The canary is the smallest seed eating finch. It weighs approximately 1/2 ounce and measures about 5 inches long. Wild canaries do not show the tremendous colour variations found in the domestic birds available in pet shops; they are primarily a greenish yellow. The wild canaries have been bred over a number of centuries to develop birds both bright and distinctive in colour, as well as birds that produce a pleasant song. Years ago, the best singing canaries were bred in the Harz Mountains of Germany. Generally, only the male canary will sing, but the female will make pleasant sounds.
Since canaries, being members of the finch family, are relatively small birds, they can live in a comparatively small space. The bars of the canary cage can be either horizontal or vertical, but the bars of the cage should be narrow enough to prevent the canary from sticking his head out. This active bird should have plenty of perches located in such a position so no portion of the bird’s tail, wings or head will touch another perch. The perches should not be located above open food or water dishes. The perches should allow the feet to encircle them completely. You can use sanded perch covers, if you wish, to help keep the nails trimmed.
Food and water dishes that were purchased with the cage can be used. These can be covered. Treats can be fed in smaller treat cups to help provide a more varied and balanced diet. Since canaries are avid bathers, a cage bird bath should be provided. You can locate the cage where your pet can get some indirect, natural sunlight. Never keep the cage in direct sunlight for extended periods of time because this can cause dehydration or heat stroke. Keep the cage off the floor to prevent drafts. A quiet area of the home will provide the bird with a sense of security. Cover the cage at night, because birds roost at dusk and a canary will not sing in the dark.
The cage should be cleaned thoroughly once a week using soap and warm water to clean the bars. In addition, the bottom of the cage should be cleaned daily if possible, replacing the gravel or gravel paper. The seed cups must be checked daily to ensure the availability of fresh seed at all times. The empty hulls should be removed (you can hold the seed in the palm of your hand and gently blow the empty hulls away) and the seed replaced. The water container should be washed and rinsed carefully and refilled with clean water. Do not wash the perches, but clean them using a special perch cleaning brush.
Clean, fresh water should always be available. Make sure to check it more frequently during hot, humid days.
Birds have a very high metabolism, which means that their bodies use, and need, tremendous amounts of food in comparison to their body weight. Members of the finch family can eat about one-third of their body weight daily. Canaries feed primarily on seeds and fruits. A basic, high quality canary food containing primarily canary seed, rape seed and other assorted seeds, should be available at all times. Many types of specialized canary foods are available including song food, moulting food, greens and grains, and more. All birds require grit in order to properly digest their food. This can be sprinkled on the bottom of the cage or supplied in a treat cup.
ariety in the diet is very helpful in maintaining healthy, colourful birds. Canaries cannot forage for food in captivity as they would do in nature, so it is up to the pet owner to provide the variety in their diet. This can include green vegetable tops (avoid lettuce), small slices of fruit or even hard-boiled egg yolks. Remember to feed these treats in small quantities and remove any uneaten portions to avoid spoilage.
Cuttlebones will provide a source or calcium and minerals that are important components in bone and feather development. Food supplements and vitamins can be added to the food or water.
Canaries, like other members of the finch family, are extremely delicate birds. They should not be handled unless absolutely necessary. One such occasion is when the nails may need trimming. Gently hold the canary in your hand with the feet exposed. Carefully extend the foot and trim the nails using a sharp pair of scissors or preferably a nail trimmer made specifically for birds. If you hold the foot up to the light, you will see the “quick”. Be sure to avid cutting the quick; if cut it will bleed.
Do not allow the canary to fly around the home. Open doors, windows and uncovered water sources could be hazardous to the canary.
The sexes are difficult to distinguish except for the fact that only the male will sing. If you have a compatible pair, provide them with a nest for canaries and attach it to the cage. A special breeding cage should be used with a wire and solid partition in the centre. Keep them separated for a few days then remove the solid partition so they can see each other. When they are ready to breed, the male will sing a distinctive mating song. At this point the wire partition is removed. Provide the female with nesting material, or nesting hair. The female usually lays 3 to 4 eggs that will hatch in about 2 weeks. The young will remain in the nest for about 3 more weeks until they become fully feathered. They are dependent on their parents for food for an additional few weeks.
If you are attentive to the normal activity and the amount of food consumed, you can easily determine if your canary is feeling well. The most dangerous problem canaries, and most caged birds, face is drafts. Inactivity, diarrhea or shallow breathing are all signs of potential problems. Many products are available for combating bacterial or intestinal problems.
