The word "society" is perfectly suited for these little birds due to their extremely social nature. They are so social, that they should always be kept in groups. In fact, they are such busybodies that they can often get in the way and disrupt the breeding habits of other more private birds. But their energetic nature is never aggressive and they make wonderful pets for novice as well as advanced bird lovers.
Society Finches are believed to have been developed in Asia over three hundred years ago by Chinese and Japanese breeders. It is assumed that they are a domestic form of the White-backed Munia (Lonchura striata), but their absolute ancestry is uncertain.
These friendly birds grow to be about four and one-fourth inches to four and three-fourths inches (11-12 cm). Society Finches have three basic color varieties: chocolate and white, fawn and white, and pure white. There are also tri-coloreds, crested forms (developed in the 1930's), and solid-colored Society Finches. But what makes them really great is that no two Society Finches are alike.
Society Finches make great pets for beginners. In addition to their ideal temperament, they are inexpensive and one of the easiest birds to care for. Fresh food and water must be provided for these hardy birds daily. A good finch seed mix will provide their everyday preference for millets and canary seed. Finch seed mix is readily available at any pet store.
You will also need to supply your finches with green foods such as spinach and chickweed, served in a separate dish on a regular basis. You can also treat your birds to egg foods, pears or apples. You can spoil your little beauties with a nutritious treat of seeds with honey, fresh vegetables or fruit. Grit with charcoal is also vital to your Society Finches diet because it contains valuable minerals and trace elements plus it aids in your bird's digestion. Grit can be placed in a dish, sprinkled on the bottom of a cage floor covered with fresh clean paper or you can use grit paper.
Owners should also provide their birds with a cuttlebone because the calcium that it provides will give your bird a firm beak, strong eggshells when breeding, and it will also prevent egg binding in females. The lime in the cuttlebone also aids the birds in their digestion. Since Society Finches are very hardy birds, almost all illnesses can be traced to an improper diet, dirty cages, or drafts. Society Finches with a balanced diet and plenty of exercise are able to avoid most illnesses.
Occasionally you can offer your Society Finches a bath by setting a dish in the bottom of the cage that is about 1" deep with a 1/2" of water inside, or you can clip a bath house onto the side of the cage.
Caring for finches also includes trimming their nails. You can purchase bird nail clippers and styptic powder, which stops bleeding, at any pet shop. You need to be very careful when trimming your bird's nails, if you clip the vein your bird can die from blood loss rather quickly.
Society Finches are believed to have been developed in Asia over three hundred years ago by Chinese and Japanese breeders. It is assumed that they are a domestic form of the White-backed Munia (Lonchura striata), but their absolute ancestry is uncertain.
These friendly birds grow to be about four and one-fourth inches to four and three-fourths inches (11-12 cm). Society Finches have three basic color varieties: chocolate and white, fawn and white, and pure white. There are also tri-coloreds, crested forms (developed in the 1930's), and solid-colored Society Finches. But what makes them really great is that no two Society Finches are alike.
Society Finches make great pets for beginners. In addition to their ideal temperament, they are inexpensive and one of the easiest birds to care for. Fresh food and water must be provided for these hardy birds daily. A good finch seed mix will provide their everyday preference for millets and canary seed. Finch seed mix is readily available at any pet store.
You will also need to supply your finches with green foods such as spinach and chickweed, served in a separate dish on a regular basis. You can also treat your birds to egg foods, pears or apples. You can spoil your little beauties with a nutritious treat of seeds with honey, fresh vegetables or fruit. Grit with charcoal is also vital to your Society Finches diet because it contains valuable minerals and trace elements plus it aids in your bird's digestion. Grit can be placed in a dish, sprinkled on the bottom of a cage floor covered with fresh clean paper or you can use grit paper.
Owners should also provide their birds with a cuttlebone because the calcium that it provides will give your bird a firm beak, strong eggshells when breeding, and it will also prevent egg binding in females. The lime in the cuttlebone also aids the birds in their digestion. Since Society Finches are very hardy birds, almost all illnesses can be traced to an improper diet, dirty cages, or drafts. Society Finches with a balanced diet and plenty of exercise are able to avoid most illnesses.
Occasionally you can offer your Society Finches a bath by setting a dish in the bottom of the cage that is about 1" deep with a 1/2" of water inside, or you can clip a bath house onto the side of the cage.
Caring for finches also includes trimming their nails. You can purchase bird nail clippers and styptic powder, which stops bleeding, at any pet shop. You need to be very careful when trimming your bird's nails, if you clip the vein your bird can die from blood loss rather quickly.
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