Canary – The Utility Bird Turned Pet

Written By macky on Wednesday, May 2, 2012 | 12:48 AM

Tweety may just be the world’s most famous canary, the one who tot he saw a putty-tat.

But far be it for real canaries to be as quirky as him (yes, Tweety is a dude), real pet canaries have their own “tweety aspect”, calling for equal amounts of dedication any pet owner would put to his/her pet.

Primarily used in cave mining explorations at one point in time, canaries have managed to crossover from being utility/work class pets, to mainstay human companions in households and homes.

This shift, however, doesn’t mean that taking care of canaries is an easy, sweet deal. As pets, canaries do have their particulars related to ideal enclosures and dietary requirements.

Here are some specifics about them, about the different canary types, ideal enclosure conditions and feeding requirements.

Canary Types – the most common type of canary would be yellow in color, but canaries also do come in other color varieties, different breeds and with different body-marks.

The most commonly encountered of Canary breeds includes the Fife, the Crested, Yorkshire and Gloster Coroner, as the most commonly known color varieties/mark varieties are defined as the white, brown variegated, buff and clear yellow.

With different canary types, prospective canary pet owners can take their pick, in finding the right canary for them.

Enclosures – canaries aren’t all that particular regarding cages, but enclosures with horizontal bars is a must. They can be housed in outdoor cages which are built to weather the wear and tear of outdoor environments, or be put in indoor cages often built with removable plastic bases.

One thing about having canaries as pets is that they require daily exercise. This would mean that they’d have to be occasionally let out of their cages, to give them room to stretch their wings. As it would go without saying, rooms and windows would have to be locked when a canary is let out, ensuring that they don’t accidentally fly off.

Also, cages will have to come with covers, to provide the right environment for canaries to sleep. Generally, covering cages at night has proven to work well for canaries and canary pet owners.

Feeding Habits – canaries aren’t really all that fickle to feed, warming up to a wide range of food options from grains, seeds and assorted vegetables. Fresh fruit cuts are often advised, but certain food items aren’t advisable for canaries to have. These would include potatoes, lemons, and avocadoes. Drinks designed for human consumption, such as processed fruit drinks or sweet drinks are also not advised for canaries to consume.

Regular Maintenance/Upkeep – apart from regular exercise, canaries also require daily baths, to ensure that their preening activities remain consistent and healthy. With regards their nails/claws, most canary owners suggest filing them as a method of keeping them trim. Clipping them is not a good idea.

So there you have it. Some of the most basic must knows every canary pet owner should know about, and implement, regularly.

Canary Pictures