Keeping canaries - What you should know How to give canaries a good life
Canaries appear easy to care for. But keeping them is demanding. If you want to offer them a good life, you need to know their needs and how to keep them appropriately. Canaries are lively and curious. They like to fly and need companions around them. Despite this, many birds live alone in cages that are too small. They have no free flight and are fed the wrong food. For canaries to stay healthy and feel comfortable, they need enough space to fly. They need something to do and a species-appropriate diet. With good care, canaries can live for ten to twelve years. Sometimes even 15 years. Make sure you are well informed before you buy one. Create an environment that meets the needs of these demanding animals. We will show you how to do this. This way, the little bundles of energy will feel at home with you.
Canaries must not be alone
Our modern canaries are descended from the Canary Island Canary. This lives on the Canary Islands and the Azores. The birds are active during the day and live in groups for a large part of the year. People should therefore never keep canaries alone. They can only express their natural behavior, groom and feed each other, sing and play together with conspecifics.
It is best to keep two birds together. Or a group of at least four birds. Single birds are lonely.
These groups go well together
When making your selection, pay attention to whether pairs have already formed in the shelter or previous home. Do not separate them. It is important that the animals get along well. Caution: In groups with males and females, there may be fights between the cocks during the breeding season. Make sure there are places to retreat to. New animals should get to know each other slowly. First put them in separate cages next to each other. If they remain calm and beak through the bars, you can bring them together under supervision. This works best in a neutral place - such as a shared climbing tree. Canaries must not live together with other bird species. This often leads to stress or even injuries because they defend their territory or their food.
Canaries like to fly and need conspecifics around them.
Canaries need a lot of space
Canaries are very active. They like to move around and fly a lot. A small cage is not good for them. A large aviary with daylight and quiet retreats is better. It should be at least two meters long, one meter wide and two meters high for two to six birds. Do you want to keep more than six birds? Then expand the base area of the aviary by half for each additional pair of birds, first in length and then in width. Also provide more retreats, perches, feeding and watering places. This will prevent fights over resources. In addition, you should let your birds fly freely every day in a secure room. Can't offer free flight? Then your aviary needs to be larger - at least four square meters of floor space and two meters high.
These aviaries are suitable for canaries
Good for keeping indoors. Choose a bright, quiet place without draughts. Do not place in the kitchen or next to radiators. The aviary should be slightly elevated and only visible from one side. A room temperature of 18 to 20 degrees is ideal.
Better than a normal indoor aviary. Here the birds can use an entire room. Even better is a secure outdoor area where they can enjoy the sun and fresh air.
The birds can move around in a natural environment. Fresh air and sunlight are good for them. The aviary should be at least two meters long, one meter wide and two meters high. You can also keep your birds outside all year round. Then they need a frost-free shelter. This should be at least one meter long, half a meter wide and one meter high.
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The aviary should be structured and clearly laid out. The birds need space. They want to fly, climb and hide. Horizontal bars are good. The birds can climb on them. Dark, matt colors such as black or dark green are better than light colors. Bright colors dazzle the birds. Round cages are unsuitable. The birds find it difficult to find their way around them. Here you will find further tips and instructions for building an aviary.
Natural branches of various thicknesses as perches - for example maple, elder, poplar or fruit tree
several feeding and watering places - preferably one per bird
a bathhouse with fresh water - the birds like to bathe
Paper flooring - hygienic and dust-free
Daylight - add UV lamps with UVA and UVB components if only kept indoors
Mirrors and dummy birds - can lead to behavioral problems
Plastic toys - can be toxic or splinter
Perches with sandpaper - injure the feet
Perches with the same diameter - often lead to foot problems
Too much decoration - makes flying difficult
Safe free flight in the home
Canaries need free flight every day. Preferably for several hours. This keeps them fit and balanced. Never leave them alone. Before free flight, you must remove all hazards in the room:
Close windows or secure them with fly screens
Remove poisonous plants such as ivy or hyacinths
Cover open water - for example aquariums or watering cans
Make mirrors and windows visible - stick stickers on them
Put away candles, cigarettes or alcohol residue - do not smoke in the home
Remove sharp or pointed objects - including prickly plants
Secure gaps behind furniture and radiators
Clear away high-pile carpets and net curtains
Also set up safe landing places. Example: a climbing tree made of natural branches.
Calm and respectful interaction
Canaries are not cuddly animals. They need peace, clear routines and distance. A loving approach means: let the birds be reserved. Be patient. Trust grows slowly. This is normal. Offer food from your hand and wait. Never grab a bird. This frightens them. You may only hold a bird in an emergency - for example, for an examination. If you have to catch a bird, darken the room slightly. Then pick it up carefully with a soft cloth. Cover its eyes, but leave the nostrils uncovered and do not apply pressure to the breastbone.
Healthy and balanced feeding
A balanced diet is important for the health of your animals. Many canaries are too fat or have deficiency symptoms. This is due to the wrong food. Give your birds fresh, species-appropriate food every day.
This belongs on the menu:
one to two teaspoons of high-quality grain food per bird
Fresh water every day
Wild herbs and vegetables - for example basil or cucumber
very little fruit - preferably berries with low fructose content
bird grit for digestion
a cuttlebone or limestone as a source of calcium
Clear away old food every day. Only offer fresh, unsprayed food. Moldy or spoiled leftovers are life-threatening. Tip: Always offer food as an activity, for example in a mesh ball or between branches.
How to recognize sick canaries
Canaries often only show that they are ill at a late stage. You should therefore observe your birds closely. Pay attention to their posture, behavior, plumage, appearance of the body openings, food and water intake, droppings and urine. A healthy bird is active. Its plumage is smooth. The eyes are clear. Does a bird appear tired, unusually quiet, fluffed up, breathing heavily or have diarrhea? Then it may be ill. Check your bird's claws and beaks regularly. If there are any abnormalities, go to an avian veterinary practice.
You should pay attention to this when purchasing
Some bred canaries look special - but suffer from their characteristics. Some can hardly see or have difficulty moving. Examples include poseur canaries with strongly curved backs or frisé canaries with ruffled plumage. Long feathers on the face or legs also make life difficult for the animals. Please do not buy birds with such characteristics - and do not support such breeding.
Canaries reproduce easily. But many young animals end up in animal shelters because they cannot be placed. We therefore advise against breeding in private households. Do not offer nesting places or nesting material. This encourages the birds to breed. If the birds lay eggs anyway, quickly exchange them for artificial eggs from a pet shop. The real eggs should not be older than 24 hours when they are exchanged. If there are offspring, find a new home for the young birds early on.
Are you considering taking in canaries? Then ask at the animal shelter first. There are often birds waiting for a new home there. We advise against buying them over the Internet. It is often unclear where the animals come from, whether they are healthy or how they have been kept. Reputable breeders or pet stores can also be good places to go. The important thing is to make sure they are kept well and receive expert advice.
Keep at least two birds and give them free flight every day
Provide space, retreats and activity
Do not buy birds with conspicuous breeding characteristics
Look for suitable birds at the animal shelter first
This is what the German Animal Welfare Federartion demands
Ban torture breeding such as posture canaries
Establish minimum requirements for the keeping of ornamental birds
Stop the sale of animals via online exchanges
Introduce a mandatory theoretical certificate of competence before purchasing an animal
Dr. Romy Zeller is a veterinarian and specialist for pets at the German Animal Welfare Federation. At our Academy for Animal Welfare, she has been working for years on the topic of illegal pet trade and online trade with animals.
