by Ambreen R

Created on: November 04, 2008

Finches are beautiful birds with a soft and melodious voice but before you finalize your decision in buying this bird, it is important to learn a few basic facts about finches. Recently, I had an opportunity to gain a first hand experience with a pair of Zebra finch and I would like to share some tips.

Few weeks ago I decided to buy a pet for my kids so I head out to a nearest pet store, expecting to find a living creature that would fit our needs and vice versa. And there in a cage with a reasonable price tag were tiny and least noisy as compared to their screeching neighboring parakeets, were finches. They were chirping in a very sweet sound as they flew happily from one branch to another seemed like a perfect choice. Little that I knew how unprepared I was with the level of maintenance they would require.

Finches are no doubt bright colorful birds and pleasing to look at. They are usually available in a wide variety the popular ones being Zebra, Gouldian and Society finches but they require a proper set up. I'll go through the list of things to consider and save you a lot of headache in future.

Cage size

First and foremost thing to keep in mind before buying finch is the size of the cage. I would suggest buying a cage that is longest in size, not too fancy just plain rectangular, from a discount store or online. Otherwise making a last minute choice in selecting from a pet store can be quite costly. The reason for buying larger cage is that due to the tiny size and hyperactive nature of finches, they constantly fly and prefer long range distances. Minimum cage size for a pair of finch should be 24x24x24.

Small sized cage or a confined space can easily stress out finches causing an adverse effect on their health. Also make sure that cage is designed for an easier cleaning.

Diet

Finches are quite active and need constant supply of food and water. Their food basically comprises of a colorful seed mix labeled for finches and available at any pet store. In addition you can fortify their diet by providing a variety of fruits and vegetables. Fruits that may interest finches are sliced apple, grapes, banana, strawberry and vegetable includes carrots, boiled potatoes, peas, lettuce leaves and servings should be small and replaced before they rot.

An occasional mealworms and small insects will guarantee the protein intake of the finches thus increasing their life expectancy.

With food served properly they require a cuttle bone for conditioning their beaks, also available at

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