Prevent mites and lice from attacking your canary by using a bird cage guard. Washes and powders are also available to keep these problems minimized.
The best prevention when dealing with caged birds is careful, attentive care. A proper diet and cages located in suitable locations will help you keep a healthy, active pet for many years.
There are many varieties of canaries, some are: the Yorkshire, Border Fancy, Red Factor and Roller. Each has been bred to provide a distinctive song, a particular body shape, or colour.
CANARIES BUDGIES FINCHES COCKATIELS
General Questions
Do Ruffin’s stores sell items made in China?
Products made in China are almost impossible to avoid in any store these days so yes Ruffin’s stores do have products from China. With suppliers bringing things in from all over the world we will inevitably have products like toys, dishes, aquarium ornaments, cages etc. from China. What we don’t have are any foods or treats or chews from China
Does Ruffin’s carry raw food for dogs?
Yes most of the Ruffin’s store carry frozen raw diets available in a variety of meats.
How many Ruffin’s stores are there?
There are currently 14 Ruffin’s stores located though out Southern Ontario. Check our store locator for one near you.
Cats
My cat had FUS crystals, he had the operation to remove them and is now on a food from the Vet that is very expensive. Is there an alternative?
I hate to go against what your Vet is telling you so I will suggest you discuss my answer with them before switching foods. That being said my answer is yes there are alternatives. Companies like Hills and Royal Canin that make the Vet diets also make Urinary diets that are available at pet stores. Stop in at your local Ruffin’s and our staff will be glad to show you your choices.
Should I give my cat catnip?
Sure, catnip is an all natural product that contains no harmful ingredients. Pick out a good quality catnip or catnip toy (hold it up to your nose you should be able to smell it) and introduce it to you cat. Observe your cat and if you feel they get a little too excited for your liking simply stop using it. Catnip is not addictive and will cause and long term affects. I should note that some cats have little or no reaction to catnip but don’t be disappointed just find something else you cat likes.
I just got a new kitten what kind of cat litter should I use?
The world of cat litter just keeps expanding with new offering made of the most unusual materials popping up all the time. The most popular litter is clumping clay litter, low cost combined with great odor reduction keep this litter on top. How ever we don’t recommend clumping litter for young kittens as they tend to ingest the litter while grooming. For kitten I prefer a regular non clumping clay letter or one of the alternative litters made from Pine, Wheat, Corn or grass like Smart Cat.
Should I feed my cats wet food or dry?
This is an endless debate and I see nothing wrong with feeding either food or even mixing the two. The quality available in dry foods today would have astounded me 20 years ago. It is now easy to find good diets containing high levels of protein that cats readily eat on any pet store’s shelves. Canned or wet foods remain popular with many due to the varied diets and healthy ingredients they offer to the cats we love. For me it comes down to a matter of preference and time. Dry foods offer perfectly healthy balanced diets with convenience at a slightly lower cost than canned.
Dogs
My dog is finicky and I have a hard time finding a food she likes. She like Beneful but I want to feed something better, what food works for finicky dogs?
This is one of the most asked questions in our stores. Finding a food your dog loves to eat can sometimes be very hard. All I can suggest is that you experiment. There are lot of very high quality palatable foods out there. Try different protein sources like Duck, Fish or Venison. One of the foods I often recommend for fussy eaters is Oven baked Tradition OBT for short. Oven baked is the only company that baked their food in ovens like you would a cookie the result is a mouth feel and bite many dogs like. Switching off Beneful can be difficult, you see Beneful uses sugar in their food, there’s no reason for it except dogs love the taste, it’s not good for them and it can make it hard to get dogs to change foods but the health benefits are worth the effort.
My dog has fleas what do I do?
External parasites like fleas, ticks, and mosquitos can make your pets life miserable and can carry disease. My preference is to use flea drops from companies like Zodiac and Infestop. They work quickly and keep on working for up to a month. Just make sure you get the drops right down to the skin when applying. For fleas around the home I prefer the 1-2 punch of a fast acting less expensive insecticide using pyrethrins in main areas along with a residual insecticide for cracks and crevices, under furniture etc. where fleas like to hide. Nothing can replace vacuuming for ridding a home of fleas
Can Cockatiels learn to talk?
Yes Cockatiels, Budgies and many other birds in the parakeet family can be taught to mimic words, sounds and whistles. Patience and repetition are important. Start with simple single syllable words and build your birds vocabulary from there.
How can I tell if the Budgie I have is a boy or a girl?
