Canaries are sweet little singers and need a large cage to make sure they can get enough exercise. If you plan on getting one, make sure you have a spacious cage with food, perches, and toys. A weekly cleaning will ensure that the bird loves his home as much as he loves you.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Choosing the Right Cage
Step 1. Get a large cage
Canaries love to fly and need a cage that is large enough to allow them to be active and happy. It should be at least 41cm tall and 76cm wide. The ideal, however, would be to buy one as large as possible.
For canaries the distance between the bars should not be more than 13 mm. This prevents them from getting stuck between them
Step 2. Get a metal cage
Those made of iron or painted steel make for a safe home. Canaries aren't great chewers, so a wooden or plastic cage might work too, but metal ones remain the best choice.
Step 3. Choose a cage that is wider than it is tall
When flying, canaries prefer to glide rather than go straight up. This means that you will need to take a wide and horizontal one, instead of a tall and narrow one.
A good cage should be rectangular, not round. The latter do not properly tilt the perches and reduce the amount of space for the flight
Step 4. Check that the cage is secure
Inspect it to make sure the canary can't harm itself. There must be no sharp or protruding parts. Also make sure the door is sturdy and closes properly.
Step 5. Buy separate cages for each canary
They are animals that become territorial if they have little space available. If you keep them together, they could fight or hurt each other. If you plan on getting more than one canary, purchase a cage for each.
You can put a male and a female together during the mating season, but you will need to keep them separate for the rest of the year
Part 2 of 4: Setting up the Cage
Step 1. Place it high above the floor
The cage must remain raised, at eye level. You can put it on a stand or on a piece of furniture. Alternatively, you can try hanging it using a wall bracket.
Step 2. Place the cage in a place in the house where the family is active
Living room or study are great places. In this way the canary will be able to have fun during the day looking around.
- It must be a sufficiently lit room, but avoid placing the aviary directly where the sun is shining.
- Don't put it in the kitchen. Smoking is lethal to a canary.
Step 3. Place it against the wall
The animal will feel safer if there is at least one wall against its cage. Putting it in a corner will make him feel even more comfortable. Don't put it outside or in the center of a room.
Step 4. Sprinkle some corn chips or place newspaper on the bottom of the cage
The latter must be coated, so you can clean it easily. Newspaper sheets are the best choice because it's a cheap and readily available solution, but shaving is fine too. Do not use cat litter or wood shavings, it could cause breathing problems for the canary.
You will need to replace the newspaper sheets daily
Step 5. Adjust the temperature
It must be around 16-21 ° C, although at night it can drop as low as 4 ° C. Place the cage away from windows, doors or drafts and do not place it directly under the sun's rays.
Part 3 of 4: Stocking Up the Needed
Step 1. Make water and food available
Place them in separate bowls. Do not place them under the perches to prevent the canary from evacuating its needs inside. You have to change water and food every day. As an alternative to bowls, you can use feeds that hang from the top of the cage, which the birds cling to to eat.
Canaries need a varied diet consisting of pellets, fresh fruit and leafy vegetables
Step 2. Place two or three perches
Canaries need a lot of space to fly, and perches allow them to perch between one point of the cage and the other. You should place at least two or three at different ends.
- The perches should be 9.5mm to 19mm in diameter. Use different sizes.
- Try to position them about 41 cm apart, so that the canary has enough space to fly between them.
Step 3. Add toys
Canaries don't need many to have fun, but they appreciate having two or three objects that they can hit, shoot or play with. Some good games are:
- Plastic balls;
- Swings;
- Twigs taken from the outside;
- Bells;
- Rolled vine balls.
Step 4. Set up a bird bath
Canaries love to bathe and splash water around. You can buy one to attach to the cage bars, or you can just place a bowl of cold water inside. Leave it for him only for a short time and change the water every day.
Part 4 of 4: Maintenance of the Cage
Step 1. Clean the cage daily
Place the canary in a pet carrier while you do this. Throw away the material on the bottom. Use warm, soapy water to wash the cage, food and water bowls, baby bath, and perches. While cleaning, check for any defects. Wait until it is completely dry before replacing the bottom and putting the bird back in its place.
If the cage needs a deeper cleaning, use a pressure washer and boiling water
Step 2. Do not use intense scents near the cage
Canaries have a very delicate respiratory system. Air fresheners, scented candles, sprays and cigarette smoke could be lethal. Keep them away from the room where the bird lives.
Step 3. Cover the cage at night
At sunset, place a tarp or liner on the aviary so that artificial light from the room does not penetrate. It will help the canary sleep at night and get enough rest.
