Basic Information About Finches - Discover Why They Are Popular Nowadays

By Carla Demming

Have you ever tried taking care of a finch? This is a type of bird that every pet lover would love to have. Because of the bird's vibrant colors and its beautiful singing voice, everybody wants to own a pair of finches as a pet. No wonder why you can see most of these birds present in various households nowadays. Finches are active little birds. You may find them in various forms and species. You'll definitely find these birds very interesting that you would want to own them as well.

Among the most popular finches nowadays are the zebra and the society finches. These birds have bright beautiful colors where some of them even sing melodiously. The female gouldian finches are best to have as pets because of their unique colors making them more attractive to look at. They can as well survive under unfavorable weather conditions however their youngsters seem to be delicate and cannot get used to a certain climate.

As for being a bird enthusiast, you may also want to look into other varieties such as the cordons, gold-breasted ones, the strawberry finches, the fire finch species, the orange species, the cheek, the star, the tri-color nuns, the red ear ones, the cut throat ones, the parson's, the ones with the shaft-tail, the spice species, the lavender, the owl finches, the silver-billed ones, the bronze winged ones, the cherry headed, the European goldfinch, the weavers, the blue headed parrot finch and the red-headed parrot finch. Most of these species need more than a commercial seed in their diet.

The sweet sound that a finch makes can be attributed to the male finches. The male birds create their own song so they can attract the female birds of the same species during mating season. The European gold, green singer and grey singer finches are the best singing birds of this kind. Finches don't need that much attention which makes them a perfect pet for people with limited space and time.

These kinds of birds are social, but only to birds and not to humans. This is one of the reasons why they must be bought in pairs. Keeping several varieties of finches in one cage could make them squabble especially during mating season. You must also consider the size of the finches you are going to place in one cage. It is better to have a pair of finches having the same size so the other will not get intimated by another pair of larger birds.

It is important for the finch to have a space where it can fly inside the cage, as flying is its form of exercise. This is a routine that will help keep the birds healthy and active all the time.

Live food like mealworms and some leafy greens must be added to their diet aside from the regular seeds that these birds eat. You can also add cuttlebone or calcium blocks inside their cage to ensure that they are getting enough nutrition from what they eat. Finally, do not forget to include grit in their diet. This is because grit aids in the proper digestion of their food.

Carla Demming has been taking care of
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6182059http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carla_Demming Finch Care GuideFinches, the beautiful songbirds, for over 15 years and counting. She writes all about caring and keeping finches and other information related to finch care, like breeding, setting up finch cages, and proper finch diet plans that will be useful for finch owners and breeders alike.Carla Demming 　　

Suggestions for Choosing Your New Small Pet Bird or Birds - A Few Things to Consider

Cockatiel

By Pete - aka Stanton Birdman

When selecting what type of new pet bird would best suit your circumstances and desire there are a few thing you must consider before making that all-important purchase.
During my 10 years experience I have only dealt with small pet birds so unfortunately for some my knowledge is restricted to these only.
Firstly you must decide what type of bird you would like and if it would be suitable to your circumstances, then you need to be sure you have a home set up for your new feathered friend before you bring it home.
　
Below is a brief but hopefully informative list of the most popular small pet birds and the ups and downs of their upkeep:

BudgieFrom the parrot family and originally from Australia the budgie is often called ‘parakeet’ or ‘long-tailed parakeet’, the budgerigar is without a doubt the most popular pet bird in the Western world and with good reason; small enough to handle, easy to tame, inexpensive, a startling array of different colours, can be kept on its own, very friendly (if tame), a chatterer, minimum requirement to keep in good health, easy to breed (if you want to), usually mixes well with other small birds (budgies and other species). Ideal in a cage or aviary.
However budgies can inflict a nasty wound if they bite you whilst handling (rarely a problem if they’re tame, but they can draw blood if they sink their beak in), they can also be rather destructive (they love to chew), and budgerigars can be very territorial during breeding (especially if kept with other birds).
In the wild budgies live in large flocks and so need plenty of interaction to save them from becoming bored. They therefore need to be kept busy with lots of toys and your attention, or alternatively kept with another of their kind, so as they can interact with each other.

