FINCHforum

I read in one of my finch books the nails of Tri Colored Nuns (munias) grow quickly & require regular trimming. I have Zebras and their nails never seem to grow. Why do some finches nails grow faster than others...is it because of their origin? For example, Zebras are grass finches from Australia and Tri Colored Nuns are Asian? What kind of finches do you have & do their nails grow fast or slow?

Some species do grow nails faster than others. In the wild, their nails will get worn down naturally, but in our cage/aviary environment, many of them have to be trimmed regularly. My Strawberries are the absolute worst, constantly needing trims, even though I have the concrete pedi-perches in every cages.

Reason I ask is because its mentioned twice in the book entitled The Finch Handbook by Barrons, the finches originating from areas of the world with reedy vegetation have claws that grow very fast, and they mention the Spice Finch as an example. So now I'm trying to figure out which finches come from reedy areas & which ones don't..?

If you look to your left on this forum, you'll see Finch Information Center. Go there and read in the species section about the different types and their origins. Spice finches, Orange Cheek Waxbills, and many others grow nails fast, even with pedi perches as Sally mentioned.

I've had a pair of GS since early October, and their nails do not seem to have grown at all. I don't have any pedi-perches, but I do have natural perches with bark. GS are constantly in motion, flying or hopping from perch to perch, which I think wears down the nails. Maybe some finches have nails that grow faster than others, but I wonder if the other factor is activity level.