Advice on Bird Light

[Tinkerbell48445]

Hi! I'm new to this forum and to canaries. I have a yellow canary that I inherited from my father upon his passing eight torturous months ago. I actually bought him as a birthday gift for my dad two years ago. In the beginning, Petey trilled a lot for the few days I had him at my house but stopped shortly after he went to my parents home and seldom made as much as a chirp after that. They had him near a television set with the volume set at fifty plus on a daily basis.

Anyway long story short. I've had Petey now for several months and I would like to keep him healthy and happy for as long as I can - he's reminds me of my dad. He's starting to get bald looking around his head, eyes, neck. He's not scratching a lot, he's not outdoors at all so I don't know where he would have gotten mites, he eats well, he's active, and I don't know what else to do for him. I keep his cage clean, and give him fresh broccoli (cracks me up how much he loves it), hard boiled eggs, and fruit on a daily basis. I change his water every day and his seeds every other day. I play canary songs nearly every day and make sure he gets at least eight to ten hours of light daily. I talk to him and he responds with a very quiet - don't know what it is not really a chirp but it sounds like he's repeating my tongue clicking.

The only other thing that could be wrong is that his nails need to be trimmed like immediately and sunshine - you know the uvb uv something for vitamin D. He's in a window and gets sunlight there which he seems to enjoy but it's not the same as being outdoors. I've been to an enormous amount of websites but have only found the right kind of light with things that say parrot lights.

So this ended up being a long story after all. Please be gentle with me. I'm a new canary owner, I live paycheck to paycheck, I stood up and took Petey when my mother ignored him and I'm trying to be responsible. It's going to be a bit before I can get him to a vet. In the meantime does anyone have any recommendations for the proper kind of light or if the parrot light will work and not be too strong for my little guy?

Thanks!

[Sheather]

Canaries get messed up and deteriorate quickly in an average household setting unfortunately, if they are kept awake past sunset and not kept to a seasonal, changing day length cycle, upon which their body chemistry depends. It causes them to molt all the time and at the wrong season, go bald, stop singing, and reduces their lifespan from 10+ years to two or three. And if he was by a tv all the time, he may have never slept.

Sounds like you are now doing good with him. The fact that he is mute is concerning and the strange noise suggests air sac mites, which if this is the case needs to be treated with SCATT, a liquid medication available online and applied to the inner thigh so it is absorbed into the blood. Even a molting, unhappy canary will still chirp, if not sing, and the chirp should be a loud, cheery "peep".

A parrot light will be fine for him. Make sure he still gets real sunlight, and if you can set him outside in summer it would benefit him even more. Daily vegetales and egg is good if he is missing plumage, I'd cut fruit back to twice weekly. I would also transition him to a pellet diet if possible (Laferber's, Roudybush nibles, or Zupreem extra small fruit blend are good and sold at Petsmart) because canaries have rather specific diet needs not covered by the usual supermarket bird seed brand - if it says only for canaries, it's okay, if it also has a finch or a budgie listed, it's not great. A pellet diet will ensure he gets balanced nutrition to restore his feathers. But you cannot switch entirely to pellets at once, rather you must mix foods together until you are sure he knows the pellets are edible.

As spring comes, lengthen how long he stays awake to match the outside, so that in summer he is awake 14 - 16 hours. That's when he should properly molt and replenish all his feathers he may have lost. Then shorten the day, slowly, back to 8 - 10 hours by Christmas. The changing day is very important for birds that come from seasonal climates, as without it their hormones become a mess.

A daily bath in a shallow water dish may also be appreciated.

[Tinkerbell48445]

Thanks for getting back to me and the advice.

