Posts

Showing posts from July, 2020

Zebra finch care

We are often asked about finch care and nutrition, so that warrants a post on that topic. Before going further, however, please note that this post is only a brief summary and has the  purpose to highlight only the most important points. We also note that there are numerous resources online about finch care, but not all are reliable nor provide the correct information. Always check what/who the source is, and how (if at all) are they being funded/sponsored - an avian vet or a peer reviewed published paper are always the best go-to resources. Next in line are experienced breeders. If you ever doubt any information given, follow your gut feeling and get a second opinion. It never hurts to do extra research.    Nutrition: In addition to high quality fortified seeds, zebra finches should be provided with high quality pellets, along with fresh vegetables and fruits, and a source of calcium daily. Bird food should not contain any artificial colours, flavours, or additives. Boiled eggs are

Stella & Jack update

Image
Stella and Jack are such amazing parents. The babies are nearly all grown, learning the bird ways from their dotting parents. It is a such a joy to watch them thrive. It seems that at least one is a male, as he is chirping along and learning his father's song. The happy family is shown in the photo below. The babies are lined up behind their dad. As they are maturing, their beaks are changing the colour from black to orange.  

Stella & Jack had their first clutch!

Image
Stella and Jack, our pied zebra finches, had their first clutch. The three georgous babies hatched on June 18, 19, and 21. Just yesterday, the eldest ventured away from her nest, followed by her younger-by-a-day sibling. The youngest baby is still chilling in the nest, waiting for more feather coverage before she expores her surroundings. The dotting parents are absolutely amazing, tenderly caring for their babies day and night. We supply them with fresh veggies, fruits, high quality fortified seeds, and hard-boiled eggs. Quality nutrition is essential for both the babies and the parents. Bird parenting is a very stressful job, and to minimize any impact on the birds' immune system, it is important to provide them with the best possible conditions. It will take a few more weeks before we can tell whether the babies are males or females. We do know, however, that two are the pied mutation.   Stella munching on eggs and banana Stella (back) and Jack (front)    The babies on Jul 1, 20