 |
|
To read any issue of Flock Talk, use the links below.
ISSN 1492-8132
Issue 129, © 2005
No reprints without permission
Sponsor's Space
Table of Contents
The folks at Bird & Cage have made it their goal to provide bird keepers with a great selection of good quality cages and birdcage accessories for great prices, along with some of the best customer service you will find anywhere. One of their cages might just be the best pet canary cage you will ever see! See it here!
Now there's even more great deals! See the NEW Sidewalk Sale area, where you can save 20% every day! Find fantastic deals now!
Now is a great time to be sure you have all the proper cage accessories you wil need, on hand. See some items Robirda uses and recommends, here.
A recent customer says,"I want to thank you for your excellent customer service. Your responses to my queries were timely and effective. I appreciate that so much. I have a friend thinking of a cage like mine for her canary. I will certainly pass on the news of the excellent service I received, as well as a great cage. Thank you so much."
See reviews of some of our cages.
For a full selection of cages and cage accessories, visit BirdandCage.com.
Canary Pox Fact
Table of
Contents
Flock reader John writes, "Robirda this is a note to your readers who raise canaries and might also have a cat as an additional pet. Last weekend I had occasion to be in the local large animal vet's office. At one point I asked him what he knew about canary pox?"
"He replied, 'Well, canary pox doesn't affect dogs and cats,' and went on to inform me that the newest Merck feline leukemia vaccines used a biologically engineered, genetically altered LIVE virus derived from the Canary pox virus, as the carrier.
"Although this LIVE virus will not affect the cat in your household, I was cautioned about having canaries near cats who had recently been vaccinated for leukemia with the new product because the animal would be shedding live virii into the environment for some time.
"The implications of this conversation may affect many pet owners who are unaware of the potential danger of introducing Canary pox into their homes via the family cat."
Help Needed
Table of Contents
Do you know of a great bird site which deserves a review? Maybe you have a favourite tip or trick that you like to use, or know of a product that has made your bird's life better or easier to manage in some way? Why not share them with other Flock readers? Just send an email here.
"Hi Robirda! Thanks for your thoughts. My little one is singing as loudly as ever. He looks much better today. Your advice was most welcome; I'm particularly grateful about the recipes! I sent you the same amount the vet charged me; you have done no less than he did. You are a real blessing to all of us canary lovers the world over."
"I cannot thank you enough for your kind and considerate responses to all of our questions. Your website has really been a wonderful find for us! And we absolutely love your canary CD!"
"Just a short note to tell you how great your ezine is... As a long time bird lover I thank you for your wonderful mag. Keep up the great work!"
"I ordered 'Canary Tales' by Linda Hogan last year...Although I fully recommend buying the book, I find Robirda's book much more complete, easier to read with less difficulty finding information."
"I love your website, your information has made me a very well-informed canary friend/owner. Thank you."
"Thank you for your love of birds and your commitment for helping those of us who are learning to share our lives with our feathered friends!"
"You have the most informative and helpful small bird site on the Web. I have found your information priceless and inspiring."
"Robirda's website, bird board and e-zine are invaluable tools for any birdlover."
"Thank you so much for the book on canaries. That is a really nice book. I needed one, because I bought my Mom two canaries, a male and a female, we don't know anything about them. I'm so glad to have this book, I couldn't believe how much was in there. Thank you so much!"
Welcome to Robirda's Companion Bird eZine
For breeder or pet bird owners who care.
Website News
Table of Contents
We're happy to announce that we've begun mailing out our Canary Keeper's Calendars, and we think you'll be as pleased with them as we are! Equipment problems delayed production a bit, but the wait was worth it, as they look so great! You really have to see them to appreciate their beauty and quality. There's a limited number of these lovely calendars available and they're going incredibly fast, so be sure to place your order soon! Click here to learn more and see a sample picture!
Feature Article
Table of
Contents
We're very pleased this issue to be able to offer you an excerpt from the latest canary book to hit the market, "The Practical Canary Handbook". This book is the first to focus on the popular breed of song canaries developed in the US known as the 'American Singer'. We are pleased to present two articles from this new book, the first discussing the importance of freedom of song in this breed, and the second giving advice on what to look for when purchasing an...
American Singer Canary
by Marie Russell
AmericanSingerCanary.com
Copyright © Aug 2005
Freedom and the American Singer
The American Singer was created for a single purpose: to produce a good song canary for pet owners. This is why freedom of song is the most important aspect of the American Singer's song - pet owners love birds which sing frequently. Nothing makes a pet owner happier than a bird who begins singing as soon as his cover is removed in the morning and who is willing to sing regardless of the presence of strangers or activity in his environment.
In my experience with selling birds to 'pet people' - as breeders refer to those seeking to purchase pets rather than breeding stock - a bird which sings freely will sell before other birds whose song may be far superior. The need to breed birds with a great deal of freedom for the pet market dovetails neatly with the need for those who exhibit to produce birds who sing freely, because no matter how beautifully a bird sings in the show, if he does not sing his ten songs during a ten-minute period he will have a very hard time placing in the top six.
