How to Introduce Zebra Finches to New Foods
-
CathyCraftz
- ...............................
- Posts: 250
- Joined: 14 Apr 2018, 12:21
- Location: Sydney, NSW
How do I get my zebra Finches to eat new foods? They currently only accept eggshells, apple and spinach. I tried feeding them strawberry today and they didn’t seem too intertested, just took a few pecks and left it alone.
Have a nice day!
Sincerely, Cathy
“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – Albus Dumbledore
Sincerely, Cathy
“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – Albus Dumbledore
-
Rod_L
- ...............................
- Posts: 495
- Joined: 05 Mar 2018, 15:30
- Location: Mandurah WA
All birds are different, some will eat anything and others have certain preferences. Just keep adding different foods to their cage and let them pick at it. If you have other birds that eat those foods, the zebras will quickly learn by watching them eat.
On a side note, Australian finches do not normally eat citrus and are not big fruit eaters, but keep trying with different fruits and dark green leafy veges because variety is good. Try to offer thin slices of fruit and make sure it has been washed well and peeled. You should also try them on green grass seeds. You can collect them from paddocks and fields, and as long as they are free of chemicals they are fine for the birds and will provide a natural dietary supplement. If you can't find any out in the wild you can grow your own green grass seed at home in pots. See link below.
viewtopic.php?f=84&t=21732
In addition to green grass seed you can soak finch seed in water over night and then drain the water and rinse the seed. Then put the seed in a plastic zip lock bag and leave it on the bench for 24-48 hours until the seed germinates and you can see a little tiny root coming out of the seed. Then rinse again and put in the cage for the birds.
You offer your birds egg shells, have the shells been boiled first? You do not want to put egg shells into the cage if the shells have not been sterilised by boiling otherwise you run the risk of introducing a disease from the chicken farms.
Do you give the birds boiled egg? You can hard boil an egg, remove the shell and crush it up and put it in their cage. Then use 1/2 cup of cornflakes and put them in a paper/ plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush the cornflakes into little bits. Then add the crushed cornflakes and boiled egg to a bowl and use a fork to mush the egg and mix them together. Then feed that to your birds.
Do your birds have cuttlefish bone and mineral grit at all times? If not then get some for them
On a side note, Australian finches do not normally eat citrus and are not big fruit eaters, but keep trying with different fruits and dark green leafy veges because variety is good. Try to offer thin slices of fruit and make sure it has been washed well and peeled. You should also try them on green grass seeds. You can collect them from paddocks and fields, and as long as they are free of chemicals they are fine for the birds and will provide a natural dietary supplement. If you can't find any out in the wild you can grow your own green grass seed at home in pots. See link below.
viewtopic.php?f=84&t=21732
In addition to green grass seed you can soak finch seed in water over night and then drain the water and rinse the seed. Then put the seed in a plastic zip lock bag and leave it on the bench for 24-48 hours until the seed germinates and you can see a little tiny root coming out of the seed. Then rinse again and put in the cage for the birds.
You offer your birds egg shells, have the shells been boiled first? You do not want to put egg shells into the cage if the shells have not been sterilised by boiling otherwise you run the risk of introducing a disease from the chicken farms.
Do you give the birds boiled egg? You can hard boil an egg, remove the shell and crush it up and put it in their cage. Then use 1/2 cup of cornflakes and put them in a paper/ plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush the cornflakes into little bits. Then add the crushed cornflakes and boiled egg to a bowl and use a fork to mush the egg and mix them together. Then feed that to your birds.
Do your birds have cuttlefish bone and mineral grit at all times? If not then get some for them
death to all cats & ants
-
starman
- ...............................
- Posts: 590
- Joined: 04 Oct 2016, 18:51
- Location: Coastal N.S.W.
Cathy,
Zebs are not really into 'haute cuisine'. In my early years of bird keeping, I experimented with all kinds of fruits and vegetables, exotic grains, all kinds of breads and cakes and every kind of seeding grass and weed. In those days there was no internet to consult and very few accessible bird breeders to talk to, so it took me quite a while to work out that most of my efforts were a waste of time. I, or rather the birds, settled on a few different broad leafed green vegetables, local seeding grass heads and (a little later on) sprouting seed. Providing you heed the warnings of toxic foods for finches (Google), experimenting can be interesting but often unrewarding. Simple and natural is usually best, and remember that a fresh, high QUALITY finch mix is the basis of a good diet.
Zebs are not really into 'haute cuisine'. In my early years of bird keeping, I experimented with all kinds of fruits and vegetables, exotic grains, all kinds of breads and cakes and every kind of seeding grass and weed. In those days there was no internet to consult and very few accessible bird breeders to talk to, so it took me quite a while to work out that most of my efforts were a waste of time. I, or rather the birds, settled on a few different broad leafed green vegetables, local seeding grass heads and (a little later on) sprouting seed. Providing you heed the warnings of toxic foods for finches (Google), experimenting can be interesting but often unrewarding. Simple and natural is usually best, and remember that a fresh, high QUALITY finch mix is the basis of a good diet.
Sm.
Avid student of Estrildids in aviculture.
Avid student of Estrildids in aviculture.
-
CathyCraftz
- ...............................
- Posts: 250
- Joined: 14 Apr 2018, 12:21
- Location: Sydney, NSW
Rod_L I have tried giving them boiled egg but they just ignored it.
Have a nice day!
Sincerely, Cathy
“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – Albus Dumbledore
Sincerely, Cathy
“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – Albus Dumbledore
-
finchbreeder
- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
- Posts: 11641
- Joined: 27 Jun 2009, 20:00
- Location: Midwest of West. Aust. Coast
- Location: Midwest of West.Aust.Coast
My Zebs like a range of foods, but not a wide range. Clean water, fresh seed, eggshell that has been mashed with the potato masher, almost any thing that is green particularly if it has seeds.
LML
LML
LML
-
MuzzaD
- ...............................
- Posts: 99
- Joined: 25 Jan 2016, 13:50
- Location: Perth WA
As long as you supply good seed they will do well. But a varied diet does enhance them. Zebs can be selective just like all finches. When my white millet is seeding my Zebs and finches take little else, but at this time of the year they will take Asian greens, lettuce and comfrey. I also try fruit from my trees when in season and discard the leftovers daily. Not sure how much they take but it is extra fruit and the aviary is a halfway stop to the compost bins with the extra slightly damaged part of the crop.
Do not forget they are small creatures and do not need a lot to survive and thrive. So do not judge them as big eaters.
As the poem says " I am an ant to a giant but a giant to an ant.)
I grind eggshell and use in a small dish (after drying in the sun for 24hours, and never have had a problem) as well as hanging cuttlefish for a distraction and a small source of calcium.
Do not forget they are small creatures and do not need a lot to survive and thrive. So do not judge them as big eaters.
As the poem says " I am an ant to a giant but a giant to an ant.)
I grind eggshell and use in a small dish (after drying in the sun for 24hours, and never have had a problem) as well as hanging cuttlefish for a distraction and a small source of calcium.