The canary is actually a member of the finch family of birds, which are native to the United Kingdom, although the canary is native to the Canary Islands. The wild canary found in these parts of the world is greenish yellow over most of their bodies with yellow under parts. The domestic canaries, however, tend to be more vibrant colours through different breeding techniques to make them more visually appealing. They can usually live for up to 10 years.
The Canary Is A Popular Pet
The canary has become a popular pet because they are not very expensive to keep, stay relatively clean, but most importantly they do not require a great deal of attention. They are very singular creatures so do not require a partner for company either.
Caring Tips For Your Canary Cage
Some tips for the type of cage you should be looking for for your canary are as follows:
- Get the largest cage you can find to give your canary plenty of room to fly around. It is not appropriate to have your canary's wings clipped as they should be allowed the freedom of flight. You can let canaries out of their cages on occasions as long as you ensure that all windows and escape points are covered.
- You can actually buy 'flight' type cages, which are much longer than ordinary cages and allow a larger area for the big to take flight in.
- A longer cage is much more preferable to a high one because flight in the tighter space is much more limited. As a guide you should be looking at getting a cage that is at least 24 inches long.
- The spacing between the bars is an important factor when considering which cage to use for your canaries because anything more than 1/2 an inch could potentially allow for the birds to escape, depending on the type of canary you actually get.
- Wire cages are the best type of cage to use because they are solid and easy to maintain. A cage made of bamboo, or wood are much too tricky to keep clean and are not as durable as a metal cage.
Toys For A Canary
There are many types of toys available for your canary on the market and it is worth getting one or two to keep your canary entertained. It is best to consider the position of these toys carefully as they must not restrict the flight capacity of the cage in anyway. The most popular form of toys for canaries are such things as enjoy swings, mirrors, bells, and hanging wooden or acrylic toys.
Feeding Your Canary
Canaries are easy to feed only requiring a good quality seed mix to survive quite happily. In addition to seeds you can have a supply of pelleted food available too, which is not as palatable as seeds, but will give your canary a little variety. Fresh foods and greens can also be offered as a treat, the best choices include apples, oranges bananas and many other types of salad stuffs.