Switching from Budgerigars to Finches and Canaries

[mick1933]

Hi. I am new to the Forum. I have been breeding budgerigars for the past 30 years and have decided to give them away. I am going to convert my 3 aviaries into one aviary for pleasure and not showing or anything like that. I have had enough of showing. I live on the Central Coast of Australia.

I had a look at the information centre and can have up to 40 finches in my aviary. I would like to have half finches and half red mosaic canaries. Will this work? Can they live happily together?

There are many other questions I want to ask but this will do for starters.

Love the Forum full of helpful information.

Thanks Mick1933

[Sally]

I'll let others answer your question, as I've never had canaries, but I wanted to welcome you to the forum! There's lots of good reading at www.finchinfo.com, where you will find many articles on finch care. If you put your general location in your profile, it makes it easier for members to remember where you are from.

[Ricardo Ronsini]

Hello.

Out of curiosity, why have you decided to switch after so many years breeding budgerigars?

I have in the same aviary lady gouldian finches, zebra finches, society finches and canaries, despite the fact that the zebras can be nasty to the other finches, my canaries just get along with everybody.

[lovezebs]

Hello, and welcome to the Forum from Canada.

Yes, you can house Finches with Canaries... however you need to keep in mind that there are certain species of Finches, that do not get along together.

What species of Finches were you considering keeping, bearing in mind that Zebras tend to be somewhat problemetic when kept in large numbers with other species (if you were considering Zebras in the first place).

Do tell us more about your many years with Budgies. Your experience with the Budgie, will be very welcome on the Forum.

Best wishes.

[mick1933]

Hi. I gave budgerigars away for a number of reasons. When I first started with them it was a fun hobby and over the years it went from a fun hobby to big business for some members. At first we had sale days at breeders homes and they were a social day while waiting to pick a bird to buy. And the prices were reasonable. Then they introduced auctions and the social side went out of it and members were too interested in looking at the 300 odd birds for auction and then taking part in the auction. The prices also went up where one budgie would bring as much as $7000 with others going for 2K and 3Kd and only a moderate sort of stock bird for 1K. On top of that they changed the ring issue date from mid year to the 1st January and that is the middle of the summer here. We have heatwaves in Australia with at least one a year and where I live can reach 130 degrees and sometimes more. Our shows are mainly young bird shows. So you had to put you birds down in December to have them old and mature enough to show later in the year and to me that was cruel to try and force them to breed in those conditions. The birds themselves are so inbreed it is hard to get them to breed, some can't fly because they are too big. In short what was a good hobby has been ruined by mismanagement and greed. I could go on forever but won't in short I gave them away. I am 84 and lost my wife of 55 years recently to cancer and have a 53 year old daughter with MS to look after so I lost interest in budgies.

I started off with canaries as a kid and have had finches and love birds as well in the past. Now i just want an aviary of pretty birds to look at.

I will start a separate message about the birds I am thinking of keeping.

Mick 1933

[lovezebs]

Hi Mick,

I am so sorry about the loss of your wife. You have my heart felt sympathy and condolences for the loss of your life long companion. Having lost much loved family members myself, I know how hard and heart breaking it is.

In regards to your daughter. She is a very lucky girl to have you to rely upon. You must be a strong and good hearted person to take her care taking upon yourself, as it can't be easy.


It's too bad about the budgies. It's sad when money and greed ruin a nice friendly hobby and destroys these pretty little birds.. The prices you quote are absolutely mind boggling, but I know from another Australian breeder (who breeds Gouldians), that these insane prices are not uncommon, in what has gone from a friendly hobby to cut throat competition. I would never spend that kind of money (even if I had it, and which I don't) on birds.

So now we're moving on to Canaries and Finches.

I think you will enjoy the difference in personality and pace between Hookbills and Finches.

The best of luck to you.

[mick1933]

Hi just to let you know where I am up to. Only got 19 budgies left and they will be gone by the end of next week. I have ripped the guts out of my old aviaries and now it is one big one, bigger than I thought. Originally I thought it was 12ft X 6ft but now I find it is 13ft X 8ft almost as big as my bedroom. Had to put a new door into the aviary as the old one would have let small finches out. All in all happy with the progress and in line to buy the finches I want next month. Also have 8 Fyfe canaries. I decided on Fyfe as they are not much bigger than Parrot Finches and I started with canaries 80 years ago. Regards Mick.

[lovezebs]

mick1933

Sounds like you've been a busy fellow

19 Budgies and counting down.

Soon the chatter of Budgies will be replaced with the song of Canaries.
Are you going to hang on to at least a couple of Budgies, for sentimental reasons, or are they all going?

[FinchLady]

Lovezebes: you mentioned difference 'in personality and pace' between Budgies and Canaries. I have been comparing the two. Had lovely but messy Society finches that I had to board when gone visiting family. Want to keep things simple this time: one canary or two Budgies. Canary concerned with taking bird in backseat of car and adapting to new surroundings while visiting family, Budgies travel wonderfully (we had one the regularly took car trips and even flew on airplane several times)- but they can be noisy/screechy. Need a lot of attention- would having two Budgies in pet cage reduce screeching or increase it?

[lovezebs]

FinchLady

I have two Budgies, along with many Finches and Canaries. You can hear the Budgies much more loudly than all the Finches and Canaries combined, lol.

They are just chatty birds...

Canaries on the other hand...
Males will sing, some more loudly than others.
Females have a chirp and a meeep, which is not very loud at all.

[Fraza]

Hi welcome to the forum I think if you get some society's they will be absolutely fine with the canaries
Also these are great little singers

And rip to your wife sorry for your loss

[FinchLady]

Lovezebes: Your two Budgies are' louder than all finches/canaries combined'... So, I'm guessing my loves-peace-and-quiet husband may not feel the Budgie Buddy love. LOL

My husband did like sweet personalities of Societies and their sweet peeps. They just were a problem when we went away to see family and very, very messy. Perhaps a Canary (1 bird instead of 5-9 Societies) would travel and be more manageable?

[Fraza]

FINCHLADY

you should buy a big wild bird seed feeder and these can last em about a month and put a big bag around the bottom of cage