FINCHforum

Some time ago switched from pine pellets to recycled brown paper shreds. Has worked out great- cheaper and seems to dry quicker than the pellets. Today I changed the cage litter using recycled paper shreds from same manufacturer (Kaytee)....still 100% natural, fragrance free, safe for birds etc. Only difference is that the shreds are pastel colors- pink/blue/white. I like how it looks in the bottom of the white cage- nice! However, my Societies disagree. They absolutely refuse to go down to the bottom of the cage...not even to eat or drink. I put millet spray and favorite seed treat on cage bottom..., still they keep chirping and staring at it...act like they are daring each other to go 'first'. After several hours, put an extra waterer up high in the cage and they all went right over for a drink. So my question is: do Socs have color preferences (or aversions)? Have noticed before they react to my nail polish- crowd over on one side of cage to look at it LOL. When I wear a certain lime-green Tshirt, all the males give an alarm call....I take it they don't care for the color (?). Anyway, wondering if I'll have to ditch the 'confetti' color cage litter and go back to dull brown.
Is this normal or do I have fashionista finches? lol

My OCWBs seem the same too. Once I was wearing bright pink shorts, and my finches sorta started flying like they had night fright I think most birds just don't like bright colors that much

should I be concerned about them not going down to eat and drink or will they get over it?

That's interesting, and I didn't make the connection at the time, but the one time I used that litter in pink, the finches in that particular cage (zebras) were NOT keen on it. They stayed well away from the bottom of the cage. Since then I have stuck to neutral colors (mainly bc they are less expensive for the same quality!)...

Looks like I'll be buying a bag of the plain brown stuff. maybe I can mix in a little bit of the pastel shreds just to get rid of it. Often mix in pieces from our shredder- they love to stuff that in their water and nest. Must be too different from the norm.....funny what these little characters notice. I can literally run a Dyson around and under their cage without so much as a ruffled feather.

Fashion Forward Finch Update:

Societies got over their fear of confetti colored cage litter. Took an entire day! Today they are stuffing their nest with it....but only the 'white' pieces LOL

but only the 'white' pieces

Well, it IS between Memorial Day and Labor Day....


"White Paper"...for selective finches everywhere

Nerien wrote:

but only the 'white' pieces

Well, it IS between Memorial Day and Labor Day....


"White Paper"...for selective finches everywhere

hilarious. birds are just so funny sometimes!

I think anything new is alarming. The first time I used newspaper, they were certain it was a particularly sneaky finch trap. However, they usually wake up the next morning in a whole new normal. "Oh yeah, I remember that stuff - it was here yesterday. Of course it's safe!"

LOL!!!!!!!

Nerien wrote:

but only the 'white' pieces

Well, it IS between Memorial Day and Labor Day....


"White Paper"...for selective finches everywhere