CockatielAnother Australian bird often called ‘tiel’ for short, these small parrots are also very popular as pets, due to their calm nature and unique character. A little bigger than the budgie so more space is required (a bigger cage for example), the cockatiel also lives in large flocks in the wild so again interaction and toys are a must.
They can be kept an their own or in pairs or small groups, and easy to keep. Ideal as a cage or aviary bird, and because of their calm nature the cockatiel will normally mix well with other small birds of a different species (cockatiels are often kept in the same aviary as budgerigars and finches with rarely any problems). They can learn to mimic other sounds with patience and determination, and are easy to tame.
However they can also inflict a rather nasty wound if they choose to bite (probably a worse injury than the budgie due to their larger beaks, but again not usually a problem when tame). Ideally if you want to breed your cockatiels they need to be on their own as a breeding pair with no other birds. These birds can also be very destructive due to their desire to have a chew at almost anything, but they are easily startled (so no sudden loud noises or sudden bright lights please!).

FinchesSomewhat smaller than budgerigars and cockatiels, and not part of the parrot family, the most popular types of finch are again very popular for good reason: very easy to keep, good natured, small and compact, extremely active, cute, prolific breeders, usually low priced, little space required for good upkeep (the perfect pet bird for apartments, flats and small living areas).
There are many types of finch available on the pet bird market but the most popular are: zebra finch, society finch (Bengalese finch), gouldian finch, java finch (java sparrow), the java being the largest of the four just mentioned (slightly smaller than the budgie).
All of these can be accommodated in a cage of aviary and also usually mix well with other species (I keep budgerigars, cockatiels, zebra finches, Bengalese finches, and javas together in a large outdoor aviary and very rarely have any problems).
As for the initial cost of these little characters the zebra finches usually come out the least expensive (from £3 to £8 each, often with a good deal for a pair), next would be the society finches (from £5 to £10 each, again with a better deal for a pair), then the javas (£8 to £15 each, buy two for a better price), and the gouldian finches coming out on top (the cheapest I’ve seen these is about £20 each right up to £60 - sometimes more - but a deal on more than one can usually be arranged). The reason for the bigger price for the gouldians is because of their great colouring and rarity, a desirable bird that people will often pay handsomely for.
However finches do not always take readily to handling and must be kept in groups of 2 or more.
At least due to their small size a bite is not likely to bother you a great deal.


OthersThere are many other types of birds available but the price is usually higher as they are not as common.
Many other types of parakeets however are still rather popular - ring neck parakeet, grass parakeet (bourke, turquoisine, elegant, alexandrine), kakariki (New-Zealand parakeet), rosella, love bird to name but a few.

The upkeep however for all small pet birds is basically the same.

Always remember to shop around for the best deal and if possible buy your new bird or birds from a breeder, or hobbyist rather than a pet shop.

A note on accommodation for your new pet bird.Most small pet birds will live happily in an aviary, and this is the nearest they are likely to get to their natural environment, but in an aviary your birds will become semi-wild and may not take very well to handling or one on one interaction.
Caged birds however are a different matter, and can often be tame and friendly towards us humans. Make sure that if you plan to keep your bird or birds in a cage then go for the biggest you can afford (within reason of course, no good putting zebra finches in a large wide barred parrot cage); your bird needs to be able to stretch its wings to their fullest extent and still have some room left.
Most pet birds - especially parrot type species - will spend more time climbing than flying, even in an aviary.

For more bird keeping related issues please email me with your questions.

More information can be found in my new pet bird keeping ebook available now, visit http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pet-Bird-keeping-Secrets-Stealth-Guidebook/dp/B004WP3OFW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1305890625&sr=8-2 to get your copy.


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