FINCHES
CARING FOR YOUR FINCH
Finches are small, energetic birds native to Australasia. They are part of the Estrildidae family of finches, which includes finches such as the Zebra Finch, Gouldian Finch and Society Finch. They can live between 8-12 years in captivity, grow to approximately 10cm in length and weigh between 10-15g as adults. Male Finches are more brightly coloured than females, with brightly coloured cheek patches and breast bars, making them easier to sex.
DIET & NUTRITION
Finches are predominately granivores, however most finches require protein in their diet, especially during the breeding season, which they can source from live food. They also need access to plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables for micronutrients and pellets or crumbles (finch specific) for added nutrients. Finch seed mixes such as the Birdzone Blend, Forage Blend, Raw for Birds or Avigrain mix, as well as Vetafarm Crumbles and Murphys Pellets are a great choice. Appropriate fruits and vegetables to feed Finches include Apples, Blackberries, Grapes, Strawberries, Asparagus, Carrots, Cabbage, Corn, Cucumber, Endive, Kale, Micro Greens, Parsnips, Pea pods and Watercress are safe in moderation for your Finch, ensuring you cut it up fine. For younger or breeding finches, it is important to feed a high protein, calcium and fat rich diet for growth and development, giving a boiled egg each day will assist with this. Live foods such as mealworms or fly larvae are a great source of protein for your finch. Do not feed Avocado, Garlic, Onion, Caffeine or Cocoa.
SOCIALISATION & TAMING
Finches have very gentle personalities; they are generally one of the quieter birds. They are social creatures, coexisting peacefully in pairs or groups, which makes them great mates for other small aviary birds like canaries. While some finches could be hand-tamed with time and patience, they generally do not enjoy heavy handling in the way parrots do. It is important that hand-tame finches are given at least 3-4 hours of social interaction each day to prevent boredom, stress or anxiety. You can encourage your finches to sing by playing tunes from your phone for them or talking to them daily.
HOUSING & ENRICHMENT
When selecting a cage, it is important to take the bird’s tail into account as they need enough space to spin around comfortably and stretch their wings. A quality cage will also feature doors that provide easy access for both you and your bird. This is especially important when retrieving your bird, as it minimizes stress, particularly for birds that were not hand-fed. A suitable cage size to house your finch in would be 50cm x 60cm x 60cm or bigger. Wire spacing is another critical factor as finches can slip through bars that are too wide. Bar spacing should be between 1.2-1.5cm, this prevents accidents and gives them a secure place to live. Perch placement inside the cage is another key factor, perches should not be located above food or water dishes to avoid contamination. Additionally, perches should vary in size, as perches of uniform diameter do not provide proper exercise for a bird’s feet. Natural eucalyptus branches make excellent perches, but they must be cleaned thoroughly to remove any pesticides or bacteria. Other tree branches can be used as well, but it is essential to ensure they are non-toxic. Finches are natural foragers in the wild; toys are used as a form of environmental enrichment to prevent psychological problems such as self-mutilation, feather plucking excessive squawking or stress caused by boredom. Enrichment for your finch can be in the form of chew toys, play toys, acrylic plastic toys, wooden toys, shredding toys, ropes, swings, ladders, bells, balls, plain cardboard, wicker baskets, plants and bird baths.
HEALTH ISSUES & SUPPLEMENTS
Like all pets, finches are susceptible to certain health issues. However, with proper care and preventative measures, you can reduce the risk of these problems. Regular veterinary check-ups are crucial to catch any potential health issues early on.
Vitamin Supplements– Can be added via the water supply a few times a year for an added immunity boost, high protein diets from pellets, eggs, fruits and vegetables can assist with moulting issues
Calcium & Iodine – Calcium perches, calcium and iodine bells or cuttlebone are recommended to keep your birds nails and beak trim. Also provides a good source of calcium for bone development and during breeding season.
Vitamin D Supplements– Essential for inside birds that do not receive direct unfiltered sunlight. Sun through a window is filtered so will not allow your bird to absorb vitamin D. Birds are unable to absorb calcium without a vitamin D supplement.
Worming- Worming will need to be done every 3-6 months depending on the supplement to prevent digestive issues and malnutrition.
Lice & Mites- The two most common parasites that you may encounter when owning a finch is lice and mites, but they are easily controlled with a spray, which is available in store.
Air Sac Mites- Microscopic air sac mites can devastate your finch flock, particularly Gouldian Finches who show extreme vulnerability. These respiratory parasites spread rapidly through transmission during feeding and courtship behaviours. Diagnosis methods include observing laboured breathing and detecting moving specks in the trachea. Treatment options require immediate veterinary intervention with medications like Moxidectin. Prevention strategies focus on quarantine of sick birds and environmental hygiene.
Respiratory Infections- (Bacterial or fungal like Aspergillosis) can cause symptoms such as sneezing, wheezing, nasal discharge, laboured breathing, coughing, or choking sounds. Causes of respiratory infections come from poor ventilation, dust, mouldy food, or weakened immunity from stress/diet. Prevention: Keep cages dust-free and well-ventilated, avoid the use of aerosols or cleaning products around their cage, clean weekly with bird-safe disinfectants. Annual vet check-ups to catch early signs are essential. Treatment can include antibiotics or antifungals from a vet; severe cases need hospitalization