Zebra Finches: Busy, Chatty Little Flock Birds

Who Zebra Finches Suit

Zebra finches are one of the most widely kept small birds. They are lively, always on the move and talk to each other all day in soft beeps and toy-trumpet calls. Males also sing a short, scratchy song.

They suit people who enjoy watching birds go about their lives. They are not cuddly: a few hand-raised birds will hop onto a finger, but most finches find handling stressful. If you want a bird that sits on your shoulder, a budgie or cockatiel is a better match.

Company and Sexing

Zebra finches live in flocks in the wild, and the RSPCA lists them among the colony species that can live in social groups. Never keep one on its own. A pair works well; a same-sex pair or small group avoids chicks.

Adults are easy to tell apart. Males have orange cheek patches, chestnut flanks dotted with white spots and fine black barring on the throat with a black band across the chest. Females are plainer gray on the cheeks and chest. Both have red bills and the black "teardrop" stripe below the eye. Young birds look like females with dark bills until they molt into adult plumage, so ask the seller to confirm the sexes.

Flight Cage or Aviary

Finches get their exercise by flying from end to end, and unlike parrots they are rarely let out to fly around a room. So length matters more than height. PetMD suggests a cage of at least 24 × 14 × 18 inches (61 × 36 × 46 cm) for a pair, with bars no more than 0.375 inch (about 1 cm) apart. That is a minimum: a longer flight cage, or a planted aviary, is far better, and more birds need more room.

• Perches at each end, leaving the middle clear for flight. Natural branches of different thicknesses are kindest to feet.
• A bath: zebra finches love to splash. A shallow dish of clean water, changed daily, does the job.
• Placement: against a solid wall, away from drafts, radiators, kitchens and direct sun, in a room where the household comes and goes.
• Light: window glass filters out ultraviolet light, so ask your vet whether a bird UV lamp suits your setup.

See bird cages and stands for cage sizing in more detail.

Feeding Zebra Finches

Zebra finches eat grass seeds in the wild, and many keepers feed a finch seed mix as the base. Seed alone is not a complete diet, though, and some vets recommend finch pellets for most of the diet instead. Ask an avian vet what suits your birds, and switch slowly if you change.

• Fresh greens daily: the RSPCA says canaries and finches need fresh greens. Try chopped leafy greens, broccoli or grated carrot, and remove leftovers before they spoil.
• Egg food a few times a week during molting or if hens are laying, for extra protein.
• Calcium: a cuttlebone or mineral block; see calcium for birds.
• Clean water every day, plus the bath.
• Blow off the husks: finches leave empty husks on top of the seed dish, which can look full when it isn't. Check and top up daily.

Never feed avocado, chocolate, alcohol, caffeine or salty foods. See household dangers for birds.

Breeding: Plan Before It Happens

A male and female zebra finch with a nest site will often breed, and they can raise one clutch after another. Repeated laying wears a hen out and soon leaves you with more birds than you can house or rehome.

• Keep same-sex pairs or groups if you don't want chicks.
• Don't add nest boxes, baskets or nesting material to a mixed pair's cage.
• If eggs appear, ask your vet for advice before removing them, as a hen may simply lay more.

If you do want to breed, plan homes for the youngsters first and talk to an experienced finch keeper or club.

Staying Healthy

Small birds hide illness well and can go downhill quickly. Find a vet who treats birds before you need one (see finding a vet), and book a check-up soon after you bring new birds home, then yearly. Quarantine new birds away from your flock for a few weeks first, as your vet advises.

Watch your birds each day. A finch that sits fluffed up, sleeps a lot in the daytime, stops eating or has a dirty vent needs a vet the same day.

For any health problem or medicine for your birds: see your vet or a pet supply store with trained staff. Don't add treatments to the water without advice.

Keep the cage clean, wash food and water dishes daily and keep birds away from cooking fumes, aerosols and smoke. See bird health and hygiene.