My Finches’ Care

Where To?

Videos of TWFA Pairs
Current Pairs
Diet
Cages
“Are you a breeder?”
The Future of TWFA
Photos From the Aviary

Current pairs
At present, I currently have many popular & various Zebra Finch color mutations as well as pied Society Finches. I am adding new mutations all of the time and will be adding new Finch species this year.

Each permanent TWFA pair comes from different breeders or are offspring of birds raised at TWFA. They are tagged, documented & separated in different individual pair flight cages to ensure the best breeding lines. All adoptable pairs are introduced and bonded* to each other before leaving the aviary.

* “Bonding” a pair has come to mean a range of things according to breeders in different regions and with different backgrounds. It can range from being defined as a pair raising a clutch together to simply preferring each other’s company and being inseparable. When I personally say every pair comes “bonded” I mean that they have been living together under close watch away from their parents or any other pairs and have come to prefer each other’s company. I do this to ensure that every pair that leaves TWFA will be happy and healthy pets going to their loving forever homes.

For photos of my current pairs, check back in the next few weeks for more professional photos of my newest color additions!~

Back to the top

Pictured is: Herb Salad (previously pictured) Bee Pollen, Granulated Kelp, Hatched! and F-vite all from ladygouldian.com

Diet
In order to keep any animal in their healthiest condition, it is vital to replicate their natural diet that they would seek in the wild. With Finches this is especially important. Very often common issues of health both mentally and physically can be corrected through improving the Finch’s diet. It is especially important for breeders who put a constant stress on their pairs by allowing them to reproduce. Every element of what I feed my flock is important to preserving their lives and the lives of their babies, and keeps them the happy and gorgeous birds I have always been blessed to keep.

(I do not feed my birds pellets and would never recommend doing so because of the health risks associated with them. Read about them in this article from the International Parrotlet Society.)

All of my Finches are fed an incredibly diverse diet. The foundation of which is their seed mix – Laraine’s Finch-specific hand-picked seed mix from LG. Every seed in the mix is devoured and I would feed them nothing less. This mix as everything else in their diet differs during the breeding or resting seasons. I also provide them with fresh California spray millet on a constant basis. This millet is great for sprouting, but I also use both white and black sprouting mixes as well which contain a wide array of seed that is not included in their regular diet. 

Another key element of the nutrients they consume is Calcium. At different times in their lives and throughout the seasons, my Finches ingest a Calcium-rich vitamin supplement as well as egg soft foods I prepare or buy for them. They also enjoy Hatched! eggshells and cuttlefish bones.

For more info on what foods are safe for your birds, click here (link from finchinfo.com).
Pictured is: Egg Meal , Herb Salad, Niger Seed & Insect Supreme all from ladygouldian.com

Grit – usually sand or dirt that Finches ingest in the wild to aid in digestion – is also very important in a Finch’s diet and my birds are no exception. They thoroughly enjoy a grit replacement called F-Vite. It not only fulfills their need for grit in their diet, it also provides protein, energy, vitamin and mineral supplements. My birds eat it daily as if it’s a treat in itself. I also give them granulated kelp to improve their fertility and feather condition. They also enjoy bee pollen – which is a better protein source than eggs and includes a wide array of nutrients. I am also certain to ensure that my birds have constant access to Herb Salad. 

I feed my Finches through the use of a seed dispenser, water dispenser and treat cups/finger trays for the rest. For more info on what “people foods” are safe for your birds, click here (link from finchinfo.com).

Vitamin Supplements 
I also supply my Finches with two vitamin supplements through their drinking water constantly (with exceptions): Ioford & Duofo Plus. It really gives them the necessary vitamins that they need to not only have a flawless breeding season but also some of the highest quality of birds and babies that I have seen. I was a bit skeptical at first but when my clutches went from 1-3 infertile eggs to 6-8 fertile ones and my birds seemed to be breeding pros all of a sudden I couldn’t be anything else but satisfied and have been using them ever since. 

Do They Really Need All That Extra.. ??
Hobbyists have been breeding and keeping birds for hundreds of years and without a lot of the items I use or have listed here. That is great and works for them, this is what has worked for me in the best of ways. I’ve tried multiple products from independent stores, chain stores and home-made mixes recommended by other hobbyists over the years and one thing remained true.. The avian veterinarian-formulated products give the absolute best results. My birds went from lean to hardy, infertile to fertile, fertile to very fertile and my babies fledge with vibrant colors and great body builds. But don’t get me wrong! They still enjoy natural herbs, fruits, vegetables and hobbyist-home-grown remedies – but their nutrient foundation remains the same.

But don’t just take my word for it of course! Everyone should do their own research and decide what is best for their birds and life style. Here are a few articles on the subject:

• “An Ounce of Prevention” by Laraine @ LG
• “Avian Supplements Tested” by Mark Heron, posted @ LG
• “When Only the Best Will Do” (about Dr. Marshall) by Joanne @ LGF
• “Why Supplements?” by Joanne @ LGF

All products I have listed are on hand and available for free sampling or purchase at Lady Gouldian.

Also Note: A seed-only diet is harmful to a Finch’s health and can lead to issues such as vitamin deficiencies. 

Back to the top

All of my Finches are fed an incredibly diverse diet that may also include fresh fruit and veggie snacks as well as egg softfood. Pictured is: Sprouted millet from ladygouldian.com

Cages
What I Use – When I first started with a single pair of CFWs, I used a 30x18x18″ Finch flight cage from Petsmart. When I started taking in more birds, I upgraded to what became multiple 3-tier cage stands with stacked 30x18x18″ cages (and individual cage lights) that I bought in bulk to have available for those taking home new pairs. Once I started relocating as I have a few times in the past few years, I added larger flight cages to the mix.

Back to the top

“Are you a breeder?”
I get asked this question a lot lately, which seems odd to me since no one has bothered to even ask before! So let me clarify. I am a hobbyist bird owner. I am not a mass-breeder and I do not sell breeding stock to the public. I do occasionally have young pairs born from generations of beautiful and happy Finches that I will adopt out as pets for a reasonable re-homing fee. If you’d like to reserve a pair or find out when one will become available, email me at – whitefinchbreeder@gmail.com For more information about me, click here.

Back to the top

The Future of TWFA 
A new species are already on their way to the aviary – Gouldian Finches! I will also be getting other species in the near future and will have many many more photos of all my newer Zebra Finch pairs soon. I’ve already added the breeder review section and there are lots of other additions to the site I plan to make.

Things are always changing so check back again soon!

Back to the top

Photos from the Aviary 2013
           

Back to the top