Hi - I'm new with a canary question

[sassybird]

I've had this little guy for about a year now - he is your standard slim bodied yellow canary. A friend found him outside last spring and gave him to me cause he knew I had some bird experience (budgies for many years). His name is Sassy and he's alone in a large flight cage and sings and carries on all day.

Here is the question - is it alright to feed him food for red factors and change his color? I did this my accident last year near the end of his moult because the store ran out of the regular egg food - all they had was red and I bought it. It's made him a wonderful mix of yellow and orange - gorgeous!

Is there any danger to him in this? I read the short bit about it in the FAQ's about adding red pepper and so forth. But I want to verify that this is all fine to do.

[CanaryLover]

Welcome here!
I don't know much on this subject of color feeding with artificial coloring, I have read that doing it too much can be harmful to their liver, and that you are only suppose to do it during a molt. I believe that I also read that it has little effect on birds that are not red factors. I own both a yellow and a red factor. I feed by giving beets and carrots and yes I have also read that red pepper is very good for color, although I haven't tried it yet.
Wish I could be of more help, but someone with more knowledge on the subject will answer soon, I'm sure. Hope I helped a little, and once again, glad you found us.

[sassybird]

Anyone know for sure?

And yes when I fed him the prepared red food last year it was only during his molt. He won't eat fresh foods at all - he was probably raised on seed before I got him. I have gotten him on pellets tho.

[CanaryLover]

I found a great way to get them to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Go to the pet store and buy some egg food mix. It comes in a bag. You mix it with water and it makes a mash. Birds love it just like that, but if you mince up your fruits and vegetables real small (I use one of those food choppers) and mix it in with the egg food mix, they will eat it. Try starting out with apple, that's their favorite, and then start adding to their diet. I also mix in some scraped off cuttle bone in there, because the refuse to touch it otherwise. If it is mixed in with their egg food...they will eat it! Whatever it is!