Question?

[Gráinne Barrett]

Hey guys, not that I need to neccessarily know it but I was just wondering today, how long can finches go without food. Thanks guys

[Smurf]

I can't see any reason for them ever having to be without food, more important than food is water as a few hours without could be fatal.
You've a huge selection of birds, have you been keeping/breeding birds for long ?

[Ginene]

I think a few hours...their little metabolisms are so fast that they can starve to death rather quickly

[Gráinne Barrett]

Don't get so worried guys ! My birds always have loads of food! Smurf I've been breeding them since the beginning of this year, I'm one of those addicts!

[MiaCarter]

I think it's only a few hours.

One day, I nearly killed my babies.

I had pulled the food bowls to soak them, as they had some stuck-on poop on the perches.

So I put food on a paper plate and put it on the bottom of the cage.

Well, someone decided they wanted the plate for nesting?
They lifted it, dumping all the seed below the grate where they couldn't reach it.

I was at home for a while, then went out for a few hours --- maybe 4-5? --- leaving the bowls to soak.
They were probably without food for no more than 6-7 hours total? Not sure when they dumped it, exactly.

I returned home and found ALL four of the birds on the cage bottom, fluffed and looking VERY unwell.

I immediately saw the problem and provided food.
They pepped up and were totally normal within the hour.
But it was very frightening. I was horrified. I would have NEVER forgiven myself if they'd died.