Finches For Dummies

Nikki Moustaki is an accomplished avian care and behavior expert. She works with clients to heal strained relationships between themselves and their feathered friends. She has published 47 books, including more than 30 covering the care and training of exotic birds.

• Introduction 1About This Book 1Foolish Assumptions 2Icons Used in This Book 2Beyond the Book 3Where to Go from Here 3Part 1: Introducing Finches 5Chapter 1: Finches: More Than Just Pretty, Chatty Birds 7Where Finches Come From 8The Life of a Wild Finch 8The Many Species of Finches 9Size differences 11Temperament differences 13The finch lifespan 13Anatomy of a Finch 14Chapter 2: Are Finches Your Perfect Companions? 17Knowing What to Expect from Finches 18Activity 18Noise 18Enjoyment 19Mess 20Knowing What Your Finches Expect from You 21A good home 22Routine 23Deciding Whether a Finch Is Right for You 24Will finches fit into your family? 24Do you have any smokers in the house? 25Is your home also home to children? 26Do you have other pets? 27How Many Finches Are Right for You? 28Chapter 3: Selecting Species of Companion Finches 31Choosing Finches: Exploring Your Options 31Canary 32Cordon-bleu finch 33European goldfinch 33Gouldian finch 34Java finch 35Owl finch 36Society finch 37Spice finch 38Whydah 39Zebra finch 40Chapter 4: Finding and Selecting Finches 43Choosing Finches: Exploring Your Options 44The age of your new finches 44Gender 45Previously homed finches 45Finding a Finch 46Pet shops and bird shops 46Swap meets and flea markets 48The classifieds 48Breeders and experts 49Bird shows 49Searching for a Healthy Finch 50Eyes 50Nose and nares 50Feathers 51Feet 51Vent 51Attitude 51Housing Finches Together 52Part 2: Caring For Your Finches 55Chapter 5: Home Tweet Home: Preparing for Your Finches and Bringing Them Home 57Your Finches’ New Home 58Size matters: Cages, flight cages, aviaries, and habitats 58Considering cage materials 59Keeping cage safety in mind 60Deciding where to put your bird’s cage 61Accessorizing Your Finches’ Abode 63Perches to stand on 64Cups and bowls 66Cage covers 67Mineral blocks and cuttlebones 67Toys 67Baths 68Lighting 69Heating 70Keeping Mess Away 70Cage bloomers and seed guards 70Cleaning supplies 71HEPA filters 71Setting up the Cage 72Finch-Proofing Your Home 72Traveling Safely from Store to Home 75Chapter 6: Caring for Your Finches 77Water: Extremely Essential 77Knowing What Your Finch Should (and Shouldn’t) Eat 79Seeds and pellets 79Veggies and fruit 80Snacks 82Live insects 83Table foods 84Cooked foods 84Fun Finch Food Recipes 85Finch flapjacks 85Finch fiber fusion 85Finch fries 86What not to feed your finch 86Nutritional supplements: When food is not enough 87Helping Your Finches Get the Exercise They Need 88Getting a Good Night’s Sleep: Putting Your Finch to Bed 88Grooming Your Finch 89Toenail clipping 90Bathing your bird 92Giving your molting birds some TLC 92Can’t We All Just Get Along? Living with Other Pets 94Cleaning Your Finches’ Housing 94Chapter 7: Come Here Often? Getting to Know Your Finches 97Understanding Finch Behavior 97What did you say?: Normal finch vocalization 98You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours: Preening and allopreening 99Stretching: Birdy yoga 99Hungry anyone? Finch vomiting and regurgitation 99Resting on one leg 100Scratching 100Sleeping and roosting behavior 100Romeo, oh Romeo: When your finch goes a-courting 102Finch Communication 102Handling Your Finch Safely 102Taming Your Finch 103Part 3: Training and Breeding Your Finches 105Chapter 8: Keeping Your Finches Healthy and Handling Emergencies 107The Veterinarian: Your New BFF (Bird Friend Forever) 108Regular examinations 108Emergencies 109What a Healthy Finch Looks Like 109Eyes 109Ears 110Beak 110Feet 111Feathers 112Respiratory system 112Skeletal system 112Digestive system 113Signs of Sick Finches 113Common Finch Ailments 116Emergencies: Knowing When to Get Help Immediately 117Poisoning 118Animal bites 118Overheating 119Oil on the feathers 119Frostbite 120Unconsciousness 120Egg binding 121Foot injuries 121Eye injuries 121Seizures .121Injury to the beak 122Fractures 122What to Do if Your Bird Is Lost 122Assembling a First-Aid Kit 123What to Do If Your Bird Dies 125Chapter 9: Breeding Your Finches 127Breeding Your Finches 127Making sure you have a male and a female 128Starting with healthy birds 129Knowing when to breed 130Getting the right equipment 130Figuring out where to put the nest 130Knowing what the parents need to eat 131Prompting your finches to breed 131Understanding the incubation period 132Feeding and weaning chicks 134Knowing What to Do When Something Goes Wrong 134Egg binding 135Infertile eggs 136Inexperienced parent birds 136Tossing the chicks 136Failure to thrive 137Finding foster parents for your babies 137Handfeeding baby finches 138Finding good homesfor your baby finches 139Discouraging Breeding 140Part 4: The Part of Tens .141Chapter 10: Ten Great Finch Websites 143Chapter 11: Ten Fun DIY Toys for Finches 145Index 147