Mary Allen
The way to a man’s heart goes through his stomach. This applies to canaries as well as to us humans. In addition to care and the right accommodation, balanced and species-appropriate nutrition is the most important thing in order to give your feathered friends a long, healthy, and enjoyable life. As a bird lover, the first thing you ask yourself, of course, is: What does my darling like to eat?
It Likes and May Do That
Canaries are connoisseurs. In their country of origin in the Canary Islands, Madeira and the Azores, the table is always richly set. So they also need a varied diet with us. The daily basis for the spoiled grain eater is one to two teaspoons of special canary food. The food bowl should be as shallow as possible and the husks must be removed from the food every day so that the bird can find the full kernels.
Green fodder, vegetables, and fruit are essential for the canary, but please do not spray them. It promotes the vitality, health, and growth of its plumage. In short: it doesn’t work without it. When it comes to green plants, the little friends especially love the whole plants of the chickweed, seed heads, and leaves of the dandelion as well as the panicles of many types of grass. This artist of the air can also safely eat most of the vegetables, and apples, bananas, and all kinds of berries are particularly recommended.
What You are Not Allowed to Feed
Despite the abundance of fruits and vegetables that your canary can safely eat, there are some things that must be avoided: avocado, plums and plums, and grapefruit. Green beans, raw potatoes, and all types of cabbage are also prohibited. The feathered friends do not tolerate anything salty, spicy, sugary, or all kinds of sweets. Food leftovers from the table, milk, rancid fodder, and green fodder from the vicinity of busy roads should definitely not be on your menu.
What Else Your Darling Needs
The canaries need stomach grit in order to be able to digest their food well. These are small stones for crushing the grains. In addition, minerals should always be available in an extra bowl. Pick stones or cuttlefish bowls are also gladly accepted. During the moult and egg formation, there is an increased need for animal protein.
Always Fresh Drinking Water
A canary takes in 10 to 20% of its body weight in water every day, depending on the ambient temperature and the quality of the food. That means: Hansi must always have fresh drinking water available. You should give vitamins to the drinking water once or twice a week. The bird also takes in iodine and minerals with the water. So lovingly and health-consciously fed, Hansi will thank you with a zest for life, happy singing, and long life.