leaving finch home alone

[Emma4]

Hi, my first question here...
I've had my Green Singer for a while now. I need to go out of town and I wonder if I can leave my finch home alone for 5 days. I recently moved to a new town, the bird is used to the new location by now, but I have yet to establish new friends and people I can trust to look in on him. Before I moved, I had relatives nearby, and a trusted vet for boarding.
My finch knows how to use a water bottle and seed dispenser. Has anyone left finches home alone for 5 days?

[andiok]

Yes I have. 6 days was the max and I had 9 goldfinches in 1 aviary. I put plenty of seed dispenser and Water was supplied through a 5gallon water container resting on a plate. Here is some diy instructions of smithing similar.

[Icearstorm]

Emma4

I have left eight birds alone for a week without care and they were fine. I use a large hopper feeder for several pounds of seed and a modified hummingbird feeder for a liter of water. I also have a gravity feeder for dry eggfood and another one for ground oyster shell, but these are not necessary for non-breeding birds.

Ball-bearing water dispensers are unreliable, as they can get easily clog or drain; most gravity feeders are better. If you switch to a gravity feeder, make sure your bird uses it. Leaving another water dish as backup is recommended. If the seed dispenser holds enough food, it should work well.

If you have enough time, do a test run while you are home. Stock all the food and water and don't do anything else for the bird for several days. If nothing goes wrong or needs restocking, it is most likely safe to use the current setup while you are away.

[Emma4]

Thanks! I'll definitely do a test run so I can adjust my set up.

[lovezebs]

Emma4

It is possible.

That said, I would make certain that you leave more food then you think he will need, and several water bottles, along with a couple of open seed cups with water in them as well.

[Sally]

Emma4 One thing I use when I have to go out of town is a product called "Sparkle". It really helps keep the water clean with no slime. I once left a water tube for a week just to test it, and there was no slime in the bottom of the tube at all. Sparkle is made by Morning Bird, and you normally have to order it online:

http://morningbirdproducts.com/product_sparkle.html

[Emma4]

Thank you Sally. Great tip on the Sparkle as it seems water is the most difficult to keep clean.

I will load the cage with
2 drinkers, 3 water cups, 1 water bottle, 1 bath.
3 seed dishes, 1 seed hopper, 1 silo type dispenser, 2 millet sprays.
1 cup of dried veg/herbs.

I am not giving any eggfood because eggs on the beak will probably do more to contaminate the water cups.

My bird is in two connected flights. One end is up against the sliding glass door, the other end allows him to get away from it.

(now looking into hummingbird feeder, and will probably need to install a remote camera for my own sanity).

I'm grateful for any suggestions, anything I haven't thought of. I've had my Green Singer for 9 years and he has never been alone for this long.

[wildbird]

If you are going to use Sparkle in the water, it might be a good idea to try it ahead of time to make sure he is drinking the water. My birds notice anything that is in the water & some won't drink water with an additive.