I have to Zebra Finches. R2 and D2. <grin> I have a pretty big cage and from what Ive read it's a tad taller than it needs to be and just a tad short on the wide and length measurements. The two can fly. What do you all feel is the correct size for 2 finches of the zebra variety?
Sue
Cage size
-
Sojourner
- 2 Eggs Laid
- Posts: 716
- Joined: Sat Jun 27, 2015 12:22 am
Re: Cage size
A cage that is 30" to 36" long with a clear flight path along the length of the cage.
"Too tall" isn't really a thing. Finches will use the whole height of a cage when perches and food/water containers are strategically placed. I like the Prevue F070/F075 (one comes with a stand plus they are stackable) for a single pair of finches. It is roughly 36" x 18" x 20".
I like the Prevue F040 for more birds. I especially like TWO F040s ganged together for a 5' flight path for small "flocks" of budgies and finches.
"Too tall" isn't really a thing. Finches will use the whole height of a cage when perches and food/water containers are strategically placed. I like the Prevue F070/F075 (one comes with a stand plus they are stackable) for a single pair of finches. It is roughly 36" x 18" x 20".
I like the Prevue F040 for more birds. I especially like TWO F040s ganged together for a 5' flight path for small "flocks" of budgies and finches.
Molly Brown 11/22/15
Pyewacket 6/15/17
Trudy 2/24/18
Turn towards home, and go there. Many overs, over woods and fields, streams and hills, many overs. Just turn towards home. How else would one go there? Perhaps it was a dream, and you have awakened from it. May the earth rise up beneath you, with home in your heart, and your person waiting.
Pyewacket 6/15/17
Trudy 2/24/18
Turn towards home, and go there. Many overs, over woods and fields, streams and hills, many overs. Just turn towards home. How else would one go there? Perhaps it was a dream, and you have awakened from it. May the earth rise up beneath you, with home in your heart, and your person waiting.
-
Sheather
- Proven
- Posts: 2299
- Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2013 7:49 pm
- Location: Northwest Indiana
Re: Cage size
Bigger is better. However, zebra finches can do fine in even very small enclosures due to their domesticated nature.
~Dylan
~~~
~~~
-
Sojourner
- 2 Eggs Laid
- Posts: 716
- Joined: Sat Jun 27, 2015 12:22 am
Re: Cage size
Doing "fine" depends on your definition of "fine". If the cage isn't long enough for them to fly freely its too small and isn't "fine".
Minimum of 30" length in a cage for finches is NOT too much to ask.
Minimum of 30" length in a cage for finches is NOT too much to ask.
Molly Brown 11/22/15
Pyewacket 6/15/17
Trudy 2/24/18
Turn towards home, and go there. Many overs, over woods and fields, streams and hills, many overs. Just turn towards home. How else would one go there? Perhaps it was a dream, and you have awakened from it. May the earth rise up beneath you, with home in your heart, and your person waiting.
Pyewacket 6/15/17
Trudy 2/24/18
Turn towards home, and go there. Many overs, over woods and fields, streams and hills, many overs. Just turn towards home. How else would one go there? Perhaps it was a dream, and you have awakened from it. May the earth rise up beneath you, with home in your heart, and your person waiting.
-
Sheather
- Proven
- Posts: 2299
- Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2013 7:49 pm
- Location: Northwest Indiana
Re: Cage size
"Fine" means a life without physical pain or stress.
And the very, very domesticated zebra finch does indeed do "fine" in a small cage.
And the very, very domesticated zebra finch does indeed do "fine" in a small cage.
~Dylan
~~~
~~~
-
Sue55
- Hatchling
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2017 9:58 am
Re: Cage size
My cage is 25 height, 25.5 wide and 16.5 in depth. and it's huge but not big enough apparently.
Susan
Susan
-
Sheather
- Proven
- Posts: 2299
- Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2013 7:49 pm
- Location: Northwest Indiana
-
Sojourner
- 2 Eggs Laid
- Posts: 716
- Joined: Sat Jun 27, 2015 12:22 am
Re: Cage size
Sue55
It's not a huge cage, it is a barely adequate cage. I know 5" doesn't seem like much but it makes a difference to their ability to fly and thus their condition and, ultimately their health and lifespan.
It LOOKS huge to you no doubt because of the many many many totally inadequate tiny cages sold as "finch" cages.
That cage is not actually abusively small, but it is too small nonetheless. And it is nowhere near "too tall" - that term is usually applied to cages of about 40" in height and up.
But it is the length that ultimately makes that cage inappropriate. There are any number of affordable cages that meet the minimum cage size requirement for finches of at least 30" in length. Petco sells one "The Finch Habitat" that pretty routinely goes on sale for under $40 - $50 normally. There is a Prevue model that is available on Amazon for around the same price. These cages are 30" x 18" x 18" and are adequate for a pair of finches.
That is a small cage, not a huge cage. I know investing in a cage that is actually suitable for flight might SEEM like an unnecessary expense, but it will make an enormous difference to the health and well-being of your birds.
The cage is not "fine". Even a 30" cage is only barely suitable IMNSHO - 36" is better. But 30" IS the minimum anyone who actually cares about their birds should even try to keep as a permanent home (as opposed to a temporary quarantine cage or the like).
If "fine" is going to be defined as lack of immediate physical pain, all I can say is, I'm sorry for those birds.
It's not a huge cage, it is a barely adequate cage. I know 5" doesn't seem like much but it makes a difference to their ability to fly and thus their condition and, ultimately their health and lifespan.
It LOOKS huge to you no doubt because of the many many many totally inadequate tiny cages sold as "finch" cages.
