Finches For Dummies

Explore the wide world of finches  Finches For Dummies is your entry into the fascinating world of finches. Canaries are probably the most well-known type of finch, but finches are a widely diverse species of birds. They actually encompass several hundred different types of birds, including Gouldians, goldfinches, zebra finches, and owl finches. They also come in an amazing variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. Some are very vocal; some are not. How you care for your finch depends on its species, size, and temperament. But no need to stress. Finches For Dummies is here to help you find the perfect feathered friend!  This practical guide sets you up to become a responsible finch caretaker. Inside, you’ll find information on:  Feeding your finches and keeping them healthy  Choosing the ideal enclosure and supplies for your finches  Adjusting to finch life with children or other pets  Breeding your finches  With the advice and tips in Finches For Dummies, you and your pet finches can maintain a fun and thriving relationship for a long time. If you’re interested in adopting one of these amazing birds, pick up a copy!   

Table of Contents:
Introduction 1 About This Book 1 Foolish Assumptions 2 Icons Used in This Book 2 Beyond the Book 3 Where to Go from Here 3 Part 1: Introducing Finches 5 Chapter 1: Finches: More Than Just Pretty, Chatty Birds 7 Where Finches Come From 8 The Life of a Wild Finch 8 The Many Species of Finches 9 Size differences 11 Temperament differences 13 The finch lifespan 13 Anatomy of a Finch 14 Chapter 2: Are Finches Your Perfect Companions? 17 Knowing What to Expect from Finches 18 Activity 18 Noise 18 Enjoyment 19 Mess 20 Knowing What Your Finches Expect from You 21 A good home 22 Routine 23 Deciding Whether a Finch Is Right for You 24 Will finches fit into your family? 24 Do you have any smokers in the house? 25 Is your home also home to children? 26 Do you have other pets? 27 How Many Finches Are Right for You? 28 Chapter 3: Selecting Species of Companion Finches 31 Choosing Finches: Exploring Your Options 31 Canary 32 Cordon-bleu finch 33 European goldfinch 33 Gouldian finch 34 Java finch 35 Owl finch 36 Society finch 37 Spice finch 38 Whydah 39 Zebra finch 40 Chapter 4: Finding and Selecting Finches 43 Choosing Finches: Exploring Your Options 44 The age of your new finches 44 Gender 45 Previously homed finches 45 Finding a Finch 46 Pet shops and bird shops 46 Swap meets and flea markets 48 The classifieds 48 Breeders and experts 49 Bird shows 49 Searching for a Healthy Finch 50 Eyes 50 Nose and nares 50 Feathers 51 Feet 51 Vent 51 Attitude 51 Housing Finches Together 52 Part 2: Caring For Your Finches 55 Chapter 5: Home Tweet Home: Preparing for Your Finches and Bringing Them Home 57 Your Finches’ New Home 58 Size matters: Cages, flight cages, aviaries, and habitats 58 Considering cage materials 59 Keeping cage safety in mind 60 Deciding where to put your bird’s cage 61 Accessorizing Your Finches’ Abode 63 Perches to stand on 64 Cups and bowls 66 Cage covers 67 Mineral blocks and cuttlebones 67 Toys 67 Baths 68 Lighting 69 Heating 70 Keeping Mess Away 70 Cage bloomers and seed guards 70 Cleaning supplies 71 HEPA filters 71 Setting up the Cage 72 Finch-Proofing Your Home 72 Traveling Safely from Store to Home 75 Chapter 6: Caring for Your Finches 77 Water: Extremely Essential 77 Knowing What Your Finch Should (and Shouldn’t) Eat 79 Seeds and pellets 79 Veggies and fruit 80 Snacks 82 Live insects 83 Table foods 84 Cooked foods 84 Fun Finch Food Recipes 85 Finch flapjacks 85 Finch fiber fusion 85 Finch fries 86 What not to feed your finch 86 Nutritional supplements: When food is not enough 87 Helping Your Finches Get the Exercise They Need 88 Getting a Good Night’s Sleep: Putting Your Finch to Bed 88 Grooming Your Finch 89 Toenail clipping 90 Bathing your bird 92 Giving your molting birds some TLC 92 Can’t We All Just Get Along? Living with Other Pets 94 Cleaning Your Finches’ Housing 94 Chapter 7: Come Here Often? Getting to Know Your Finches 97 Understanding Finch Behavior 97 What did you say?: Normal finch vocalization 98 You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours: Preening and allopreening 99 Stretching: Birdy yoga 99 Hungry anyone? Finch vomiting and regurgitation 99 Resting on one leg 100 Scratching 100 Sleeping and roosting behavior 100 Romeo, oh Romeo: When your finch goes a-courting 102 Finch Communication 102 Handling Your Finch Safely 102 Taming Your Finch 103 Part 3: Training and Breeding Your Finches 105 Chapter 8: Keeping Your Finches Healthy and Handling Emergencies 107 The Veterinarian: Your New BFF (Bird Friend Forever) 108 Regular examinations 108 Emergencies 109 What a Healthy Finch Looks Like 109 Eyes 109 Ears 110 Beak 110 Feet 111 Feathers 112 Respiratory system 112 Skeletal system 112 Digestive system 113 Signs of Sick Finches 113 Common Finch Ailments 116 Emergencies: Knowing When to Get Help Immediately 117 Poisoning 118 Animal bites 118 Overheating 119 Oil on the feathers 119 Frostbite 120 Unconsciousness 120 Egg binding 121 Foot injuries 121 Eye injuries 121 Seizures .121 Injury to the beak 122 Fractures 122 What to Do if Your Bird Is Lost 122 Assembling a First-Aid Kit 123 What to Do If Your Bird Dies 125 Chapter 9: Breeding Your Finches 127 Breeding Your Finches 127 Making sure you have a male and a female 128 Starting with healthy birds 129 Knowing when to breed 130 Getting the right equipment 130 Figuring out where to put the nest 130 Knowing what the parents need to eat 131 Prompting your finches to breed 131 Understanding the incubation period 132 Feeding and weaning chicks 134 Knowing What to Do When Something Goes Wrong 134 Egg binding 135 Infertile eggs 136 Inexperienced parent birds 136 Tossing the chicks 136 Failure to thrive 137 Finding foster parents for your babies 137 Handfeeding baby finches 138 Finding good homes for your baby finches 139 Discouraging Breeding 140 Part 4: The Part of Tens .141 Chapter 10: Ten Great Finch Websites 143 Chapter 11: Ten Fun DIY Toys for Finches 145 Index 147