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Hi,
This is Rita (MEIS::TILLSON) - I've been on vacation, and I'm currently
NOTING from my cluster account due to a disk problem on MEIS...
Anyway...
Most zebra finches are *extremely* social creatures, (to the point where
a single zebra may become depressed and fall ill from having no
companionship) and fighting between zebra finches is almost ALWAYS a
sign of environmental stress.
FIRST, all finches need SPACE, SPACE, SPACE. They need more than you'd
think for their tiny size. The little 1'x1' cages sold in pet stores
as "finch cages" tend to be woefully inadequate. I use these cages as
quarantine cages - and never keep any finches in them for longer than
60 days. I also use them as holding cages and transport cages for
young budgies just removed from their parents and being socialized.
They may even serve as semi-permanent homes for small hookbills -
budgies, lovebirds, parrotlets - PROVIDED that the birds are given most
of the day out of their cages and only use them for eating/sleeping
space. However, finches housed in these on a permanent basis will
FIGHT and pick at each other. They will also exhibit this behavior in
any size round cage - lack of corners seems to make them feel insecure.
I can always tell when I need to remove birds from my big flight cages
- when they get overcrowded they start pecking each other.
The minimum size cage for a pair of finches OF ANY KIND is 30" long, 1
foot deep, and 18" high. Finches get their exercise by flying (not
climbing, as many hookbills do) and need space to fly and stretch their
wings. Bigger is even better, and some of the more delicate and
particular species need more space for breeding than some medium-sized
hookbills!
The good news is that finches don't chew like hookbills, so if you're
handy, you can build nice flights out of plywood (painted with a
nontoxic, lead-free paint and left to dry for several weeks) and
1/2x1/4" or 1/4x1/4" hardware cloth attached with a staple gun, or made
of hardware cloth alone and assembled with j-clips. This is usually
much less expensive than purchasing premade caging, and can be as large
and elaborate as your time/creativity/budget allows. I've seen some
lovely aviary/flight cages for finches that were as lovely as any
formal furniture, so if you're handy, go nuts! Just be VERY careful
that there are no tiny spaces where your birds can catch their feet,
especially if they are banded. I have a couple of babies that were
among the first I started banding, that now are "stumpy one-footers",
having lost feet to inadequate cage design.
Your finches may also benefit by a choice of nesting/sleeping quarters
(2-3 nest baskets per pair, at various spots in the cage), camouflage
in their cage (a silk spider plant hung in the center of the cage can
work wonders - real spider plants or other non-toxic foliage is ok,
too, but takes much more work!) and multiple natural branch perches,
multiple feed, water, bathing, and treat dishes will eliminate
feeding/bathing competition.
Also be sure that their diet is adequate - basic seed, clean water,
millet sprays, greens and vegetables, and chopped hardboiled egg are
all good, plus vitamins or supplements like Petamine can help.
The only other thing to check is that they are receiving adequate light
- at least 10 hours/day, 12 is better still. Fluorescent lights will
do, but natural spectrum fluorescents such as Vitalites are better
still.
Good luck, and let us know how it goes...
/Rita
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