Will my zebras ever get used to me?

[FinchyFaith]

I got two male zebra finches a week ago. I had no previous experience with finches. Every time I go to change water and food or adjust something in the cage, all hell breaks loose. They are so scared of me. They start flying around and I hear their feathers hitting the cage bars. Is this normal behavior when you first get finches? How long will it take (if ever) for them to get used to me doing their normal daily chores? I move very slowly and don't make a noise, but it's not helping. Other than that, they act like normal happy little birds.

[Sally]

Finches as a rule are not as quiet and accepting of humans as other bird species, though there are certainly exceptions. Since you've only have them for a week, they are still settling in. As time goes by, they will get more used to you and your routine. Once you start offering them treats such as spray millet or homemade egg food or chopped veggies and daily baths, they will see you as someone who brings them good things.

[lovezebs]

FinchyFaith

Yes. Your boys will get used to you in time.

How big is your cage by the way? I find that the smaller the cage, the more panic most birds get into, because they have no where to escape too.

The minimum recommended size for two finches would be approximately w30/d18/h18 inches. When it comes to cages, bigger really is better. Finches need to be able to fly to get their exercise, and they fly from side to side, rather than up and down. With a bigger cage, you can also offer them some plastic plants to play with and hide behind if they get frightened, and a little swing to swing on (which many finches enjoy).

I am posting a couple of pictures of what a decorated cage can look like, just to give you an idea.

[FinchyFaith]

My cage is 2x2x2. Is that big enough? Thanks for the pics! Those are gorgeous.

[Sheather]

FinchyFaith Yes, your finches will settle. Unless adopted from a very hands-on breeder, most finches will have never had any real contact with humans until they're bought as pets. If they were aviary-bred and otherwise left to their own devices until capture to sell, the problem could be even worse. I agree the cage size is very important to helping them adjust to you - 30 x 18 is considered bare minimum.

Even a cage of this size, though, need not be drab. Adding cover in the form of artificial foliage, natural branches, and toys will help your birds feel much more secure. I have an aviary now, but before I did so my birds were caged, and they really appreciated the cover. Just to show what you can do with a small cage to make it more suitable I'll include a few pictures of my original setup.







These birds a year ago, when new, were flighty, as you can tell. After a year now, they will eat out of my hands and alight right nearby me without worry. I also have a pair of aviary-bred Javas whom were extremely frightened of humans at first who after a few months now couldn't care less if I'm nearby.

[MiaCarter]

As Sally and Dylan mentioned, they will get used to you with time.

I recommend spending some time alongside the cage, doing some sort of quiet activity, like reading or working on the computer. That will give them time to get used to your body movements. It takes time for them to get used to you and your body movements. They need develop a sense of trust that you won't do anything unexpected or frightening.

You can actually tame them if you're so inclined. I try to tame as many of mine as possible. Some don't find human contact inherently rewarding, so for them, I just aim to get them comfortable with me in close proximity (e.g. eating from my hand and perching on my hand) as it makes life much easier if you need to trim toenails or deal with an injury.
Others will enjoy interaction and relish rubs and pets and attention. All depends on the bird.
I have a writeup here if you're inclined to give it a go:
http://www.petfinchfacts.com/all-posts/ ... her-birds/

Definitely agreed on the recommendation to add some foliage.
They will get spooky about new things, including foliage.
So I make it a gradual process. I'll lay the foliage (I get those 6-foot ivy/leaf garlands) over the back of the stool that I keep in my bird room. I'll put it in front of the cage where I'll be installing it. Leave that for a couple days so they can check it out while inside the cage and during free-fly. Then, I'll put it on top of the cage. Then I'll pop the leaves through once they're comfy with it. I leave some leaves poking out out on the outside as they enjoy hiding amongst them during free fly. Here it is before I've popped the leaves through. The bird in the photo, Hunter, loves napping amidst the leaves!

[delray]

FinchyFaith this is completely normal in the beginning. I got my finches in May, and whenever we would change things like the water, they would go crazy! They would fly all over the place.

Now, they barely move when we put our hands in the cage! One week isn't a lot of time, eventually they will come around. Enjoy your birds!!!!!!!!

[FinchyFaith]

Thanks for the reassurance Delray. Do y'all think a 2x2x2 square cage is okay?