Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I purchased a new canary a few weeks ago to find his head with a hole in it and a deformed eye. The petstore assistant said he was attacked by another bird and only had one eye. After about a week he ran up and down at the front of the cage trying to get to my breeding pair of canaries, so we decided to buy another canary to live with him. We bought the new canary as a female but soon turned out to be a male. The first canary seemed pleased with his new friend, but they have started to squabble. There ins't any physicle contact, just chasing and displaying.It is getting worse and I wondered wether it would be wise to add a group of females or seperate them.I'm just concerened about the bird with the deformed eye. Thanks for any help

My suggestion is to separate the two males. While they live in separate cages, you can place the cages together so that they see each other. All the books I've read indicate that canaries aren't social birds, as are zebra finches, and they can live alone and be perfectly happy. If you decide to get females, I'd place them one to a cage with the males, or else the girls will fight over the males.

It might be a better idea to let the canary with the one eye live by himself to avoid the risk of being hurt again. Does he function well with the one eye? You might need to do some cage adaptation for him. Be sure to keep food and water, perches, etc, in the same place in the cage, so he can find those easily.

Good luck and please keep us posted on your bird.

>>I purchased a new canary a few weeks ago to find his head with a hole in it and a deformed eye. The petstore assistant said he was attacked by another bird and only had one eye. After about a week he ran up and down at the front of the cage trying to get to my breeding pair of canaries, so we decided to buy another canary to live with him. We bought the new canary as a female but soon turned out to be a male. The first canary seemed pleased with his new friend, but they have started to squabble. There ins't any physicle contact, just chasing and displaying.It is getting worse and I wondered wether it would be wise to add a group of females or seperate them.I'm just concerened about the bird with the deformed eye. Thanks for any help
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Canarymom

Finches: Melanie, Fritz, Casey, Sandi, Bunkie, and Sarah
Canary: Paulie
Budgies: Sammy, Curaco, and Pablo
Cockatiels: Elmo, Andy, Cleo, and Marley
And
My Rainbow Bridge Flock who are now singing in that other World

I didn't decide to seperate them as they stopped the fighting and became best of friends.I moved the cage away from the breeding pair and that's when they stopped.Recently the most heart breaking thing happened. I came home in the evening and found him huddled on the floor of the cage. I picked him up and took him out of his cage and wrapped him in a towel to keep warm. After about 40 minutes of keeping him warm he had a heart attack in my hands, the poor bird was struggling, it wasn't nice!

Thanks for your help canaryMom and sorry I didn't reply earlier

Oh, I'm so sorry your bird died. Was he the bird with one eye? What was his name? I have a Webpage to honor birds who have died and would like to add his name to the list.
http://home.earthlink.net/~canarymom/cana.htm

Also, I'll add him to the Candle Ceremony next Monday.
http://forums.pethobbyist.com/forum.php?catid=37

>>I didn't decide to seperate them as they stopped the fighting and became best of friends.I moved the cage away from the breeding pair and that's when they stopped.Recently the most heart breaking thing happened. I came home in the evening and found him huddled on the floor of the cage. I picked him up and took him out of his cage and wrapped him in a towel to keep warm. After about 40 minutes of keeping him warm he had a heart attack in my hands, the poor bird was struggling, it wasn't nice!
>>
>>Thanks for your help canaryMom and sorry I didn't reply earlier
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Canarymom

Finches: Melanie, Fritz, Casey, Sandi, Bunkie, and Sarah
Canary: Paulie
Budgies: Sammy, Curaco, and Pablo
Cockatiels: Elmo, Andy, Cleo, and Marley
And
My Rainbow Bridge Flock who are now singing in that other World

Yes he was the bird with one eye, his name was larry, he was a yellow and black border, thankyou canarymom for all your posts