New- What to feed my Society Finches

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JewelrywithTab
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New- What to feed my Society Finches

Post by JewelrywithTab » Mon Dec 26, 2016 10:46 pm

I received 2 Society Finches for Christmas. I've been searching online and can't find much info specific to them. What is the best thing to be feeding them? I received a bag of Kaytee Fiesta Gourmet Seed mix with them. My husband said when he bought them, there wasn't much of a food selection at the pet store. Is there something better I should be feeding them?

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Re: New- What to feed my Society Finches

Post by w.l. » Mon Dec 26, 2016 10:49 pm

Welcome - see you've figured out how to post! ;-)

Here is info specific to societies:

http://www.finchinfo.com/birds/finches/ ... _finch.php

Read also the general info on that site.

It would also be helpful if you put your location in your profile.

Anyway, for a start, offer some eggfood, cuttlefish bone and shredded green veggies like lettuce to them in addition to the seeds. The eggfood and cuttlefish bone should be available in pretty much every petshop selling birdfood.

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Re: New- What to feed my Society Finches

Post by Sally » Mon Dec 26, 2016 11:16 pm

Welcome to the forum! As w.l. has already said, it helps if you put your general location in your profile, so members can then direct you to the best places to get supplies, etc. Societies are great beginner finches, they have the best personalities and are very easy to care for.

As far as diet, some of us even get into cooking for our birds! Most finches love lots of various veggies, a few will eat a bit of fruit (Societies seem to like oranges). All need lots of variety in their diet, far beyond the basic finch seed mix. You can buy commercial dry egg food, or you can make your own. Lots of recipes here:

http://www.finchforum.com/viewforum.php?f=73

We love to see photos, too!
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National Finch & Softbill Society - http://www.nfss.org

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Re: New- What to feed my Society Finches

Post by JewelrywithTab » Mon Dec 26, 2016 11:33 pm

Thank you so much! I will check out the links you both shared! Yes, I forgot to add that they do have Cuttlebone and also spray millet. Yesterday I hung a large piece of Romaine lettuce in their cage and they seemed to enjoy pulling off bites to eat.

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Re: New- What to feed my Society Finches

Post by Icearstorm » Mon Dec 26, 2016 11:45 pm

JewelrywithTab

Aside from a seed mix, I feed mine scrambled eggs about twice a week (you can freeze the eggs for later use; just put a splash of water on before defrosting them in the microwave) and spinach almost every day (it's a superfood), as well as some other veggies. Do not leave moist food like eggs out for more than about 4-5 hours or so, or it could spoil and present a hazard to your birds.
Cuttlebone is highly recommended, but some birds will not eat it, and may need to be provided with grit or supplemented, instead. I dust my birds' moist food with a reptile multivitamin as well as a phosphorus-free calcium supplement once every week or two. If you decide to use vitamins, make sure not to overdo it, as vitamin overdoses can be just as dangerous as vitamin deficiencies (if not more so).
Make sure that you are providing enough food. Finches will remove the hulls of seeds and drop them back into the container they are eating from, so the food dish may look fully stocked, when in reality all that is left are seed hulls. A hopper feeder that allows seed hulls to fall out can alleviate this problem, though some finches will not recognize it as a food source and may starve if their original food dish is removed before they get used to the new one.
Another potential problem is water. Finches do not discriminate between good and bad spots to go to the bathroom, and will poop in their water if allowed. Using a chick waterer or other semi-covered water holder will help, though once again, they may not recognize it and will need time to figure out that it contains water. If they cannot bathe in their water dish, provide a water dish that they can bathe in for a about half an hour every several days.

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Re: New- What to feed my Society Finches

Post by lovezebs » Tue Dec 27, 2016 12:07 am

JewelrywithTab

Hi and welcome to the Forum.

Society Finches, are great little birds and they're easy to look after.

They need a nice sized cage, where they can fly and stretch their wings a bit. A swing will be enjoyed, along with some natural branches for perches. They also like some plastic vines over the perches, to play and fuss around with (the $ store variety are great).

Regarding food:
A good quality finch mix will be fine
Spray millet is greatly enjoyed by all birds
Hard boiled eggs, twice a week offer much needed protein
Crushed egg shells, will offer important Calcium

A variety of greens will be enjoyed and are a very healthy addition to the diet:
Kale
Spinach
Romaine
Parsley
Beet greens
Broccoli
Cucumber
Red swiss chard
Grated carrots
Baby spring greens
Corn on the cob, and others.

