Rice finch: maintenance and breeding

Rice finches are small but very beautiful birds. These are wild creatures, but they feel great at home with proper care. A distinctive feature of this species is loud melodic singing. What else are remarkable about these birds and how to keep them in captivity, the article will tell.

Rice finch (drawing) - the most famous and popular species of its kind. For the first time, birds were discovered on the islands of Bali and Java. Many fields here are sown with rice, which the birds feast on. This is what explains their name. During the winter period, Rice dwellers live in gardens and groves, where they feed on various seeds. But with the onset of spring, they again switch to their favorite rice. As a rule, in nature, birds live in pairs or small families.

The most common type of color is ash. Such drawings have a contrasting black and white pattern on the head. At the same time, their cheeks are snow-white, and the top of their head is as if covered with a dark cap. The part of the head under the red beak is also dark. Pale gray feathers can be seen on the belly. Sometimes they have a pinkish or beige tint. The back, sides and chest have a more intense gray with a pearl tint. The tail is almost black and the area under the tail is completely white.

Some drawings have snow-white feathers all over their body. This spectacular variety was bred by humans. In this case, the whiteness gene is dominant. Therefore, when crossing individuals of a natural (gray) color and snow-white birds, most of the chicks turn out to be white. Interestingly, light-colored specimens are more stress-resistant. In addition, they reproduce more actively and produce large offspring.There are also rare variants of colors - for example, birds with silvery pale gray feathers and a white belly.

All options are beautiful in their own way and find their fans. It should be borne in mind that the color of the plumage and beak changes slightly as they grow older. The individual acquires the final version of the "outfit" by 4 months. It is noteworthy that the color of males and females is almost the same, while in many birds the males are more beautiful. This makes it even more desirable pets.

Males are distinguished by a slightly larger beak with a "hump". They also have larger heads, in contrast to graceful females. A few words should be said about sounds. The fact is that only males sing. They start giving concerts when they reach 4 months. The singing is melodic, but quite loud and frequent. When buying, it is worth considering this point.

For home maintenance, a couple of about the same age is chosen. It is worth noting that it is better to breed birds from different families. Otherwise, the offspring will be weak. You can refer to different breeders. When choosing, give preference to mobile birds with clean plumage. The room in which the birds will live should be warm and light. The optimum temperature range is from 22 to 30 C. The cage should be spacious. During the mating season, several nesting places (open and closed) should be organized in it - so the birds will have a choice. These birds build nests from branches, tree shoots, moss, hay. Cotton wool, threads and rags cannot be used. The pet will become entangled in such a nest, which can lead to injury.

For the correct development of the paws and good mood, the drawings need perches made of wood or plastic. The optimal diameter of the product is 1.5-2 cm. For a pair of birds, two pieces are enough, set at different heights.

It is better not to let the birds out of the cage. Feeling freedom, finches begin to fuss and chaotically fly around the room. This could lead to an accident. In addition, these birds are very shy. Due to some loud sound, they may hide behind furniture or in another hard-to-reach place. But the finches love to swim. Be sure to put a container in the cage for taking water treatments. The water in it should be changed daily. The cage should be cleaned periodically. Washing the pallet and changing the bedding should be done every day. The cage should be completely washed once a week.

At the time of harvesting, the rice should be transplanted. For this it is worth purchasing a small spare cage. The latter can be useful in other situations as well. For example, when buying a new bird, you should keep it away from other birds for about a month.

It is important to closely monitor the condition of the birds. If necessary, claws should be trimmed with them, although these birds do not really like contact with humans. If you find any ailments in the drawing, you need to seek help from a specialist.

Rice finches are fed with a grain mixture designed for exotic birds. You can buy such food in a specialized store. Several other foods are added to the grains. The birds' diet can include sunflower seeds, crushed boiled eggs and rice, as well as cottage cheese. As for vegetables, you can sometimes give the feathered cucumber. It is forbidden to feed finches onions and dill.

During the nesting period, incubating eggs and feeding the offspring, protein products are given to rice once every 2 days (you can do it every day).The rest of the time, protein enrichment is performed a couple of times a week. Also, during the breeding season, finches need mineral feeding with gravel content. Top dressing can be poured into a separate container or added to the grain. It is imperative to provide birds with clean drinking water. You need to change it every day. In summer (especially on hot days) it is better to change the water twice a day.

If you are buying breeding birds, please be aware that only individuals older than one year of age can reproduce... The signal for the start of mating games is the installation of nests, which were already mentioned earlier. Vine baskets can be used as the latter. Even a small plywood box without a lid will do. You just need to cut a recess in the bottom for masonry. For convenience, you need to lay hay or coconut fiber on the bottom of the structure.

Do not cage the nest until the female is 1 year old, as laying eggs is contraindicated in juveniles.... The process can negatively affect the health of the bird. Also, you should not provoke a couple to breed during the molt period. At this time, the female's body is weakened, so reproduction can become a great stress for her. The fact that finches are ready to mate is easy to understand. The male begins to show off in front of his girlfriend, perform mating dances, spreading his feathers. A female individual will respond to signs of attention with a slight whistle and energetic behavior. The couple "talks" with each other, shows increased excitability, tearing napkins and other bedding material.

Eggs are laid one week after mating.... Usually their number is from 3 to 7 pieces. When the female and male take turns incubating their offspring, it is important to keep the room quiet. It is also not worth approaching the cage again. Drafts are also contraindicated for a young mother. In no case should the temperature in the room drop below 20 C. It is also desirable to provide good air humidity - this will not allow the shell to become too dry.

Chicks appear after 2 weeks. They learn to fly for a couple of weeks. Upon reaching 1.5 months, young birds become independent. You can put them in another cage.

Read more about the rice finch in the next video.