Pet Canary Health Care Tips

As always...preventive canary health care measures should be taken
to ensure optimal canary condition.

There are MANY diseases and canary illnesses that can halt your canary's singing and even kill your pet bird.

You want your bird to have a STRONG immune system to fight off any viruses or bacteria that your canary may come in contact with.

Canary Health and Prevention

First, let’s talk about what canary care strategies you can use to prevent illness and promote good health for your canary bird.

After all, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".

Ensuring the health and well-being of our beloved pet canaries is a top priority for any bird enthusiast. From providing proper nutrition to maintaining a clean environment, there are numerous steps we can take to prevent illness and promote longevity in these delicate creatures.

Let's delve into essential tips and strategies for safeguarding the health of your pet canary. From understanding their dietary needs to creating a stimulating environment, discover proactive measures that can help keep your feathered friend happy and thriving.

With a little knowledge and care, you can ensure a vibrant and healthy life for your cherished companion.

Good canary health can be insured, first of all, by keeping your bird's home clean...

CANARY CAGE CLEANLINESS

Cage cleanliness is the foundation of good canary health. It's not uncommon for a canary illness to arise due to filthy living conditions. 

The birds droppings should be removed every day and the
bottom of the cage disinfected at least monthly to help keep your bird happy and healthy.

Use newspaper, cut to size, at the bottom of the cage. Or cardboard. They're both cheap or free. An antimicrobial cage liner product is great if you don't mind spending a few bucks.

However, don't use anything that has a waxy finish. It will not absorb moisture. The droppings will just sit there and collect bacteria instead of quickly drying out.

TABABAO Bird Cage Liner, Bird Cage Paper Liners, 50pcs Pre-Cut Large Bird Cage Liners for Parrot, Parakeet, Conure, Cockatiel, Poly-Coated Kraft Paper Cage Liners, 20 X 18 inch, Brown

Prevue Hendryx Pet Products T3 Cage Liner, 18-Inch by 100-Feet White

You can buy gravel cage paper already cut to size and made especially for bird cages but I don't recommend this paper for canaries. Your canary will consume the grit from the bottom of the cage where his droppings are.

GROSS!

Some other items that you should NOT use in your canary cage are
pine shavings, corn cob, walnut shells, kitty litter, hay, or cedar shavings.

Once a month, or more, you'll want to disinfect the walls of the cage to protect your canary's health.

Water and food dishes should be rinsed out daily and thoroughly washed weekly or more to help protect against bacteria growth.

Dried and hardened droppings can be sprayed with a bird cage cleaner and then scraped off with this handy scraping tool...

Absolutely Clean Amazing Bird Cage Cleaner and Deodorizer - Just Spray/Wipe - Safely & Easily Removes Bird Messes Quickly and Easily - Made in The US

Stainless Steel Bird Droppings Cleaning Brush with Scraper Birdcage Accessory Parrot Pet Cage

How to disinfect with a homemade solution...

Disinfect with a solution of 10% bleach to 90% water. Put in a spray bottle and spray the whole cage plus dishes (not his food of course). You can also soak a rag with this solution and wipe or scrub as needed. Rinse dishes and dry thoroughly before replacing.

CANARY CLEANLINESS

Canaries are very clean birds. If possible most would bathe themselves everyday.

Be sure to...

Provide your canary bird with a bath regularly.

Let him bathe at least twice per week for good canary health-->Three or four times is much better...Everyday is better yet. 

A simple shallow bowl will suffice but specially designed canary bird baths are a big help for keeping the mess to a minimum.

NOTE: Not every canary will take advantage of his bath.  Keep providing the bath and water though.  He may eventually discover how great it is to splash around.  If not, don't worry.  Some birds just refuse to bathe. (Like some humans I know.) You can always use a spray bottle to spritz him with water once a week or so. 

Click here to learn more about keeping your canary clean...

Baths are especially appreciated during the hot summer months...

Click here for special information on summer canary care.

YJJKJ Caged Bird Bath Bird Cage Parrot Supplies Bathing Tub for Small Brids Canary Budgerigar Cockatiel Lovebird（Random Color）

HOSUKKO Bird Bath for Cage No-Leakage Upgrated Acrylic Clear Bird Bathtub Parrot Parakeets Shower for Cage Bathtub Box for Small Bird Parrot with 4 Hooks

CANARY BIRD DIET

Obviously, diet has a huge impact on canary health and is an important part of canary care. All birds need a steady supply of...

