Do canaries need outside time?

[idrial]

I've not been able to get a straight answer from any of my books. Most of them state that canaries typically don't want to leave their cages for "play time."

My canary's behavior seems to confirm this. He's always avoided my hand and seems irate every time I mess around with his cage. He flies about and meeps. I've been too afraid of hurting him to insist that he be held. He refuses to eat from my hand.

He does not seem unhappy otherwise. He sings all day and meeps nearly constantly.

I've been told this is normal, but now that I own a conure, I almost feel guilty. Am I supposed to be holding and interacting with a canary outside of its cage, or is he truly happy that he has a bachelor pad?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated! :)

[expressmailtome]

I would think that much of the answer would have to do with the size of his cage. Also, if he is very hand shy it would be hard to get him back into his cage I would think.

Matt

[poohbear]

The bird isn't irate it's nervous...most small finches are not suited to handling.Conures are different,they crave attention once tamed.Enjoy your canary's song but leave it where it's happy...in the cage.

[ThreeX]

I beg to differ.. I let my canary flock have plenty of "air time". They usually fly around the proximity of the cage and return to it at nightfall. I can't imagine canaries (or any bird for that matter) *not* needing to stretch their wings every once in a while?!

[poohbear]

Nice to hear...and there are many cases of people taming finches to the finger..but the majority, if not given aviary space (Which mine have) are destined to be kept in cages.
I just hope that the owners keep their birds in the longest cage possible and don't get conned into buying pretty but useless cages that some manufacturers offer.

[idrial]

Originally Posted by poohbear

The bird isn't irate it's nervous...most small finches are not suited to handling.Conures are different,they crave attention once tamed.Enjoy your canary's song but leave it where it's happy...in the cage.

"Irate" perhaps may be an overstatement, but its clear he isn't pleased when "the evil hand" is in his space. He bounces around meeping loudly until I am done cleaning the cage. Once I close the cage up and let him settle down, there is a noticeable... "oh thank you... much better. I appreciate how much nicer my pad is." quality to his meeping.

His cage is medium sized at the moment. I am waiting another month to get him a flight cage because that is when I can afford it.

Thanks for the responses. I will certainly try to keep taming him but its nice to know that I am not completely off-base here.

[ThreeX]

Just to clarify - i was talking about their need to fly and excercise, not necessarily becoming tame in the process, although i have had success in "the lazy mans way of taming birds" mainly - let them fly around the house, and one day before you know it they're stealing bread crumbs from your hand, and pretty soon after sit on your hand while eating :)
EDIT: It seems that with wild birds and small pet birds like finches and canaries, the more you work on taming the less likely they are to get tame. I believe in letting them come to you when ready, not the other way around :)

[idrial]

Originally Posted by ThreeX

Just to clarify - i was talking about their need to fly and excercise, not necessarily becoming tame in the process, although i have had success in "the lazy mans way of taming birds" mainly - let them fly around the house, and one day before you know it they're stealing bread crumbs from your hand, and pretty soon after sit on your hand while eating :)
EDIT: It seems that with wild birds and small pet birds like finches and canaries, the more you work on taming the less likely they are to get tame. I believe in letting them come to you when ready, not the other way around :)

Well I've tried picking him up. That doesn't work, it just freaks him out so I don't push it.

I've also tried leaving the cage's door open to see if he'd try and fly outside and exercise about the room he stays in. Nope. He just acts like the door isn't even open and stays inside the cage - even sings and flirts and behaves completely normal.

That is why overall it seems like he is perfectly happy staying in his cage.

I'll certainly keep trying but I think you are completely right that I have to go at his pace, not mine.

[Lori~D]

I have met others who allow Canaries flight time and I feel any flight time is beneficial to birds. I would let mine out and they would eventually fly back for food and I would close the door. Now mine is in the outdoor Aviary and I have never heard him sing so much and he has gotten much longer and louder in his song in being outside and gaining strength thru flying. Hens need all the flighttime they can get to help build muscle strength to lay eggs. ANY flight excercise is good.

[Powder]

My Canary, Ole, has a big cage and gets exercise there. Before this canary I used to take the cage outside for the summer....but then, something happened to my birds leg...a bite from a bug or a bee? I never will know, but that leg got infected and it looked terribly painful. Eventually the bird passed. So now, Ole doesn't go outside. He seems to be happy in his cage and I open the window so he can hear the other birds. When I clean his cage he gets out and flies around.....but I think he's happiest in his cage.