That cage is not actually abusively small, but it is too small nonetheless. And it is nowhere near "too tall" - that term is usually applied to cages of about 40" in height and up.
But it is the length that ultimately makes that cage inappropriate. There are any number of affordable cages that meet the minimum cage size requirement for finches of at least 30" in length. Petco sells one "The Finch Habitat" that pretty routinely goes on sale for under $40 - $50 normally. There is a Prevue model that is available on Amazon for around the same price. These cages are 30" x 18" x 18" and are adequate for a pair of finches.
That is a small cage, not a huge cage. I know investing in a cage that is actually suitable for flight might SEEM like an unnecessary expense, but it will make an enormous difference to the health and well-being of your birds.
The cage is not "fine". Even a 30" cage is only barely suitable IMNSHO - 36" is better. But 30" IS the minimum anyone who actually cares about their birds should even try to keep as a permanent home (as opposed to a temporary quarantine cage or the like).
If "fine" is going to be defined as lack of immediate physical pain, all I can say is, I'm sorry for those birds.
Molly Brown 11/22/15
Pyewacket 6/15/17
Trudy 2/24/18
Turn towards home, and go there. Many overs, over woods and fields, streams and hills, many overs. Just turn towards home. How else would one go there? Perhaps it was a dream, and you have awakened from it. May the earth rise up beneath you, with home in your heart, and your person waiting.
Pyewacket 6/15/17
Trudy 2/24/18
Turn towards home, and go there. Many overs, over woods and fields, streams and hills, many overs. Just turn towards home. How else would one go there? Perhaps it was a dream, and you have awakened from it. May the earth rise up beneath you, with home in your heart, and your person waiting.
-
Sheather
- Proven
- Posts: 2299
- Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2013 7:49 pm
- Location: Northwest Indiana
Re: Cage size
Still sounds good for two zebras to me.
Sue, you'll find people's opinions vary, this is my impression. I would consider it small, but appropriate for the species in question. If you an afford a bigger cage, your birds will enjoy it. If you can't, they aren't going to suffer in the one you're using. 25 versus 30 inches is a completely arbitrary difference. If we're going to go that route, we could say anyone keeping birds in a cage at all is being cruel, and that finches should only be kept in an aviary several meters wide and tall where they can really fly, not simply flit back and forth in two dimensions. For several years I kept my birds in aviaries - a 10 x 10 indoor room set up for their well-being, with no cages, and an 8 x 8 outdoor walk-in flight. The birds did magnificently in those conditions, but I no longer have those options where I live and my birds are caged. They're still healthy, as reasonably happy as I can infer, and don't act like they're now sad and longing for what they once had; they're really not intelligent enough to reason that way. We do what we can do for our pets. As long as your birds have some room to spread their wings and a variety of perches and a good diet, they'll be happy for you. Zebras are among the easiest species to please.
Sue, you'll find people's opinions vary, this is my impression. I would consider it small, but appropriate for the species in question. If you an afford a bigger cage, your birds will enjoy it. If you can't, they aren't going to suffer in the one you're using. 25 versus 30 inches is a completely arbitrary difference. If we're going to go that route, we could say anyone keeping birds in a cage at all is being cruel, and that finches should only be kept in an aviary several meters wide and tall where they can really fly, not simply flit back and forth in two dimensions. For several years I kept my birds in aviaries - a 10 x 10 indoor room set up for their well-being, with no cages, and an 8 x 8 outdoor walk-in flight. The birds did magnificently in those conditions, but I no longer have those options where I live and my birds are caged. They're still healthy, as reasonably happy as I can infer, and don't act like they're now sad and longing for what they once had; they're really not intelligent enough to reason that way. We do what we can do for our pets. As long as your birds have some room to spread their wings and a variety of perches and a good diet, they'll be happy for you. Zebras are among the easiest species to please.
~Dylan
~~~
~~~
-
Sue55
- Hatchling
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2017 9:58 am
Re: Cage size
Sojourner
I have only had one bird for 2 weeks and the other for 1 week. I am gathering information. I read on site about cage dimensions, which is why I said mine was just a little small. I joined this forum to learn about my finches and what is right for them. I will ask questions and hopefully get the answers to help me keep my birds healthy and happy. I don't plan to add anymore birds. I will also look into a bigger cage now that I know it's width not height that is more what they need. Nevertheless, it will be alot wider.
My birds to fly but possibly not enough.
Sue
I have only had one bird for 2 weeks and the other for 1 week. I am gathering information. I read on site about cage dimensions, which is why I said mine was just a little small. I joined this forum to learn about my finches and what is right for them. I will ask questions and hopefully get the answers to help me keep my birds healthy and happy. I don't plan to add anymore birds. I will also look into a bigger cage now that I know it's width not height that is more what they need. Nevertheless, it will be alot wider.
My birds to fly but possibly not enough.
Sue
-
Sue55
- Hatchling
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2017 9:58 am
Re: Cage size
Sheather
yes, I understand about opinions and that is why I will read everyones replies. I am learning. I have bred and shown dogs for yrs and I am used to the different types of people that offer opinions. I do appreciate everyones help and I understand how passionate some people can be about what they care about.
Now, I got a tip to use the u button. I hope I'm using it right. haha
Sue
yes, I understand about opinions and that is why I will read everyones replies. I am learning. I have bred and shown dogs for yrs and I am used to the different types of people that offer opinions. I do appreciate everyones help and I understand how passionate some people can be about what they care about.
Now, I got a tip to use the u button. I hope I'm using it right. haha
Sue