FINCHforum

Hello everyone. It's been a few years. Was active in finches for a couple of years, then got out of it for hook bills. Now I am looking to maybe get back into it a little bit.

I am getting a spanish timbrado male banded 2013 from a friend who just bought him, but she's allergic to him, so she has to rehome him, so I'm taking him. I know canaries can be caged alone, but I always feel in my heart every bird should have a friend. I may eventurally get him a timbrado hen for companionship, but not sure if I want to breed yet.

There might be a young pair of strawberries available, would I be able to house them together in a large aviary after quarantine. If I breed the strawberries, it won't be for awhile since the hen is under six months. But If I do breed, I would remove the canary.

I'm glad to be back on the forum, this is the best forum with the best people. I love it

Debbie

Hi Debbie!
I TOTALLY agree! Everybody needs a friend.
I'm adamant on having a friend for every bird.

I think you could definitely house strawberries with a canary. Strawberries are a nice middle ground in that they're not usually aggressive, but if picked on, they'll peck back. (Which is good, as when the victim pecks back, it usually deters the aggressor. Otherwise, you can end up with a bully who consistently picks on a bird who won't defend itself. And the victim gets hurt...sometimes badly.)

Timbrado canaries are very social and easy going. So while larger than strawberries, I don't see any problems.
Canaries can be a bit territorial, but that's easily solved by simply rearranging the cage when you add the strawberries. That redraws the property lines and puts everyone on level footing.

Of course, each bird is an individual and I can only speak in generalizations. But generally speaking, I wouldn't anticipate a problem.

My only worry might be that the two strawberries may pair up and ignore the canary. Or maybe they'll all socialize nicely - I've had lots of lovely, closely bonded mix-species trios.
Dynamics are unique in each flock, so it's impossible to know.
But even if they're not best of friends, it's better than living in a cage alone.

Keep us posted!

Edited to add....You don't necessarily need to breed if you get him a female canary companion. Just don't give them a nest and remove any eggs that get dumped in the food bowl. That solves it!

Thank you, that's great information. If I don't get the strawberries, would I be able to house a mosaic canary with the timbrado. I love the mosaic as well. If I do, does it matter female or male?

Debbie

deshud - You can generally house different canary varieties together without problem.

I can't say I've ever mixed a mosaic with a timbrado, but I've owned both at different times and I wouldn't hesitate to put them together.

But the don't-house-males-with-males rule still applies, even if they're different canary varieties.

There are exceptions to the rule, of course. But chances of a problem are much higher when you house two males together. So I'd go for a male and a female. (Remember that different canary varieties can hybridize, some quite easily.)

Hi Debbie, and welcome back! Can't help you with canaries, as I know nothing about them, but the Strawberries should be OK, they are pretty passive. I would wonder more about the canary, whether it would be OK with the Berries. I might add that you don't have to wait till Berries are one year old for breeding, 9 months or even a little earlier would be perfectly fine. As a very experienced breeder has told me, remember that finches are at the bottom of the food chain in the wild. They are programmed to reproduce quickly, as they don't last as long as other species.

Canaries can get along with most small finches, but they're selfish over food, so 2 feeding stations is a good isea. I find they don't bond with them, but they do apparently benefit from the company nonetheless, they will watch the other birds and feel more comfortable around them - I find solitary birds are quieter and more withdrawn than when they have finches or other birds nearby. I think the quiet makes them more wary of predators, but when other birds are about and not afraid, they figure it's safe and are more comfortable.

The only birds I've seen canaries actually bond with would be other canaries (I have a father and son who right now are constantly near one another and so far best friends, and I have two unrelated hens who I bought at the same time who became inseparable upon being released in the aviary together). I also have one hen who is very anti-social and sticks to herself except when she has to socialize, but whom never goes out of her way to be with any of the other birds, even the other canaries. Even she never is aggressive however, just preferentially a loner.

In the past another hen I had developed a bit of a bond when young with a society hen, whom she would groom and follow about. This bond broke off as the hen matured. My young male canary also enjoys following about the finches more than the adults to. I think they're more hard-wired for social behavior as juveniles and then it diminishes a bit past adulthood - makes sense, as siblings would likely remain in flocks together until the net breeding season in the wild.

Thanks everyone. It's great to be back. Missed everyone, this is the BEST forum out there!

Think I will just get another female timbrado for him. If I don't give nesting material or nests hopefully they won't mate.

Thanks Sally for the info about strawberries. If I ever decide to get strawberries to breed, I will be asking ALOT of questions!!

I'm leaning toward owls right now, I know they're not endangered, but that's one finch I've never had, but wanted. I'll wait till spring when there's more selection.