He only makes that noise when I click at him almost like he's repeating what I did - otherwise he doesn't do it at all. He's not breathing heavy or sitting all fluffed up or anything at all like the symptoms of mites. I do see his beak going like crazy when I play canary songs and he's in that position that birds assume when they're singing - I just don't hear anything. To be honest, I don't really know if he's a male or not. Last week I saw him tearing up the paper that lines his cage and wondered if "he" was building a nest. I've read how to tell if a bird is male or female, but I'm apprehensive about handling him - birds seem so delicate to me. And he does bathe but despite the fact that I offer water in a very shallow saucer, he consistently uses his water dish that came with cage. It's actually pretty funny to watch him do that - little goofball. I'm rattling again, no one is interested in him but me.

I read up on the SCATT. If I apply that and he doesn't have mites - will that have a negative effect on him?

[Sheather]

No, it will not have a negative effect on him if applied according to directions. The lack of any noise especially coupled with singing posture still suggests air sac mites.

Female canaries love tearing paper on the cage bottom, and they will do it until the paper is totally shredded when they're ready to breed. however, males do it to a lesser extent.

[Babs _Owner]

Tinkerbell48445

Scatt is much like the flea preventative for dogs/cats. It does no harm even if the bird has no parasites.

Pay close attention to what Dylan told you about making sure you mimic lighting close to the timing of the sun.

Many other successful canary owners (in addition to Dylan) will caution you with the same advice. Canaries are very aware/sensitive of the hours of light.

Canaries are a species I dont own. But I have an enormous respect for those that do.

[Flight Feathers]

Tinkerbell48445

Scatt is much like the flea preventative for dogs/cats. It does no harm even if the bird has no parasites.

Pay close attention to what Dylan told you about making sure you mimic lighting close to the timing of the sun.

Many other successful canary owners (in addition to Dylan) will caution you with the same advice. Canaries are very aware/sensitive of the hours of light.

Canaries are a species I dont own. But I have an enormous respect for those that do.

Yes too much or not enough light would not be very good for your canary... My canaries are kept in an outdoor aviairy so luckily I do not have this problem.

[Dave]

Sheather, with the pellet diet, do you include greens?

I give my Canaries all the greens they will eat. That is usually kale, or other dark leafy vegetable. Dandelions in season. Also grated carrots or sweet potatoes.

[Tinkerbell48445]

Thanks everyone - I'll keep you posted.

[Sheather]

Dave I feed greens, and when I offer them I let them have as much as they like, but I don't give them every day.

[Tinkerbell48445]

So Good News! I applied SCATT to Petey last week and although I know that's not enough time for vast improvement, he chirped today! Only once - BUT loud enough for me to hear. That's the first one I've heard in a very long time. I'm very excited! (and hopeful)

Again thanks for the advice.

[Tinkerbell48445]

TWELVE CHIRPS NOW!!!! Count em' 12!!!! Over the moon excited!

[Flight Feathers]

TWELVE CHIRPS NOW!!!! Count em' 12!!!! Over the moon excited!

Congrats!!

[Tinkerbell48445]

Congrats!![/quote]

thank you!

[Tinkerbell48445]

I've been laughing at him (newly discovered it's a her) for nearly an hour this morning and occurred to me that I meant to keep her progress updated on this forum with people that won't look at me like I'm nuts when I talk about my bird.

Since my first post, she has grown back all of her feathers and they're thick and smooth and shiny. She chirps to the point that I have to laugh out loud - it's like she's complaining where's my broccoli, where's my egg, come talk to me. She's even doing this little warble thing now - very quietly, like it's just an experiment. She's no longer scratching, she basks in the sunlight from the open window and in my opinion, she looks insanely healthy and tickles me to no end with her antics.

Everyone should own a bird - odd how such a little thing enhances your life.

[Clairecanary15]

Hi

I use S76 for a mite treatment. .I add it to the water monthly after the initial treatment of 3 consecutive days...it is less invasive which helps me because my birds are in an avairy. Canaries also like a retreat too from light/shade or security. An old towel drapped over one end just a part way down the side of the cage can provide this...or some pretty fabic which is more lightweight. ..

Its good news your canary is chirping again..the hens can be quite chatty.