Fresh water every day, both for drinking and bathing (they love bathing).

Not sure if you have males or females, or one of each. If you don't know for sure, I would not offer a nest.
If you have a male and female, and you give them a nest, you will have eggs and babies in no time flat. Societies, love each other, and love having babies (the more the better). They are one of those gifts that will keep on giving and giving, and.... well you get the picture.

Good luck, and enjoy your birds.
~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: New- What to feed my Society Finches

Post by JewelrywithTab » Tue Dec 27, 2016 9:59 am

Thank you everyone. I appreciate all the info! You guys are great! Okay, so a couple of questions.... As far as egg food, I found that online. Do I use the egg food OR hard boiled eggs or would I use both? Also, I see you mentioned the hard boiled eggs are a couple of times a week. Is that the same with the egg food or is that offered daily? As far as water, I have a "covered" water dish and have seen them drinking from it. I also have a bath but they have yet to use it. When serving them the fresh food, do I need to shred everything and put in it a bowl? Will they go to the floor of the cage if I put a bowl in there or should I get a clip on feeder for up near a perch? (Their seed feeder and water sit in the doors of the cage near the bottom).

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Re: New- What to feed my Society Finches

Post by Sally » Tue Dec 27, 2016 11:30 am

Egg food, whether dry commercial or homemade, can be offered several times a week. If you have a male/female pair and they start breeding, then you would have to offer the egg food every day.

The bath dish may be too small, or too deep, as Societies are usually great bathers! They only need about 1 to 1 1/2 inch of water in their bathtub.

You can shred or chop the veggies into bite-sized pieces and place them in a dish on the bottom of the cage. Or, you can leave items like romaine lettuce in large pieces that you clip to the side of the cage at the end of a perch.
3 Purple Grenadiers, 1 Goldbreast + 1 cat.

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Re: New- What to feed my Society Finches

Post by JewelrywithTab » Tue Dec 27, 2016 11:53 am

I can't figure out how to post a photo, but the bird bath is the kind that attaches at the cage door. It's very shallow. Here is a link. I've only put it in yesterday. Maybe I haven't given them enough time? https://www.chewy.com/jw-pet-insight-bi ... lsrc=aw.ds

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Re: New- What to feed my Society Finches

Post by JewelrywithTab » Tue Dec 27, 2016 12:41 pm

Just pulled up some youtube videos of that particular bath...DUH! I don't have a perch at the opening for them to hop on when going in and out. Just added one!

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Re: New- What to feed my Society Finches

Post by lovezebs » Tue Dec 27, 2016 1:00 pm

JewelrywithTab

That's a good idea, lol. :D
~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: New- What to feed my Society Finches

Post by JewelrywithTab » Tue Dec 27, 2016 4:19 pm

Browsing the internet for finch things. I have this urge to go shopping for them. LOL I see these finch "treat sticks"...are those okay to hang in the cage? I don't want to give them something that's not good for them.

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Re: New- What to feed my Society Finches

Post by lovezebs » Tue Dec 27, 2016 5:49 pm

JewelrywithTab

They are ok once in a while.
Not 100% sure, but if they use honey or corn syrup to hold them together, they might be fattening,

Do they have a swing?
~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: New- What to feed my Society Finches

Post by JewelrywithTab » Tue Dec 27, 2016 6:51 pm

They have 2 swings but haven't gotten on either one. I've had them since Saturday. My husband told me when he took the kids to the pet store to pick them out, they were in a teeny tiny cage with a bunch of finches so maybe they aren't used to the swings? I have the swings off to the "sides" of the cage. Not sure if that matters or if I need to move them. Also JUST saw the one take his first bath...in the teeny tiny covered water dish, NOT in the new bird bath I put in yesterday. (Just added the perch outside the bird bath today.) Is there still hope they will discover the bird bath? LOL

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Re: New- What to feed my Society Finches

Post by lovezebs » Tue Dec 27, 2016 10:48 pm

JewelrywithTab

I'd offer the tubby, and hold back on the water dish for just a little bit , while watching them from some distance (just to see if they figure it out).

If they don't than I'd return the water dish and hope for the best.
You can also try an open tupperware container with some water at the bottom of the cage.
~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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