The Basics:

Society Finches are small, gentle, but very active birds. They have a variety of different colored plumage, including chocolate, cream, fawn, chestnut, and grey. These colors are accompanied by a patch of white. They are relatively easy-to-care-for and quiet, which makes them a good pet for first-time bird keepers and apartment dwellers. However, prospective owners should keep in mind that no pet is trouble-free or maintenance-free. 

Cage:

Since most Society Finches will spend just about all of their time in a cage, they require spacious quarters. A cage that measures at least 24” long by 16” wide by 18” high is suitable for a pair of Finches, though larger is always better, and more space is necessary if more than two birds are kept. (Cages that are too small will result in increased aggression on the part of the finches.)  It’s also preferable to keep two or more Finches in a cage, so the birds can keep each other company.  Since Society Finches enjoy flying from perch to perch, their cage should be long enough to provide them with flight room. Their cages should be longer than they are wide or high.  Bar spacing must be small (3/8”) to prevent the tiny finch bird from fitting his head through the bars.  The cage should include nests to provide a sense of security. 

CAUTION

In most cases, more space is more desirable for birds. However, when increasing the size of a Society Finch’s cage, the bird’s human companion must be careful to maintain a safe (narrow) space between the bars. The bars of a cage have to be narrow enough to prevent a bird from sticking his head in between. Bars that are spaced too far apart for the bird’s size can result in serious and even fatal injuries.

Positioning The Cage:

Unlike Parrots, Finches do not need to interact with people, so their cages should not be positioned in high activity areas. Other areas to avoid when positioning a Society Finch’s cage are those with direct sunlight and drafts, or anyplace close to a kitchen. Smoke from cooking and the fumes from nonstick cookware can cause serious, or even fatal, problems for a finch.

The cage can be moved to an area of direct sunlight, provided it is not allowed to become too hot. If a cage isn’t exposed to direct sunlight at some point during the day, a full spectrum lamp should be used to provide the Society Finch with essential UVB rays.  At night, the cage should be covered with a lightweight cloth to provide the Finch with a sense of security.

Playthings:

Society Finches generally do not play with toys, because they get most of their exercise and amusement out of flying. However, they do like swings. Mirror toys are fine if keeping only females, but males may become aggressive towards their own reflection, believing it to be another male.

Perches:

A Society Finch needs to have at least two or three perches with different diameters in her cage. The perches serve many important purposes. In addition to providing the bird with an area for standing, they help keep her beak and nails trim. The perches in a Society Finch’s cage should be between 3/8” and ½” in diameter. A perch should be placed in front of, but not above, food and water dishes.

Play Time Outside The Cage:

Society Finches do not require time out of their cage.

Grooming And Bathing:

Consult veterinarian or literature about trimming nails. Provide a shallow bowl of chlorine-free water for supervised bathing. Water must be lukewarm to room temperature. Avoid drafts. Remove bath bowl when finished.

Diet:

Ideally a Society Finch should be offered a diet that is made up of 70% pellets. The remainder of the diet can consist of greens like spinach, parsley and kale, as well as a small amount of finch seed and fresh washed and cut fruit.  Fruits and vegetables should be rinsed, dried and cut into appropriately sized pieces before being offered to this bird. In some cases, Society Finches may refuse pellets, which will require making seeds the bulk of their diet. In these instances, it is better if the seeds are sprouted before being offered.  Cuttlebones and crushed oyster shells help finches acquire an appropriate amount of calcium, especially if they have rejected pellets. Provide additional calcium i.e. cuttlebone during egg laying. Clean chlorine-free water should always be available to birds. Most Finches consume a large volume of water relative to their size during warm weather months, so extra care should be taken to keep their water cup full.

A Note About Water:

All water given to birds for drinking, as well as water used for misting, soaking or bathing must be 100% free of chlorine and heavy metals.  (Not all home water filtration systems remove 100% of the chlorine and heavy metals from tap water, so check your system's specifications before using it to filter water for your pet.) We recommend that you use unflavored bottled drinking water or bottled natural spring water and never untreated tap water. Do not use distilled water, which can cause severe medical problems, since it lacks minerals that are essential to important body functions.