Canaries have been kept in cages for hundreds of years with bird ownership dating all the way back to the 1400s. These thoroughly domesticated small size birds are easy to keep and have a great variety of different attributes like colors and stances. Breeders focus on developing particular attributes in order to produce canaries with special definitive aspects. Some canaries are bred for striking colors such as red, orange and hues of brown. Sometimes breeders develop highly sought after shapes and stances of the birds body. In other cases breeders focus on breeding song birds as canaries have lovely singing abilities.
|
Scientific name |
Serinus canarius domesticus |
|
Where from |
Canary Islands, but all pet birds today are domestically bred |
|
Size |
4 to 8 inches in length; 12 to 29 grams in weight |
|
Minimum cage dimensions |
18 inches long x 12 inches wide x 12 inches tall |
|
Age at maturity |
About 1 year |
|
Suitable for apartments |
Yes |
|
Behavioral quirks |
Most canaries do not like to be handled |
|
Activity level |
Low to moderate |
|
Playfulness |
Low |
|
Destructiveness |
Low |
|
Cuddliness |
Moderate |
|
Talking potential |
Low |
|
Recommended to first-time owners |
Yes |
|
Initial cost of bird |
$ to $$ depending on type |
|
Require regular interaction with owners |
No |
Canaries are quite content to spend most of their time in their cages by themselves or with other birds. As a species canaries are not known for being interactive pets. Due to this it is recommended to get a good sized cage to give them plenty of space to move and exercise. Perches are a favorite item for canaries.
Canaries are beautiful little birds who require a low amount of maintenance.
For singing canaries a male bird is needed as females don’t sing. Singing in canaries is from the male to attract females. Contact a local breeder or bird store and let them know that you are interested in a signing bird. When first purchasing some stores even let you return the canary for another if the bird doesn’t sign. Some other notes about song canaries is that if they are kept in pairs the male wont sing. During the summer season males also wont sing as this is the molting period. If you do own a bird who has normally sung and then stopped for no apparent reason contact your vet as this may indicate an illness in the bird.
Canary yellow is an aptly named color!
Even though canaries enjoy to spend most of the time in their cage they still certainly benefit from bird toys. Simple toys with assorted colors and small bells provide great stimulating fun for canaries. Placing toys around the perch sections in the cage can help promote good exercise and exploration sessions. Here are some toys that are great for canaries:
1404 Small Rattan Perch
$9.99
$13.99
The 1404 Small Rattan Perch from M&M Bird Toys is an all natural and comfortable aviary perch. This perch provides a safe and comfortable place for pets to perch and rest. This perch is made from a length of natural… read more
1601 Small Pocket Perch
$14.99
$17.99
The 1601 Small Pocket Perch from M&M Bird Toys is a delightfully cute, cuddly, colorful, hanging perch. At the top of the toy there is a pear shaped quick link connector. This dangles a sturdy metal ring that passes through… read more
1411 Small Cotton Rope Boing
$12.99
$16.99
The 1411 Small Cotton Rope Boing from M&M Bird Toys is a bendable colorful hanging coiled cage perch. This classic perch features easy to grab, tightly wound cotton rope. At the top of the toy there is a heavy duty… read more
Works Cited:
Gallerstein, Gary A., and Julie R. Mancini. The Complete Pet Bird Owner's Handbook. Avian, 2003.
Checkout other bird blog posts here!: https://www.mmbirdtoys.com/a/blog/category/small-birds