Breeding canaries in the best possible way means guaranteeing a correct and balanced diet. What is their favourite food and how often do they need to eat? Today, we are going to give you some more information on the right diet for canaries!
The canary’s diet
Canaries are granivores, meaning that they feed mainly on wheat and other cereals. However, in nature, these small birds also eat insects, berries and small fruits, which they take directly from the plant, making them much more nutritious than those stored for months in packets. This means that domestic canaries need a varied diet in order to make up for anything that might be lacking.
SEEDS
A canary’s diet is largely made up of seeds. There are ready-prepared mixtures of various types of seeds: canary grass seeds, Venetian red rape, white millet, hulled oats, flaxseed, cardoon and perilla. However, it is strongly recommended that you do not feed your canary solely with these mixtures for prolonged periods, in order to avoid a lack of vitamins and nutrients.
MASH
Mash for canaries is a mixture of flour-based foods and other ground ingredients. It can be soft or dry and white or yellow based on the presence or absence of egg. The bird needs this mash, as it provides it with proteins and lipids in its diet and is particularly useful in the winter period. Providing your bird with mash 2-3 times a week is sufficient.
FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
Wild canaries always have a way of finding fruit to eat, by fluttering from one tree to another, but those living at home, in a cage, still need these tasty foods rich in vitamins and minerals. Apple is one of their favourite fruits and they also love melon, bananas, grapes, raspberries and apricots. They are greedy for leafy vegetables like radicchio, chicory, lettuce, Belgian endive and spinach and they appreciate grated carrots, broccoli and dandelion. It is wise to remove any leftovers from the cage at the end of the day, to prevent bacteria from developing.
SUPPLEMENTS and CUTTLEFISH BONE
There are moments during the year when a canary is more stressed – these are the moment of reproduction and the change of season, which coincides with the change of plumage. To help him through this moment, it is a good idea to provide him with dietary supplements, vitamin products and mineral salts. These can be found in the form of drops, to be added to his water, or in powder form to add to his mash. In order to ensure adequate amounts of calcium, it is wise to always leave a cuttlefish bone available to your canary, which is a plus that allows you to pamper and provide your bird with energy!
Now we are sure that you are knowledgeable on the subject and your canary will thank you for it!
