How to Keep a Pet Finch Healthy

Pet finches are some of the easiest birds to care for. It may be a bit trickier to keep a pet finch healthy than a cat or dog, but preparation prior to bringing the pet home will make care easier. Finches are relatively hearty birds that if properly housed, fed and otherwise attended will bring their owners a lifetime of happiness.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Avian veterinarian
• Reputable finch breeder
• Finch food and millet
• Bird cage (the larger the better)
• Food and water dishes
• Natural perches or tree limbs
• Cage liners
• Travel cage
• Nail trimmers or scissors

1. Find a reputable avian veterinarian in your area. Talk to other bird owners before you buy a pet finch and check the references of the veterinarian. While finches are normally very healthy pets, when an illness occurs there is often little time to get the finch to a veterinarian.
2. Buy a large cage for your pet finch. While finches are very small birds, they will do much better in a large cage. Provide the healthiest environment for the bird by providing as large of cage as possible. Cages should have plenty of natural wood perches, ample food and water available and a bathing area. It should also be easy to clean and maneuver a large hand inside the cage area.
3. Feed the pet finch a healthy diet of small yellow (finch) millet, large white (proso) millet, and canary seed. For best health results, soak the canary seeds in water for a short period and place in a damp paper towel to get them to sprout prior to feeding to your pet finch. A well balanced finch food recipe is: four parts small yellow (finch) millet, 1/2 part large white (parso) millet, 1/2 part canary seed (sprouting).
4. Trim the nails of a pet finch. Keeping a finch healthy includes trimming the talon nails--this can be done with a small pair of sharp scissors or nail trimmer. Use extreme care not to trim the nail too short or bleeding will occur. If you do not feel comfortable trimming the finches nails yourself, an avian veterinarian will do it for a small fee.
5. Keep all new finches separate from birds already living in the home for two full weeks. During the quarantine period, treat the new pets with parasite sprays and watch for any developing illnesses.

Tips & Warnings

• Owning a pet finch is a great alternative for animal lovers with little space or time for pets. The small birds will greet you every morning with a song and a flurry of activity to start the day off, and a song to soothe you in the evenings before bedtime. Children with allergies can also learn the responsibility of pet ownership by caring for a pet finch.
• Pet finches should be kept in a temperature of 80-90 degrees.
• Signs of illness include ruffled feathers combined with tucking the head under a wing with both feet on the perch. If health issues arise, heat is the best quick remedy. Having a quarantine cage ready in a warm dry place will aid in the recovery of a pet finch.