
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Re: How many birds will fit???

Post by lovezebs » Thu Sep 10, 2015 7:37 pm

Sally & Lucille

Stories like the Strawberry tale just break my heart. When I see my Berries zooming across over three feet of flight space like it's nothing, I always think-- Too small! Way too small....-- Then I hear a story like this, and it makes me shudder. They so love to fly.....

And the Canary thing..... That absolutely drives me nuts. Many years ago, Canary salesman, used to have this contraption that they would carry on their backs, holding a multitude of tiny cages, each holding a Canary. They would sell these birds in these miniscule containers, and that's how they would live, and still they would sing, these poor creatures.

The idea, that a Canary will only sing in a small cage, is a terrible myth , that persists to this day. My boys will not shut up from morning to night, in a three foot flight.

I was also told by a breeder (believe it or not) that a Canary male, should only be fed one teaspoon of seed per day, or he will get fat, stop singing, and never breed successfully.

My Luciano (who eats whatever he wants, when ever he wants and however much he wants) is not fat, loves to fly, sings all day, and has definitely bred successfully, so much so, that I had to remove all the nests, and I still get eggs laid by his two wives. So much for that cruel myth.
~Elana~

Linnies~ Canaries ~ Zebras ~ Societies ~ Gouldians ~ Orange Cheeks ~ Shaft Tails ~ Strawberries ~ Red Cheek Cordon Bleu ~ Goldbreasts ~ Red Brows ~ Owls ~ Budgies ~ Diamond Firetails ~ Javas ~ Forbes Parrot Finches ~

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Re: How many birds will fit???

Post by justread » Mon Oct 17, 2016 10:51 pm

For what it's worth, and maybe those who are long experienced will wince... I refused to pay the $ pet stores wanted, and quietly waited until my local buy and sell and 2nd hand stores had them available. Then I carefully "merged" them, carefully eliminating any sharp edges where I'd clipped off one side of the cage to match the other.

Because these weren't new I carefully washed everything and threw away anything wood, and replaced dishes of any sort.

If the pair--who might be male and female--have chicks, then I'll add another module. :)

I nearly bought a cage that was higher than wide, 2nd hand, but the woman was experienced enough, and kind enough, I should add, to say that I was looking for the wrong shape.

The birds were certainly happier than in the teeny cage in the pet store! Ah, it is, yes, not large, so far, only 32 inches. But, that's only so far. :) I am still watching the ads. These are my first birds, and these lovely society finches add so much to my day.

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Sally
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Re: How many birds will fit???

Post by Sally » Tue Oct 18, 2016 12:02 am

justread I always feel that if a pair of finches are in a 30x18x18 cage, that will be sufficient. Of course, bigger is always better, but wouldn't we all love to have huge walk-in planted aviaries, too!
3 Purple Grenadiers, 1 Goldbreast + 1 cat.

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Re: How many birds will fit???

Post by justread » Tue Oct 18, 2016 12:46 am

Thanks Sally. I think that the cage is 24 inches high, which makes more room for perches, and yes, I have a fantasy... but it's unlikely in my present accommodation. I have plenty of vertical room but one more "module" will probably be my max. I'd really have rearrange things around here...As well, my indoor cat lives in the other part of the house...

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Re: How many birds will fit???

Post by Sojourner » Mon Jan 09, 2017 4:34 am

I've really come to appreciate the common sense I see so often on this forum.

Awhile back I went hunting a similar forum for parakeets. There are many forums for parakeets, but none of the ones I found are even REMOTELY in the same ballpark as what we've got here.

I finally gave up on all of them, because every single one had, somewhere on the forums, the same regurgitated cage-size recommendation for budgies (stickied as "officially correct" info), which is that a budgie only needs an 18" x 18" cage.

That's just crazy. I just can't take seriously any advice from people who believe that. That's so wrong, and I KNOW its wrong - so how can I trust anything else on there if I DON'T already know whether its right or wrong? LOL!
Molly Brown 11/22/15
Pyewacket 6/15/17
Trudy 2/24/18

Turn towards home, and go there. Many overs, over woods and fields, streams and hills, many overs. Just turn towards home. How else would one go there? Perhaps it was a dream, and you have awakened from it. May the earth rise up beneath you, with home in your heart, and your person waiting.

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Brisbane_Finches_333
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Re: How many birds will fit???

Post by Brisbane_Finches_333 » Thu Nov 07, 2019 8:00 am

I personally think that Cage Calculator makes an Aviary too overcrowded (but not a cage), most people (including me) I know, swear by the rule of one square metre per bird pair for Aviaries. For cages, that calculator is fine.

But 12-16 birds (what the calculator) in a 1.5x1.5m aviary is definitely too overcrowded.

Anyways, that's just my opinion.

Thanks
Aidan.
Finch and Quail Breeder from Brisbane, Australia

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