The drive to sing comes from within a bird. It is the single thing which cannot be changed in a bird’s song. No amount of tutoring or show training will ever teach a bird to sing more often. I learned this the hard way after I lost several breeding seasons working with a line of wonderful sounding birds which lacked freedom.
The entire line was based on a male I came to call 'the Stealthy Singer.' This bird had a beautiful rich tone that was a joy to hear and near perfect conformation, but he refused to sing when I was in the room. If I hid around a corner, he would sing- when I peeked, he would close his beak! I trained that bird better than I have ever trained another canary; he was carted all over the house, driven everywhere and taken to visit everyone.
When he arrived at a show he would sing if no one was looking at him, but shut his beak as soon as anyone’s head turned toward him. At five different shows in his first year, he spent the entire time on the show bench hopping from one perch to the other. In the holding room I received loads of compliments on his wonderful song, however!
As the famous saying goes, if I had known then what I know now I would have considered him the dead end he was. Instead, I decided to try to breed him into a line of birds with lots of freedom in hopes of producing babies who sang more often. I ended up with a couple dozen birds with exceptional conformation but who lacked freedom, just like their father- though in all fairness they would sing if I looked at them, which was an improvement.
As I dearly loved the Stealthy Singer’s song, I didn’t give up- the following year I bred him to hens from a line of birds that carried even more freedom than the one from the previous year, and I bred his daughters to males that sang nearly every waking moment. I ended up lots of babies who, while beautiful birds and nice singers, refused to sing at the shows. I suppose if I had continued this for several more years, I would have ended up with freer singing birds, but the song of the offspring became less and less like the Stealthy Singer’s every generation so it seemed an exercise in futility to continue.
Based on this experience, I decided to radically change my breeding philosophy. I ruthlessly eliminated from my birdroom any bird that did not exhibit great freedom. If a bird had no unpleasant harshness or truly objectionable notes, he stayed, as long as he was willing to sing all the time. Even the Stealthy Singer was sold. I bred only the most free singing birds I could locate.
The chicks from that season’s breeding were sorted based on freedom first- if a bird didn’t show lots of freedom it was eliminated from my program. Currently at seven months of age, the offspring of these chicks are showing much more freedom than I have ever seen in my birdroom- babies began singing before they were removed to weaning cages, sang all the way through the molt and are willing to sing even when I am standing in the walk in flight inches away from them and looking at them. Indications are that my efforts to breed birds with a great deal of freedom are beginning to pay off.
Lack of freedom is an inherited trait that can be an almost insurmountable challenge to show training. Often novices are told that they need to work more on show training their birds, when careful investigation would show that it is the birds themselves which need to be worked on rather than their level of training.
Birds can be bred who require little in the way of training- all they need is a little time to become familiar with the new cage and its setup, along with some basic exposure to different experiences, and they are ready for the show bench. The average bird will require a bit more more to become ready for the shows but there is little reason why a line cannot be developed to require a minimal amount of training. Not only would this be of benefit to the exhibitor, but also to the breeder seeking to sell surplus birds to pet owners.
How To Buy An American Singer Canary
DO; Your research before buying a bird. Make sure you know what breed you are interested in, what you should look for in a canary in general and in one of your preferred breed, the typical price range of the breed and what the general care requirements will be.
DO; Buy a song canary from breeders who exhibit. An exhibitor keeps his stock so that they will be in good condition to show and he also tends to have better quality stock than the ordinary breeder. Additionally, a breeder who exhibits is more likely to be knowledgeable about the breed he owns.
DO; Make sure you are buying real American Singer canaries. Many breeders use the term 'American Singer' for any kind of canary that sings and is born in America, but unless it has a closed leg band registered to a member of the national American Singer Club, the bird is NOT a real American Singer.
DO; Be patient. Most breeders are happy to place you on a waiting list and contact you when the birds are ready for new homes. Often this is the best way to get a quality bird from a serious breeder. It is preferable to wait a few months for a good bird than to impulsively buy a canary simply because it’s available.
DO; Join a local American Singer chapter and work at the shows. Fellow club members are more likely to sell better stock to hard-working novices who look like they will stick around for some time. Working at the shows also helps a novice gain invaluable experience and make contacts.
DO; Buy young breeding stock, if possible. Be sure to ask about the parent’s backgrounds and whether or not they come from good feeding lines. If possible, ask to listen to a hen’s father to get an idea of what sound she carries.
DO; Be respectful of the breeder’s time. Most breeders don’t mind taking extra time with a novice who is eager to learn more, but they do have lives. Be sure to ask if the breeder will have time to speak with you when you come to pick up your bird and if not, if there would be a better time to arrange to meet. Be on time if possible, and call if you will be late or need to cancel an appointment.
DO; Realize that breeders will not sell their best breeding stock. Top quality stock represents an enormous investment of time, money and knowledge. For a majority of breeders who exhibit, there are certain birds who will not be sold for any amount of money, as they represent the culmination of many years of hard work. It is sometimes possible to purchase a related bird who is not needed for the breeder’s program.
DO; Offer to pay cash. Most breeders are leery of accepting checks from people they don’t know well.
