FINCHforum

I need help training my new canary. I got her 23 days ago and she is still sorta timid around me. For about 3 days I would hold spinach near the cage bars and she would come take little bites. However the past few days whenever I come to feed her she doesn't come out of her nest. The only time she gets a little more active is when I take the top of the cage off.
Can anyone help me?

Hi

23 days isnt long.. so time will soon help.

How long has she been sitting in her nest?

Claire

Clairecanary15 wrote: Hi

23 days isnt long.. so time will soon help.

How long has she been sitting in her nest?

Claire

She has been sitting in her nest most times during the day and sometimes comes out for some exercise and to eat.

Birdlover2018

Has she laid any eggs? Females can lay eggs without a male, though they won't be fertile. From her behavior, it sounds like she could be "sitting tight," and thus is too preoccupied with eggs to pay attention to much else.

It's generally recommended that you don't give birds nests unless you are breeding them, as egg-laying can put a female at risk for calcium-deficiency and egg-binding.

Icearstorm wrote: Birdlover2018

Has she laid any eggs? Females can lay eggs without a male, though they won't be fertile. From her behavior, it sounds like she could be "sitting tight," and thus is too preoccupied with eggs to pay attention to much else.

It's generally recommended that you don't give birds nests unless you are breeding them, as egg-laying can put a female at risk for calcium-deficiency and egg-binding.

I just looked in her nest and she doesn't have any eggs in there and its just a single bird currently. There is no other birds in this room. Would it be the same if a single male had a nest? Would they sit it in all day? I put it in there to give her a cozy place to sleep. Before I take it out can anybody back this?

Birdlover2018

I'm not as familiar with canaries, but in general, female birds are broodier and more likely to sit in a nest all day.

If you get her a flat platform to rest on, she will still have a nice place to rest, but shouldn't be as inclined to lay eggs. My birds sleep on a perch without an issue, so solid horizontal surfaces aren't required, although your bird may prefer them.

Icearstorm wrote: Birdlover2018

I'm not as familiar with canaries, but in general, female birds are broodier and more likely to sit in a nest all day.

If you get her a flat platform to rest on, she will still have a nice place to rest, but shouldn't be as inclined to lay eggs. My birds sleep on a perch without an issue, so solid horizontal surfaces aren't required, although your bird may prefer them.

Would it upset or harm her if I took the nest out? Would she have some sort of withdrawal because the nest has been in there since day 1. Its just a little hay weaved thing.

Birdlover2018

She might be upset for a few hours, but should calm down after that.

I have 2 caged together in the house. One half has platforms for feeding and resting. I have provided the resting platforms for the hen as she has one leg. The cock sleeps on the edge of one of them and the hen is in her nest at the moment.
Generally birds are happy with branches/perches. My outside aviary has perches from natural apple tree branches. The different thicknesses help to gently work the leg and feet muscles - natural.

Male canaries do not build the nest...they will encourage a hen by carrying bits of nesting to a chosen site but its the hen who will build.

I agree with Birdlover2018. Remove the nest because she is a hen alone and provide a distraction..some millet etc and a platform. I pop a sheet of kitchen roll on my corner platforms - easy to keep it clean then. After a few days she will probably start saying hi again and nibbling from your hand

Claire

Clairecanary15
Okay thanks for the reply Claire what do you use for a platform? Do they sell anything for birds or is it more of a DIY thing?

Aw I felt so bad when she was flying around and came back to no nest. She kept looking for it.

My first thought was what are you training your female canary to do?
Unless they are hand fed from the beginning, canaries are generally not very personal, finger trainable type birds...and the fact that a single female goes to a nest at all seems rather peculiar to me. They like to roost at night in protected places at the highest point in their habitat. I start my pairs off with plenty of romaine some orange slices, some high protein nestling food (eggs make eggs), a lot of of nesting material and a sturdy nest cup.
The rest is fascinating beyond words.

Paul

Birdlover2018 wrote: Clairecanary15
Okay thanks for the reply Claire what do you use for a platform? Do they sell anything for birds or is it more of a DIY thing?

Hi

I have purchased platforms and made them.

I have a long one up one end of my cage (the full depth of the cage, front to back) aligned with the feeding hatch. This is just made out of 1/2" thick piece of wood with 2 hooks screwed in at each end. This is the feeding shelf. I cover it in fresh newspaper each day to keep it clean. Both the hen and cock bird will both come right up to me when its feeding time, waiting for their little seed and greens dish to be replaced with fresh food.

You haven't put your location? If you click on the link below these are the platforms I use. I have 2 of these small and large - I have a very large cage though.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-Natural ... +platforms

If you are in the US go to the equivalent site and type in cage platforms.

I know she misses her nest - heart breaking to watch them get confused - I do understand, sounds like you really love your canary and want the best for her like me. I have used a cardboard lid off an egg box lined with kitchen roll for a bit of comfort - my hen didnt attempt to nest in it. I only provide a nest full of hay and nesting material when I see both cock and hen carrying bits of kitchen roll about.

Both types of platforms depends on your cage size? In my outside aviary I have 2 feeding platforms - it gives all the birds room to feed. I even get to stroke them too - a very calm way to feed them without the singular feeding troughs.

Hope this helps

Claire

It's normal for a canary to nest in the spring whether she has a mate or not but she should not be given access to a nest cup if she doesn't have a mate because it will only encourage egg-laying, which is just an unnecessary burden on her health if there is no chance of her producing offspring. Take the nest out and put food dishes very low so she doesn't try to nest in those either - I use cat food bowls on the cage floor. They are fine sleeping on a branch.

Canaries can be hand-trained with enormous patience, which I do not have myself. It consists of weeks of sitting around the cage with greens in your hand and gradually, the bird gets used to you and will eat from your hand. It's very unlikely she would ever step up like a trained budgie or Java sparrow will learn to do, but it has been done, usually with very young birds. This is the best training guide I have seen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjZIF-knzU0

Okay so everything seems a little better right now. I'm starting to move the cage closer to me so she gets used to me more. Once I moved however (shes 2-3 feet away from 5-6 feet) she is a little more energetic but I do have her near the window so that could be why. Should I put a pillow case or something near the side the window is on?