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Why Finches Make Wonderful Pets

Gouldian Finch

 

Why finches make wonderful pets? With a lively personality, finches keep themselves busy. These birds grow up to a maximum length of twenty centimeters. Though finches are small in size, they catch the attention of the people with their vibrant and lively nature. The practice of keeping these bird species as pets is not a new custom. Several people have been keeping these birds as pets for many years.

These beautiful birds have an inherent ability to make the life of the pet owner more entertaining and delightful. Maintenance does not become a serious source of concern when you have finches as pets. The lifespan of these birds is in between five and 10 years. Finches don’t need a lot of space to thrive. You can keep them in small apartments. With proper care and attention, these birds lead a long and healthy life.

Learn some vital things about finches

– Finches can be classified as softbills

– Many people also classify finches as waxbills or hardbills

– Finches thrive better as small flocks

– These birds are equipped with stout conical bills suitable to eat eating nuts and seeds fast

– Finches belong to the family of Fringillidae

Now let us focus on the question, why finches make wonderful pets?’ Here are the most important reasons that make finches good pets:

The intelligence levels of this bird are high

Generally speaking, birds have higher intelligence compared to other animals. A finch is an intelligent bird and learns things fast. The natural inquisitiveness of this bird makes them one of the highly favored pet birds. As a finch keeps developing a bond with you, it learns from you continuously about your behavior. This type of bird is extremely good at showing human-like antics.

It is a fact that finches navigate thousands of miles to migrate. What does this aspect suggest? It clearly indicates that these birds excellent problem solvers. Cognitive and problem-solving skills are always considered as two components of high intelligence. That is to say, you can always associate a high degree of intelligence with finches. So, these birds learn things faster and make excellent pets.

Only minimal grooming is needed

You don’t need to spend a lot of time and effort to groom these birds. With an inherent ability to interact with human beings, they adapt to a news situation fast. Most types of birds are naturally hygienic creatures. A finch is no different. Preening the feathers daily, this bird makes dedicated efforts to keep the feathers clean and shiny.

You don’t have to spend time cleaning feathers using shampoos. Don’t worry about flea baths. There are no costly haircuts needed. With the help of easy nail trimming and feather clipping, you can keep this bird clean and healthy. Finches only need a light shower in non-chlorinated water once a week.

High suitability for stay-at-home families

Finches love to flock together. In other words, finches want the presence of their companions at all times. Just like a human being, a finch always looks out for a companion or friend. Many of these birds talk and play with you. Some of them are capable of singing to you. If you are prepared to spend time with a bird when it is out of the cage, you can make it sociable fast.

If you keep a dog as a pet, he/she always keeps roaming around and often stays unattended even in your home. You don’t have to worry about this issue when you keep finches as pets. You can take care of them easily. These birds can be put inside a cage whenever you want. Many bird pet owners place the birds inside the cages for safety when they are busy or at work.

Cost-efficient feeding

Birds, especially, finch birds eat only a small portion of food daily. The quantity is considerably lower than the food needed for other types of pets. Further, you can associate high cost0efficiency with top-quality bird foods. It is because of the fact that even the highest-quality food and fresh produce required for finches are primarily plant-based foods. Compared to the price of protein foods needed for dogs and cats, the prices of bird foods are extremely cheaper.

When it comes to offering food for a finch, you must opt for a high-quality diet of pre-cleaned fresh produce, seeds, and pelleted food. You can give them vegetables and fruits that you buy for yourself. Whenever you buy fruits and vegetables, you can keep a portion for finches. What does it suggest? You don’t have to buy specially created pet foods every time to keep the birds healthy. The pet owners and birds can eat together as a flock. So, you don’t have to worry about any over-preparation pet food that results in undesirable food wastage. All of these aspects help you save a lot of money in the long run.

A finch always loves to eat the end pieces of most vegetables and fruits. You can easily find a lot of these pieces on the kitchen counter or in the refrigerator. It is a smart step to add the normally discarded raw bits of vegetables and fruits to the diet of your finches. With these foods, you can offer the birds much-needed nutrients and variety as well. One important thing you need to remember is that the foods you give are non-toxic and safe for birds.

Appreciable socialization skills

If you provide proper training, you can improve the socialization skills of a finch considerably. You can make this bird as lovable as a cat or dog. Frequent interactions and the right training methods develop an insuperable relationship between a bird and owner. Some of the well-trained finches accompany their owners on routine tasks like trips to the mall or bank. You should not take your bird along with you in colder climates. Since these birds at very good at mimicking sounds and gestures, you can easily teach them simple tasks and tricks to keep you entertained.

