Zebra Finches

Beautiful birds, just gorgeous.

My Dad, a fellow animal lover announced yesterday that he was thinking of getting some!!!

Now I have always been hugely opposed to birds in cages. In my opinion the very symbolism of birds is flight and freedom, which they don't get if they're in a cage!!

His argument is that they are bred for captivity on a regular basis and therefore know no different.

True, but surely you are contributing to this happening in the first place by buying them though? Or is it really not too bad?

I don't know and can't get my head round it. Anyone?

i had a budgie who had a cage which was left open 24 hrs a day he had the run of my room i dont agree with them kept in the all the time or their wings to be clipped.
ATD x

all my birds live in heated outdoor avaries

and no i do not agree with clipping birds wings

Not a fan of birds in cages I'm afraid.

Its a bit like saying because my dog has never gone out for a walk it doesn't know what it is missing...very true but not right IMHO.

And again - I try not to contribute to the pet farming trade - I won't buy rodents form pet shops or rodent farms for the same reason as you stated.

I used to keep Zebra Finches in an aviary many years ago, they are gorgeous little birds, but prolific breeders, they'd give Rabbits a run for their money

CLMG speaks wise words- they multiply at an incredible rate, always got eggs on the go. Lovely birds, and they make a sound very much like a dog toy squeaking. It's really cute
I don't think that keeping birds in cages is any worse than keeping hamsters or rats in cages. In all honesty, the ones that we have in the aviaries at college (they are huge, zoo sized ones) only fly to get from A to B. As long as they do have opportunity to fly and exercise, whether thats in the form of being in a large cage or being allowed time out of it then that's fine imo. The size of the cage is the main thing. I'm not very keen at all on most animal cages (never get me started on those bleedin rotastak things ) just because they tend to be far, far too small, but given an appropriate cage I don't see why they'd suffer. They really don't know any different.

i have had a few zebbies...they are great little birds...the noise they make is like the seagulls from finding nemo...mine,mine,mine!!!

below is a pic of my fave zebbie...he was called chunky...and he was huge...he is sat next to hermione a fife canary hen...his mating call was almost like saying 'blankety blank,blankety blank'...like the tv show lol!



will start a thread with pics of my other birds tomorrow!

I used to keep Zebra Finches with my budgies and Cockatiel, they ruled the roost so to speak.

I think it can be cruel keeping them caged if they are never let out and are kept in to small of cage.

i am not a fan of caged birds either it has to be said, my inlaws have a budgie that is completely insane from boredom and i just feel so sorry for it, but you open the cage door and it wont fly out i dont think it realises it can, if you try and touch it just freaks out, its completely "institutionalised" iyswim.,,,

i just find it a bit sad to be honest. birds were built to fly in the sky.. thats where i would rather see them.

Finches are better suited to aviaries.

Not all pet shops get their small mammals from breeding farms . Ours come from proper breeders and we give contact details for the breeders away with the animal if the customer requests it.