Perches Changes and Finches Drop to Bottom

[Marcos]

I have two Society Finches in an 18 X 18 cage. It has been set up nicely for them. (various finch toys....ladders etc). What it also had were two perches that were used low and in front and high and in back. They were really inappropriate for finches. They were really more for a cockatiel. (the perches came with the cage).

So I decided to change them, and buy two new perches that sort of branch off, but are more typical for finches. First they look nicer, but they are also better for their feet.

Herein lies the problem. The finches will not use them. They spend most of the time at the bottom of the cage, and only come up to eat, hang on the swing, or prop themselves on top of the aritificial greenery in the corner. Once in a while, one of them will go on the new perch, but he does so with trepedation, but he will not stay there. Invariably, they end up back at the bottom of the cage.

So what is the problem?
Are they scared of the new perches?
or
Has their feet become so accustomed to the larger perches, that they just don't feel safe on the thinner "branch like" perches?

If anyone else has any ideas, please let me know. I am inclined to put the old ones back and forget about it, but it has only been one day and I have to believe that eventually they will get used to the new perches and quite simply, learn to live with them.

Any thoughts would be very welcome. Take a look at the pic attached. I just took it, and low and behold, when I went to take the pic, one of the finches flew to one of the new upper perches........the upper one. Since then however they flew back to the bottom of the cage......(their new home)

[Sally]

The manzanita perches should be fine. Some of them are a bit slick, so you might have to rough up the surface a little with some fine sandpaper. The bigger problem may be the size of the cage--18x18 doesn't give them much flying room at all, and so since it is difficult for them to fly, they prefer to stay on the bottom. A cage that is longer than it is tall is better for finches, since they do a lot of horizontal flying.

[Marcos]

Thanks for your reply Sally. I know the cage is not the ideal flight (finch cage). But they have been in there since I joined this forum, which is exactly two years ago. They fly outside a lot too.

Anyway, All has been fine with the two perches that came with the cage. They were the stock wood, cockatiel size ones. Only recently did I realize that they needed to have the thiner manzania wood branches. ........So I bought them today.

Actually, as we speak, they are flying up the perches now. So, things have improoved. I guess what I am saying is that if they were able to do fine with the thicker perches, they should do even better with these perches. I think they are over coming the fear as we speak.

Regarding the cage again, I would love to get them a better flight cage, but the branches are stepped apart enough from one end to the other, resulting is some decent flight. Plus, I have a hanging branch in the room they are in so they fly back and forth from the cage to it. They get more flight doing that than they could in most indoor avaiaries.......its about 17 feet from the cage to the hanging branch. So Im not worried about flight.

Well, hopefully they will get used to these branches. It seems as though we are making progress.

[poohbear]

Nice pair of quail there...

Love the sex advert on the floor...is that for the birds????

[dfcauley]

Very cute birds!!! I love society finches. I am glad they adjusting and they get free flying time.

[Marcos]

Well they I thought they were adjusting. This morining, they flew out of their nest, and to the floor to roost there. On the other hand, after some time, they figured out how to use the perch with the branch sticking out under the nest to hop into it. That took some figuring although I dont know why. They fly to their food and bath without a problem. Maybe its just a "stage" they are going through. Besides, their main role in life is to chrip away so that they keep my Quaker Parrot company while I am at work. The only problem is when the parrot tries to mimic their little chirps. He is better at mimicing me than the finches.

Ya know what? I'm not going to worry about it. Change is good for all of us.

[ac12]

I had some branches w my societies, then I realized the branches were too SMALL. Look at their feet and specifically their claws when they are on the branches. You have to look at the 2 outer front toes and the center front toe. What I found was the branches were too small for their claws to bite into the branch. Thus their claws had nothing to wear them down, and were growing.

I put in larger perches, but the damage is done, I have to clip their claws to get them back under control. The problem is they are fostering chicks right now. I don't want to traumatize them by catching them when they are fostering...so I have to wait a few weeks to clip their claws.

[Ursula]

Nice pair of quail there...

Love the sex advert on the floor...is that for the birds????

[Marcos]

Honestly everyone......the sex advert in the newspapers was just incidental. In fact, I did not even notice it until it was called to my attention here on the forum.

They both seem to be making progress. The picture below tells all.
Thanks for your comments

[L in Ontario]

They are just teasing you Marcos - it's all in good fun! Glad to hear your birds get plenty of flying time outside the cage - more than mine do! They'll love their new perches too.

[Ursula]

Yes, just teasing! I thought it was funny what Poohbear said. I didn't notice it at all when I first looked at the pictures. And then I thought it was funny how everybody seemed to ignore Poohbears comment...

[lovemyfinch]

After reading Poohbear's comment I went back and read the advertisement. I could only think, - I sure hope it doesn't give the poor little guy a complex.

[CandoAviary]

Ursula,
You too will learn to ignore Pooh Bears comments one day... If you don't, they will rot your brain
Any new hits on another house , Pooh Bear?

Marcos,
Very nice looking pair of societies you have there. I love the white stripes in the dark one's tail feathers.

[Hilary]

+1 on Sally's comment about roughing up the manzanita branches a little. After watching my birds slip and slide on new perches I've learned to give the perches a quick swipe with something rough before putting them in the cage. Lucky birds to also have free flight time!

[mrshorn]

Looks like your little ones are learning to use all the bells and whistles you gave them! Sheesh, I have the exact opposite problem. I can't get my babies to go to the bottom to use their bath, eat their salads, or eat from th larger seed bowl. You think your birds could call my birds and give them a few hints?