How long do canaries live

Supplemental foods that canaries eat include fruits, vegetables and egg biscuits. Providing a source of calcium, such as a cuttlebone, ensures a strong beak and strong eggshell development. Grit should be included in the diet to aid in digestion. Canaries that are well cared for live longer. A dish with water should be placed on the bottom of the cage to allow the canary to bathe once a week.

Pellets are a preferred substitute for seeds, because they are designed to include more of the protein and vitamins that your canary needs. However, if your canary was not raised on a pellets, it will likely refuse to eat them. You can try to transition a canary to pellets, but you must do it slowly and carefully. If you want to transition your canary to pellets put some in with its seeds and slowly, over a period of 4 to 8 weeks, reduce the quantity of seed and increase the quantity of pellets.

If your canary still is not eating the pellets, do not stop feeding it seeds. Feed your canary seeds. Though they aren't the best source of nutrition for your canary, seeds probably are its favorite type of food. Provide your canary with a seed mix labeled for canaries at the pet store. Feed your canary approximately one teaspoon of food per day.

Canaries are not inclined to overeat, so you can feed them slightly more if you believe it is necessary. Feed your canary fruits and vegetables. Every day wash and cut some fruit or vegetables into very small pieces. Place less than a teaspoon in a separate dish.

Vary the types of fruit and vegetables you feed your canary frequently. Avocado is poisonous to canaries. Lettuce does not offer sufficient nutrition.

Good fruits and vegetables include: apples, apricots, asparagus, bananas, beat, blueberry, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrot, carrot top, coconut, corn, dates, fig, grapes, grapefruit, kale, kiwi, melons, mango, nectarines, orange, papaya, parsnip, peaches, pear, peas, pepper, pineapple, plum, pomegranate, pumpkin, raspberry, spinach, squash, strawberry, sweet potato, tomato, zucchini.

Feed your canary protein. If your canary is on a seed diet it likely is not getting enough protein. A good way to supplement your canary's protein supply is to feed an egg that is boiled for minutes. Let it cool down and put small pieces in the treat dish twice per week. Egg will go bad quickly. Remove any remaining egg four to five hours after putting it in the cage.

Part 3. Provide entertainment. A toy or a swing in the cage can help keep your canary entertained. However, canaries are less inclined to play with toys than many other types of birds. One toy should be sufficient.

More can clutter up the cage and make it harder for your canary to fly around, which should be your top priority. In the wild, canaries like to roll around in damp grass. Putting damp dandelion leaves or grass at the bottom of the cage can serve as a fun distraction. Give your canary a bath. Your canary should care for itself. You will only need to provide a shallow water dish filled with lukewarm water. Place the dish on the cage floor away from your canary's perch.

Plastic planter dishes are ideal. Clean the bowl daily. Clip your canary's nails. Canary nails need to be clipped approximately twice per year to keep it healthy. However, there is a vein inside the nail that, if punctured, can cause severe and potentially fatal bleeding. Consult with your veterinarian about proper nail clipping technique. Cover your canaries at night. Canaries prefer to sleep in the dark. If there are any outside noises or lights in your house, cover the cage with a towel or blanket over night, to help it go to sleep.

Watch for illness. Canaries are hearty animals. Be aware of signs of illness, however, so that you can take your canary to the vet if anything is wrong.

Be mindful if you canary lacks appetite or begins to lose weight rapidly. Other signs of illness include droppings that are not black or white, wheezing, lethargy, molting out of season, and ruffled feathers.

If your canary is fluffed up for long periods of time it might be too cold, and if it holds its wings away from its body and pants, it might be too warm. It will prefer temperatures from 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? Serinus canaria The canary has been a favorite among bird keepers for hundreds of years, and has been bred into more than breeds, much like dogs have, each breed prized for a particular skill or appearance.

The canary as a companion has deep roots in the American psyche, perhaps due to its contribution as a noxious gas detector in the coal mines of the s and early s or its use as the model for the feisty yellow cartoon character, Tweety Bird.

Whatever the case, the canary has been a favorite among bird keepers for hundreds of years, and has been bred into more than breeds, much like dogs have, each breed prized for a particular skill or appearance. But for all its popularity over the centuries, the canary seems to have been pushed aside by the parrot, a relatively new companion animal to the average home.

The original canary was nothing more than a greenish-colored finch, nothing out of the ordinary — except for its song. Though it is primarily a solitary species, a canary in the midst of breeding season will want to mate, and though some canaries will show little interest in anything but breeding, some do become fiercely attached to a mate.

This natural behavior can be disadvantageous for the house canary, whose life is filled with artificial lighting. Housing for any bird is an important factor for keeping it healthy, but proper housing for the canary is essential for keeping it happy and singing. Also, each canary should have its own cage, or the result could be deadly.

Canaries are territorial and do not like to be housed together. Canaries can live more than 14 years with proper care. Birdseed is not enough to keep a canary in its prime.