FINCHforum

Sally,
I see that could be a very effective tool to accomplish “equality” !

You know that recently I bought a new Cage (much larger) for my Birds. The furnished Perches were not so good, and I made several new ones to sorta give them some “challenge” in the Cage !

But in watching them, and changing the Perches around some to provide a better “flight”, I saw that they needed some time, to get used to the changes, wouldn’t even light on a couple of them. But after while, they started moving around as usual again.

The question being: Is my playing around with the location of the Perches going to upset them, should I leave well enough alone ? They apparently saw that as “strange” and were unwilling to just jump up on them !

Have a good Day !

I think with perches for finches, you have to make sure they aren't too big (thick). A lot of perches that come with cages are designed for parakeets or larger, and those are hard for the little finches to grasp. In a cage with some length, one perch at each end, with maybe a swing in the middle, works very well. I cut branches from shrubs to make perches with--that way, they have varying widths, so provide more exercise for their feet.

Sally,

YES, I remember that, when looking at various cages at the store, I saw several that had quite large diameter Perches, and the wire “spacing” was larger too, didn’t get one of those. I selected the Prevue-Hendrix Model 1804TR*, I think because it looks like a building we have here in Houston, and the two Penthouses and Dome, looked like great places for the birds to Roost. P/H has another model (#856) which I wish I had known about when I looked, it has a “flared” bottom, to catch the debris when the Birds eat. That would have been very helpful (I found out) ! Both the above models have ½” White Pine dowels for Perches, 2 for depth and 2 for width.

The Birds came to me in a P/H Model #22006**. I just couldn’t believe they kept all 5 of the Birds in a Cage that small ! I bought some 3/8” and ½” Dowel, and made additional Perches for both of them, focusing on some cross and diagonal pieces for the Roosts. Electing to cut the Perches myself, was a no-brainer, WOW, those things are very expensive at the store, plus, I like to put that “personal” touch into stuff like that.

Now beyond that, some other friends of mine herd I now had Birds, and gave me a Hand Made Cage, 4536 Cu. In. Sounds like a lot right, but that’s only 2.62 Cu. Ft.. Just enough to put the three unruly male Offspring in, when my breeding pair have Younguns !

I too saw some of the “branch” type Perches at the store, and they’re more expensive than the standard Perches. So I’ll be looking around the property, for a good candidates for a couple of that type. My thoughts (getting back to our original subject) are that it may not matter just how large a Perch is, as long as it’s rough enough for the Birds to grip, I can see that a branch of ¾” would be suitable, given the convolutions of it’s surface.

Your thoughts on that ?

Have a good Day !

*Model 1804TR (right):
http://www.prevuepet.com/item-info.asp? ... ct_ID=1191

**Model #22006 (top right):
http://www.prevuepet.com/item-info.asp? ... uct_ID=929

In my opinion, it is just important to have many different types and sizes of perches for them. My finches love a challenge...

In fact, one of my finches was having the time of her life on a swing. She kept hanging by one foot off the metal part of the swing and rocking back and forth and then would climb back up and sit, then would hang again by one foot. It was hilarious! A lot of mine also grasp onto one thing of hanging millet and stay there while muching on it... My spices love to hang on top of the ceiling....

But... I just keep many different size/types of perches so they can choose what they want to perch on.

Sally,

Good, I'll keep that in mind, when buying material for them.

I had a laugh too !

I bought a small roll of Grit Paper, and wrapped it around a Perch for them to use. Secured it by wrapping a Sissel Twine around the Paper, long wraps, and left about a couple inches of the Cord out from the knots on each end.

It reminded me of the saying "lifting oneself up by his own boot straps", the Sire was jerking up on the Cord again and again, lietrally lifting himself and the Perch up about a quarter of an inch. The Female was looking out of the Nest, trying to see what was going on.

OH by the way, She laid an Egg yesterday, and another today ! I've been so buisy with company, I forgot to tell you !

Have any idea just how many eggs I might expect ?

Hoping you, and all our online friends here are having a great X-Mas !

Have a good Day !