NATURAL HABITAT
In their island homes , canaries nest in small spaces such as bushes and low trees. They fly and hop from branch to branch, and prefer to move horizontally rather than up and down. Provide a pet canary with a cage that offers lots of room to move back and forth, at least 17 inches wide. A canary cage should be wider than it is tall. Canaries don't do well in round or vertical cages. Their shape restricts the bird from moving in his natural direction, side to side.
PERCHING SPACE
When it comes to housing a canary, bigger is better. The more room you give a pet canary, the happier he will be. Your bird needs room to fly, so he doesn't need a plethora of perches scattered throughout the cage. A few well-placed perches on both sides of the cage will allow him to do what comes naturally -- flying back and forth.
CAGE AMENITIES
Provide perches for a canary that replicate his natural environment. Different widths, lengths and textures help exercise his feet and keep his nails trim. Use perches shaped like branches for exercise, and rope-textured perches for relaxation. Give a canary toys to entertain him, but avoid toys with mirrors if you want your bird to sing.
Offer a canary the opportunity to bathe regularly. Canaries love to take baths, and prefer birdbaths that hook onto the cage door rather than those that sit on the cage floor. Use cold water. Warm water strips the oil from their skin and feathers. Be sure the room is warm and the cage free from drafts. There's no need to dry your canary. He will preen and dry himself.
SNACK TIME
Offer your canary fruits and vegetables along with a high-quality seed or pellet diet. These can make up to 25 percent of your bird's diet. Your canary will enjoy vegetables such as kale, carrots, spinach and peas. Apples and grapes are good fruit snacks for canaries. Cut these snacks into small pieces, and serve them in a separate dish from your bird's seed or pellets.
*Culled from Demand Media, Inc.
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