• Protiens
• Carbohydrates
• Fat...

...Not just canaries...MOST animals must get these three items from their diet for good health.

You can provide a nutritious diet with a good canary seed mixture, fresh fruits and veggies, and healthy treats.

Dr. Harvey's Incredible Canary Blend, Natural Food for Canaries (4 pounds)

Nemeth Farms Worlds Freshest Sun-Dried Spray - Non-GMO and Pesticide Free (No Stems Only Edible Tops) - Healthy Bird Treat and Supplement for All Pet Birds Keets Cockatiels Finches - 1lb

Quiko Classic Egg Food Supplement For All Birds, 1.1 Lb. Pouch

Raff Delicate Rosso Red Plumage Enhancing Paste for Canaries & Granivorous Birds with Honey and Carrots,Red Factor Poultry Egg Food 500g

Higgins 3 Pack of Sunburst Soak n' Sprout Seeds with Quinoa for Small Birds, 3 Ounces Each

UnRuffledRx FeatherUp! Bird Vitamins with Biotin for Beautiful Plumage - Feather Growth Supplements for Parrots - 90 gm - 240 Servings

Click here to learn more about how a balanced diet can keep your canary healthy.

If you've already overdone it with the unhealthy canary treats (cake and cookies) you may have ended up with a fat canary on your hands. If so...Click here to learn more about handling your big fat canary.

EXERCISE: AN IMPORTANT PART OF CANARY HEALTH

Everybody knows that exercise is good for you,  right? 

If you have a decent size cage for your canary he will be able to flutter back and forth between perches.  But how about letting him out of his cage once in a while. It's "fluttering" times 10 and great exercise.

Click here to learn more about canary exercise.

Air Toxins and the Pet Canary

AIR TOXINS can be the reason you end up with a sick canary bird on your hands. Your bird does not have the ability to filter out toxins in the air as mammals do.

Fumes from an overheated non-stick pan can kill your canary quite quickly.

Be very careful with household cleaners like ammonia, bleach, floor and furniture cleaners, bathroom cleansers, etc.

Pretty much anything that has a chemical odor to it can be toxic to your canary.

Some other items to limit your canary's exposure to:

• scented candles
• mothballs
• paint
• perfume
• matches
• tobacco smoke
• nail polish
• suntan lotions

Unfortunately, no matter how clean you keep your canary's environment he will have toxins in his system over time. Toxins are in the air everywhere and in the water.

Emotional Health of the Pet Canary

A canary can do extremely well all alone. That is, as a single bird in the house.

However, your bird will be happier and more content if he knows (or at least thinks) there are other canaries nearby.

You don't have to get another canary though for good canary care. A good recording of singing canaries will so the trick.

 Click here to see how to make your canary bird feel emotionally healthy and increase his singing.

Routine Maintenance of Your Canary Bird

Even your canary needs "routine maintenance".

You change the oil in your car every 3 months right? Well, you should check your canary about every 3 months too.

He should be inspected for illnesses and injuries. His feathers and skin can tell you many things about his health status.

You can do a lot of this by just standing nearby and taking a look.

But if you really want to be thorough, you'll have to catch him.

And don't worry...it most likely won't hurt him. He won't like it, but it won't hurt him. In fact, it'll help him.

Learn more about catching, holding, and doing "routine maintenance" on your canary...click here.

Part of that "routine maintenance" includes...

Clipping A Canary's Nails (claws)

Canary claws or nails can end up having a negative effect on canary health if allowed to grow out of control.

clipping canary nails claws

Fortunately, canary nails don't grow near as quickly as humans. They will need to be clipped about twice per year.

Some people recommend wrapping the perch with sandpaper to keep the canary's nails wore down. THIS IS A NO-NO! The sandpaper can damage your canary's feet and possible turn into bumble foot or some other problem.

When you clip your canary's nails look carefully for the vein inside the nail.

Stay well away form this vein...

It can sometimes be difficult to stop the bleeding if you cut into it.

--The nail clipping sketch is from "The Canary Handbook" by Mathew M. Vriends.--

To learn the symptoms of a sick canary and what to watch for go to my Sick Canary Page...click here.

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