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Conference 7.286::pet_birds

Title:Captive Breeding for Conservation--and FUN!
Notice:INTROS 6.X / FOR SALE 13.X / Buying a Bird 900.*
Moderator:VIDEO::PULSIFER
Created:Mon Oct 10 1988
Last Modified:Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:942
Total number of notes:6016

272.0. "CANARY SONG PROBLEMS" by TRNPRC::WERBER () Mon Oct 09 1989 13:50

    I'M SURE THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN DISCUSSED SOMEWHERE HERE BEFORE BUT I
    COULDN'T FIND WHERE...
    
    MY CANARY FINISHED MOULTING OVER 5-6 WEEKS AGO BUT IS NOT RESUMING
    SINGING.  HE'S ONLY ABOUT A YEAR OLD.  OCCASIONALLY HE TRIES TO SING
    BUT IT IS VERY WEAK, WINDY-SOUNDING, AND HE ONLY TRIES (THAT I HEAR)
    ONCE EVERY 5 DAYS OR SO.  HE SANG VERY STRONG AND VERY OFTEN BEFORE HIS
    MOULT.
    
    I HAVE FED HIM VITAMINS, SONG FOOD, FRESH GREENS AND FRUITS, AND EVEN
    PLAY HIS CANARY-SONG TAPE THAT HE ALWAYS USED TO SING ALONG WITH, ALL
    TO NO AVAIL.  I HAVE CHECKED FOR MITES, ETC., HIS CAGE IS EXTREMELY
    CLEAN, AND I CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG.  ANY SUGGESTIONS??
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
272.1THE UNSUNG CANARYSPGOPS::BOURGAULTTue Oct 10 1989 16:5228
    My male canary stops singing for months and then starts for no reason.
    I have had him since he was 4 months old.  When I first got him he
    used to sing constantly. He then stopped for a few months.  I got
    a female and kept their cages close by in hopes that they would
    eventually mate.  He would sing to her once in awhile but not 
    with any intensity.  I finally put them in together in early march
    of this year, which did not work very well.  He did not like her
    in his cage and would constantly boss her.  I then took her out
    and placed them in separate rooms for the summer.  Last week I 
    placed her cage next to his and he is constantly singing - all of
    the time and he and she both seem genuinely interested in each other.
    I may try again, even though it is not really breeding season for
    canaries, they seem extremely interested so it's worth a shot.
    I hope that they mate for he is all white and she is white with
    dark brown patches and crested.
    
    Just keep an eye on your little guy.  If he is eating well and seems
    quite healthy I'm sure his singing will come back to him.  My 
    male sang alot in his first 9 months or so then he just sang
    occasionally and not with the vigor he once had.  However, since
    he is preoccupied with his lady he is singing all day long!
    I read that canary males usually breed only up to 4 years of age
    so that may account for their short singing spans.  I'm not sure.
    Get him a lady and it may change his mood!
    
    Good luck!
    
    Denise
272.2Don't know if this helps...MEMV01::STWP04Thu Oct 12 1989 01:3917
    Our white border male canary stopped singing when his intended mate
    died (she was in a cage next to his while they were getting
    acquainted). Then he moulted. Then there were weeks where he didn't
    sing, in spite of fresh greens, fruits, song food, etc. etc.  All
    of a sudden, this evening he started singing again (and he was always
    a morning singer before).  We did move his cage last Saturday 
    so he can't see the other two canaries anymore (a pair of American singers),
    which might account for the singing.  He can hear the hen, though.
    (Her mate has *never* been a good singer, but he is very young still.)
    
    Good luck! I agree with the other suggestion that you consider getting
    a hen, but supposedly when the two actually get together, the singing
    diminishes and sometimes stops altogether (based on what I could
    find in books on canaries and breeding of same). /Linda Compton
      
    
    
272.3FIGURES - NOW HE SINGS!HITPS::WERBERTue Oct 24 1989 18:246
    DOESN'T IT FIGURE - THE WEEK AFTER I WRITE THAT NOTE I CAME HOME TO
    FIND HIM SINGING AWAY!  I HEAD HIM OUTSIDE THE DOOR BEFORE I CAME IN,
    AND WHEN I ENTERED HE SHUT UP!  SEEMS HE'S SHY ABOUT SINGING IN FRONT
    OF PEOPLE NOW...
    
    THE LITTLE @#%&^$*(!
272.4Contrary Canary...;^]VMSSG::VMSINQWed Dec 27 1989 17:1817
    Hi!
    
    It is not uncommon for birds to hush up when their people are around,
    especially the larger hook bills.  The canary is totally different. 
    Rarely do they really belt out a song before they are a year old to
    begin with.  And when they moult and/or are out of breeding season they
    won't sing.  If you canaries, as do only a few of mine, sing beyond the
    breeding season, consider yourself blessed!  The strongest song is at
    the peak of season.
    
    So worry not about your little @#%&^$*(!  he's just being contrary!
    
    Have fun!
    
    Jean Hutchins
    (till 12/29/89)
    
272.5late singerTROOA::DIVITOTue Jul 28 1992 20:1110
    My canary used to start singing about 10:00 pm each night. Ever since
    he finished molting he has not sung a note. All he has done is squeak
    very low.
    
    Is there anything to give him extra besides seed enriched with vitamins
     and egg food.
    
    anything would help
    
    Rocco