Advice please
Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2017 2:31 pm
Hello, I am based in the UK and have kept Budgies and a canary for the past five years or so. I have nearly 40 years experience in fishkeeping but am becoming increasingly interested in birds, think finches are interesting and now have a study in which I can keep them safely.
I have been reading on the internet but this has just confused me. I will be building a cage in an alcove. It is 48 inches long, will measure either 15 or 20 inches from front to back and is planned to be 20 inches high. One thing I have read repeatedly is that height is not important but I could make the cage taller if necessary; certainly 30 inches and maybe more if it was to make a difference.
I am not particularly interested in breeding the birds; I have done that with fish and have experienced the issues of rehoming youngsters that are of sentimental value to me but limited value to others; I would like an interesting cage with attractive birds in. The current design means I could divide it into two 24" cages if necessary but I have done that really for ease of cleaning one half at a time and in cage of emergencies.
Using the cage size calculator and other information I have found,the internet seems to be telling me that I can only have one pair of finches in this cage, even though I could have a pair in a cage 18 inches by 15 by 15. Is this right? I understand that finches in stock cages at the aviary or pet shop are not there long term but I am not seeing what I think are really stressed birds in large groups in cages smaller than the one I am building. If finches are social, why only a pair and then what happens if one dies?
If I really can just have a pair in a cage that size, am I better off keeping the (solid) divider in and have two 24 inch cages with a pair in each? If I don't put nests in could the cage house three pairs and if so, would it be better to have all the same species or a mixture of more peaceful ones?
Zebra finches are available everywhere and whilst I would consider them, I prefer owl finches and spice finches from what I have seen. Society finches are usually called Bengalese over here and I have seen some nice examples of those. Obviously I think Lady G's are beautiful but I understand they are not for beginners and I like Java sparrows very much but think the cage would probably be too small for them.
Finally, and thanks for reading this far, as I am not intending to breed them, I would like birds that should be relatively long lived and again the internet is contradictory about that eg. one source says three years for Bengalese, whereas others say five eight, or even up to twelve. Is there any consensus about which species are generally more long lived?
All advice gratefully received.
I have been reading on the internet but this has just confused me. I will be building a cage in an alcove. It is 48 inches long, will measure either 15 or 20 inches from front to back and is planned to be 20 inches high. One thing I have read repeatedly is that height is not important but I could make the cage taller if necessary; certainly 30 inches and maybe more if it was to make a difference.
I am not particularly interested in breeding the birds; I have done that with fish and have experienced the issues of rehoming youngsters that are of sentimental value to me but limited value to others; I would like an interesting cage with attractive birds in. The current design means I could divide it into two 24" cages if necessary but I have done that really for ease of cleaning one half at a time and in cage of emergencies.
Using the cage size calculator and other information I have found,the internet seems to be telling me that I can only have one pair of finches in this cage, even though I could have a pair in a cage 18 inches by 15 by 15. Is this right? I understand that finches in stock cages at the aviary or pet shop are not there long term but I am not seeing what I think are really stressed birds in large groups in cages smaller than the one I am building. If finches are social, why only a pair and then what happens if one dies?
If I really can just have a pair in a cage that size, am I better off keeping the (solid) divider in and have two 24 inch cages with a pair in each? If I don't put nests in could the cage house three pairs and if so, would it be better to have all the same species or a mixture of more peaceful ones?
Zebra finches are available everywhere and whilst I would consider them, I prefer owl finches and spice finches from what I have seen. Society finches are usually called Bengalese over here and I have seen some nice examples of those. Obviously I think Lady G's are beautiful but I understand they are not for beginners and I like Java sparrows very much but think the cage would probably be too small for them.
Finally, and thanks for reading this far, as I am not intending to breed them, I would like birds that should be relatively long lived and again the internet is contradictory about that eg. one source says three years for Bengalese, whereas others say five eight, or even up to twelve. Is there any consensus about which species are generally more long lived?
All advice gratefully received.