A finch is always capable of recognizing its owner. It can also identify the cage and toys easily. Some finches sit on the shoulder of the owner to suggest that dinner time is up. The key to improving the socialization skills of this bird is to spend more time with it outside of the cage. This method of approach results in improved interactions and creative responses.

If you have a job that keeps you out of your house for a long period, you must consider buying a second companion for your finch. Since finches prefer to have a companion, you don’t need to worry about any fighting issues.

three finches

Adjust well to houses or apartments with space restrictions

A finch is a small bird. It doesn’t need a large space to move around. No matter whether you live in an apartment or condo with limited space, you can keep a finch with effortless ease and comfort. Space restrictions may not allow you to keep larger pets, especially dogs. Large breed dogs need to have a lot of space to romp and play. A finch cage easily fits into a small apartment or any other living area with space limitations.

Several landlords often charge monthly pet fees from tenants who own dogs and cats. You don’t have to worry about such a fee when you have a pet bird. Most of the landlords don’t consider a bird as a pet. However, you must read the terms and conditions of the lease agreement carefully. This approach lets you know whether keeping a bird is an economical option or not.

As a tenant, you should be careful about the potential sound level of your finches. When you bring these birds to a home that is close to another home, this aspect becomes highly relevant. If your neighbors complain about the sounds of your birds at odd hours, you are most likely to get a warning from your landlord.

Finches have a reasonably good lifespan

The average lifespan of healthy finches is around 11 years. Most pet owners are not interested in keeping animals or birds with a low lifespan. Owning a pet is a pleasurable experience. On the contrary, losing a pet is a painful experience. Finches have a reasonably good lifespan compared to many other pet birds. So, these birds are a good choice as pets. Pet lovers always want to buy birds with an enhanced lifespan so that they can love and enjoy the company for a very long time.

Important factors to remember while adopting a finch

If you are planning to have finches as pets, you should be mindful of a few important aspects. It is not wise to head to a local pet shop immediately to buy birds. You should have a clear idea about these birds before the purchase. Better awareness about these birds let you nurture them more efficiently.

– Finches don’t necessarily need human interaction

– You don’t need to force finches into social behavior

– They always look for a partner

– There should be enough space in the cage to promote free movement

– It is always advisable to offer a finch a cage with a natural environment

– Keep the cage out of a draft

– You can build a wooden cage to blend in with the existing décor of your living room

Study the dietary needs of finches carefully

When it comes to buying finches, you must have a clear idea about the dietary requirements. Many people keep feeding only seeds to these birds. You must realize the fact that a finch also loves to eat a bit of cuttlebone, hard-boiled eggs, vegetables, and little fruits. When you offer these types of foods along with seeds, you are adding variety and color and to the diets of these birds. This approach leads to an improved life expectancy of a finch.

Keep a bowl of water inside the finch cage

A finch likes to play around in a small vessel or bowl of cool water, especially during the summer season. So, you should keep a bowl of water on the cage bottom. Cleaning the cage regularly is a must. You can use fresh water to clean the finch cage. The food particles must be cleaned and removed thoroughly.

gouldian finches

A lot of training and handling are needed to touch finches

You can describe finches as highly sociable bird species by nature. You don’t have to force to behave properly. Without showing any aggression, finches interact with human beings naturally. These birds also don’t show any aggression towards children or other pets. If you want to touch a finch, you need to focus continuous pet handling. As you keep touching and handling these birds, they will get used to physical contact with human beings.

Stressful environments keep a finch disturbed

Finches don’t respond well to stressful environments. These birds cannot adjust well if there are constantly barking dogs in your home. Some children often poke their fingers into a finch cage. This act makes them irritated. Therefore, you must tell children and other people not to frustrate the bird with unwanted gestures and actions. That is to say, you must avoid situations that cause stress and fear in the birds.

Some people buy finches for sale before start learning about their behavior and dietary requirements. If you want to be a responsible pet bird owner, you must do your research before heading to a bird shop. As mentioned above, finches are cute and beautiful birds. If you take care of them properly, they grow up as healthy and smart birds and bring life and energy to your home. Learn about this bird as much as you can before buying one.

If you face space restrictions, you should not purchase a large number of birds. A pair of birds would be the ideal choice in such a situation. If you have enough space, sufficient funds, and no restrictions on mobility, you can buy any number of finches and keep them as pets. These birds make perfect companions for children and senior citizens. A pet-less household can certainly consider buying these birds as pets.