Budgies are one of the easiest pet birds to sex. If your bird is an adult look at the cere (nostrils above the beak). On an adult male it should be blue and a female will be brown. On juvenile birds the male is a light violet and the female is a light blue.
My dog is finicky and I have a hard time finding a food she likes. She like Beneful but I want to feed something better, what food works for finicky dogs?
This is one of the most asked questions in our stores. Finding a food your dog loves to eat can sometimes be very hard. All I can suggest is that you experiment. There are lot of very high quality palatable foods out there. Try different protein sources like Duck, Fish or Venison. One of the foods I often recommend for fussy eaters is Oven baked Tradition OBT for short. Oven baked is the only company that baked their food in ovens like you would a cookie the result is a mouth feel and bite many dogs like. Switching off Beneful can be difficult, you see Beneful uses sugar in their food, there’s no reason for it except dogs love the taste, it’s not good for them and it can make it hard to get dogs to change foods but the health benefits are worth the effort.
My dog has fleas what do I do?
External parasites like fleas, ticks, and mosquitos can make your pets life miserable and can carry disease. My preference is to use flea drops from companies like Zodiac and Infestop. They work quickly and keep on working for up to a month. Just make sure you get the drops right down to the skin when applying. For fleas around the home I prefer the 1-2 punch of a fast acting less expensive insecticide using pyrethrins in main areas along with a residual insecticide for cracks and crevices, under furniture etc. where fleas like to hide. Nothing can replace vacuuming for ridding a home of fleas.
Birds
How can I tell if Budgie I have is a boy or a girl ?
Budgies are one of the easiest pet birds to sex . If your bird is an adult look at the care (nostrils above the beak). On an adult male it should be blue and a female will be brown . on juvenile birds the male is a light violet and female is a light blue .
Can Cockatiels learn to talk ?
Yes Cockatiels budgies and many other bird in the parakeet family can be taught to mimic word, sounds and whistles . patience and repetition are impotent . start with simple single syllable word and build your birds vocabulary from there.
Fish and Aquarium
How often do I have to clean my aquarium?
Aquarium maintenance will vary based on the number of fish, size of tank and filtration but a good rule of thumb is to remove 10-25% of the water in the tank once a month. The water should be taken from the bottom of the aquarium using a gravel siphon. Remember to treat the replacement water to remove chlorine.
Can I put goldfish in with my tropical fish?
This would depend on a number of factors but in general it is not a good idea to mix goldfish and tropical fishes. The warm water favoured by tropical may be too warm for coldwater loving goldfish.
I hear I am supposed to add salt to my fish tank, how much do I add?
Yes salt is beneficial to your fish and improves the aquarium environment. Add the salt slowly to a maximum of 1- 2 teaspoons per gallon. Only add salt if you are replacing water and only I ratio to the amount of water you are adding. Don’t add more salt if you add water due to evaporation. Remember not all fish tolerate salt well, South American Tetras and Cory Cats do not tolerate salt well while Mollies do well with even more.
Reptiles
I’m getting a Crested Geckco and I’m not sure what to feed her?
Crested Geckos eat a slightly varied diet that can include fruits and insects. I like to feed live crickets along with powdered complete diets like Repashy or Exo Terra’s Ready to eat food cups.
Small Animals
I think my hamster is pregnant, when should expect babies?
A hamster’s gestation period is about 16 to 30 days depending on what type of hamster you have. The gestation period for a common or Syrian hamster is 16 days; for dwarf and Chinese hamsters it is 18 – 21 days, and for Roborovski Hamsters it is 23 – 30 days.
My ferret smells bad. I’ve only had him a short time and he descented but still smells.
Ferrets, even descented ones, still have a slight odour but it shouldn’t be that bad. Make sure the bedding is clean including washing any fabric beds and toys in your ferret’s home. Bathing your ferret with a good quality ferret shampoo or even a shampoo designed for deskunking will help.
My rabbit has red pee is she okay?
Red or blood in the urine is always a concern and a Vet should be consulted. However sometimes rabbits will have red in their urine from excess calcium. Does your rabbit have a Calcium block in their enclosure. Don’t leave calcium blocks in your rabbits home at all times as it can lead to excessive calcium intake.
How long will my hamster live?
The life expectancy of hamsters varies by the breed. Common short haired hamster will live approximately 3 years, teddy bear hamster 2-3 years, Roborovski hamsters 3-4 years. Proper care and good nutrition will help your hamster live a longer happier life.
