Spice finches are sociable birds that prefer to live in small groups. They mix well with other species of finches so long as the other species is not aggressive or territorial. They grow to a length of nearly five-inches (12 cm) making them one of the larger species of finches. They are easily cared for so long as you are aware of several distinct needs these birds have. Among these special needs is providing adequate housing.
Cage or Aviary?
The important consideration in deciding where to quarter your finches is to provide adequate room for them to spread their wings and "zoom" about in their habitat. Like most finches, they like to flit around, moving short distances from perch to perch. They play 'leap frog' with their mates as well. In order to assure that your birds don't injure themselves by flying into the walls of their habitat, a minimum requirement for a cage is that it be longer than it is tall and that it be at least three-feet in its longest direction. That will provide your birds with enough room to interact socially and move about the cage with ease.
If you decide on a cage to house your finches, then ask the pet shop for a finch flight cage. If they don't know what that is then you may want to go to a shop specializing in exotic birds where expert advice can be obtained. I prefer a stainless steel flight cage with bars spaced one-half inch or less apart. The stainless cage is both easier to clean and is not potentially toxic to the birds. The spacing of the bars insures that the birds will not escape or get their heads caught between the bars. Little things like this make for a happy, live finch.
I would avoid housing mixed species in a cage. Think of it this way, while the species may mix well together, if the space is cramped, aggression is more likely to occur. Because Spice Finches are so friendly, they are often unable or unwilling to fend off the aggression of another bird. This behavior, unfortunately, relegates these birds to corners of the cage and detracts from their ability to have a happy life.
Aviaries are available from commercial shops if you do not want to build your own. Building an aviary for Spice Finches is a task that requires a degree of carpentry skill to make it escape proof and to make it presentable. Commercial aviaries are really large cages with plenty of room for your finches to play, zoom about, and exercise to their heart's content. I house all of my finches in flight cages which is the best solution for me. You may want to do the same or even opt for the aviary route.
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