Exercise For
Canary Birds
"Oh...To Fly, To Be Free,
To Soar With The Eagles" Sayeth The Canary Birds.
...I'm sure I read that in a poem somewhere.
Maybe our canaries can't actually fly with the Eagles but they can certainly fly around our homes. The exercise they get when flying is everything when compared to the little bit of fluttering and hopping around they do in their cages.
Let'em FLY!
Letting our canaries fly around the house has many benefits...
The extra exercise will improve their health dramatically...
- They'll feel less stress
- Have a stronger immune system
- They'll live longer
- Have more powerful lungs for entertaining YOU with song
- And they'll be all-around happier canary birds.
Don't Rush Him
If you have never let your canary out of his cage before he may be a little timid about leaving the security of his little home...That's OK.
Give him time.
Don't pull him out...
Let him make the decision on his own. Just open the door and allow him to think for a few minutes. If he's a little cautious it won't last long...he'll soon be fluttering around the room and singing in delight.
But BEFORE you do that...Make sure your home is safe for fragile canary to fly around. There are a few obstacles that can hurt or even KILL our
canaries! First of all...
Put the cat out.
And the dog. And the ferret. And any other predator you might have roaming around looking for a snack.
Don't even begin to think that your little Wiener dog won't bother your canary. He's got the same hunting instincts as a Pit Bull.
I'll bet he would love to chase your canary around the house for the afternoon. Whether he catches the bird or not-->he can do serious damage to your canary's psyche.
And be mindful of that other predator...
The Human Child and Canary Birds
Birds can be a lot of fun for a kid to chase around the house.
Your canary is going to be stressed out enough the first couple of times out of his cage--Looking for a place to land, checking out his surroundings, looking for dangers--without having a rug rat running around the room making him nervous.
Optical Illusions...
Cover windows and mirrors. More than one bird has tried to fly through a piece of glass...with a broken neck as a result.
--Jerry Seinfeld once said...
"I never understood how a bird could fly straight into a
mirror...You'd think he would at least try and avoid the OTHER bird"...Good point--
The window below is either super clean or open. Both would be hazards to canary birds flying free in the house.
Something To Eat.
Make sure all plants and other potential edibles are safe for your canary. Here is a list of potentially poisonous houseplants taken from Mathew M. Vriends' "The Canary Handbook".
Most of these I've never even heard of but you may have one in your home...
- Amaryllis
- Autumn Crocus
- Azalea
- Balsam pear
- Bird of Paradise (Ironic isn't it?)
- Boxwood
- Caladium
- Castor Bean
- Chalice Vine
- Coral Plant
- Daffodil
- Datura
- Dieffenbachia (Bless you!)
- Elephant's Ear
- Hyacinth
- Hydrangea
- Japanese Yew
- Java Beans
- Lantana
- Lilly-of-the-Valley
- Narcissus
- Nightshade
- Oleander
- Philodendron
- Rhododendron
- Yam Bean
If you don't know what kind of plants are in your house, be safe and cover them.
The most dangerous place in the house is the kitchen.
Kitchens and Canaries
Sinks full of water, a hot stove, pot of boiling soup...these can all end up as your canary birds last landing. Check the kitchen thoroughly for any hazards.
Other pitfalls found around the house are...
- Heaters
- Fans
- Ceiling Fans
- Fireplaces...Even when there is no fire, make sure the escape route is blocked.
- Open fish tanks
Oh...and one last thing...make sure your windows and doors are SHUT...or your
canary will REALLY be free.
As you saw above "The Canary Handbook" is very useful for all owners of
canary birds. I highly recommend you get a copy.
To check out "The Canary Handbook" click here.
Welcome to CanaryAdvisor.com :)
