The Basics:

Zebra Finches are small, gentle but very active birds. They are famous for their bright color patches on their cheeks and orange or red beaks. Relatively easy-to-care-for and quiet, they make 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 Finches will spend just about all of their time in a cage, they require spacious quarters. Zebra Finches love to fly, so their cage should offer plenty of horizontal space for them to take flight. (Of course, an aviary would even be better.) A cage that measures at least 28” long by 18” wide by 18” high is needed for a pair of Zebra Finches. A larger cage is necessary for a flock of finches. (A cage that isn’t large enough can cause the birds to become aggressive with one another. ) It’s also preferable to keep two or more Finches in a cage, so the birds can keep each other company.  Wire spacing must be small (3/8”) to prevent the tiny 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 Zebra 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, Zebra 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 Finch 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 Finch cage can be moved to an area of direct sunlight, provided it is not allowed to become too hot. (Make sure that your Finch has a place of shade so that he doesn’t get overheated.) If a cage isn’t exposed to direct sunlight (sunlight that is not filtered by glass or screen) at some point during the day, a full spectrum lamp should be used to provide the 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:

Zebra 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 Zebra 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 Zebra 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:

Zebra Finches do not require time out of their cage.

Grooming:

Consult veterinarian or literature about trimming nails.

Bathing:

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:

Zebra Finches can be given a finch seed mix for the bulk of their diet, but 20-30% of their food intake should include fresh washed and chopped greens and other vegetables, plus some fruit. Fruits and vegetables should be rinsed, dried and cut into appropriately sized pieces before being offered to this bird. They also enjoy millet spray.  A Zebra Finch should always be provided with a calcium supplement such as crushed oyster shells. Provide additional calcium i.e. cuttlebone during egg laying. Clean chlorine-free water should always be available to Zebra Finches. 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.