DON'T; Buy canaries until after the baby molt. There are always breeders willing to sell young, unsexed canaries cheaply. Most of the time these 'unsexed' canaries have in fact been sexed- as hens! By selling them as unsexed, the breeder tacks on an extra $10 or so because it might be a male, and leaves the buyer believing he got a bargain.
Additionally, the molt is a very stressful time in a canary's life and some may not survive it- why take a chance? If a breeder who claims to be an exhibitor is selling canaries this young, one needs to ask why. No serious exhibitor will sell stock before having a good idea about what the bird is and what kind of song he has- for song breeds, this generally isn’t until fall.
DON'T; Buy molting canaries. Molting canaries are under a tremendous amount of physical stress. Moving them at this time can kill them, sometimes within hours. One unscrupulous dealer seen at a number of bird fairs selling molting canaries has dead birds in his cages nearly every time he arrives - yet he sells out his stock more often than not!
DON'T; Buy nesting canaries. One would think this would go without saying, but I’ve seen it happen. The seller stated that the pair had given her 'several nests of babies already this year' and indicated that the eggs were a bonus. While loading the cage into her car, the buyer jolted the nest and the eggs were broken. The seller’s response was 'don’t worry- they’ll have more'! More than likely the hen would have abandoned the nest even had the eggs survived (and been fertile). No reputable breeder will sell nesting canaries. Don’t walk away from these 'bargains' - run!
DON'T; Buy a male canary unless you hear it sing. If you buy a canary without hearing it sing, you should only do so from a breeder you have the utmost trust in, because you have purchased the proverbial 'pig in a poke'. The bird could be a hen, it could lack freedom and sing rarely, it could be ill or have a terrible song - or it could simply not be trained. But how to tell? Especially when buying breeding stock, always listen to the bird before buying it!
DON'T; Purchase canaries just because they are from a particular breeder. Even the best breeders produce mediocre birds! Once again, make sure you listen to the male! With hens the issue is more difficult as you cannot tell what song she carries, but you can and should evaluate her conformation. If possible, ask to listen to her father and brothers.
DON'T; Buy based on color. American Singers are bred for song, and color should not be a consideration. I have seen many buyers walk away from wonderful birds because they wanted a yellow canary. If you are breeding with the intent of showing, it is best to be blind to color and buy stock based on conformation and song, because judges will not be moved by the color of the birds, only their songs.
DON'T; Be afraid to leave empty-handed. Many buyers seem to think that they must buy a bird - even if they don’t care for it or are bothered by the conditions the birds are kept in. If in any doubt, leave the bird where he is!
by Marie Russell
AmericanSingerCanary.com
Copyright © Aug 2005
Special for Flock Talk readers only! For a short time, you can save 20% off your purchase of any of our beautiful antique first edition prints of canaries, cage birds and parrots!
See our gorgeous hand-colored lithographs of the unusual Belgian canaries, one of the oldest of the type breeds. Take a look at the old-style Yorkshire canaries, admire the spangles on the ancient breed known as Lizard Canaries, giggle at the odd-looking old-style Pouter Pigeons, and more!
We've recently posted some new prints and want to celebrate, so for a limited time we are offering 20% off on all sales made to Flock Talk readers! This deal won't last long, so be sure to take advantage of this special offer while you can!
To claim your discount, simply include a note with your order that you found our site through Flock Talk, and as soon as we process your order, we will return 20% of your purchase price!
Don't miss your chance to own one of these rare antique prints for such a great price, visit www.antiquebirdprints.com today!
"Everyone always asks me why my birds are such beautiful singers and breed such magnificent babies...I tell them that I learned from Robirda! While they give their birds all kinds of 'magical' formulas, I just follow your guide to 'keep it simple.' My birds are now very healthy, and there has been no recurrence of the infection. Thank Goodness!" R.C., Florida
Song CD
Table of Contents
It's been almost two years since we first offered our latest CD of Robirda's canaries singing for sale, and it is proving to be a popular choice for many people, both for themselves or as a gift. We have received a great deal of positive feedback from our customers. Here's just a few of the more recent comments:
"My 'baby' Jingles and I are both thrilled with your CD! It arrived within days of my purchase and it's the best CD out there! I have purchased every CD available, and yours was the only one my canary responded to. He was in subsong before, but is singing his little heart out now ! The CD has attracted the wild birds outside his little garden sanctuary, so my canary has lots of vocal competition now, which makes him sing even more."
"I received the CD today... I put it on the player and our canary Mustard Seed began chirping and singing within a couple minutes. It is a beautiful recording, thanks so much!"
"Just a quick message to thank you for your prompt delivery of my CD. Your CD has done wonders for my canary, he hasn't sang for months and now he tries to out sing the CD, very fulfilling for me to watch! Thank you for a great product!"
Find out more about our Canary Song CD!
A recent consultee says, "Just wanted to let you know we acquired a beautiful new canary last week... We...were assured that we could contact her (the breeder) ay any time with any questions or concerns. We picked the prettiest canary and happily brought him home. He started singing within two days of his arrival! His song is very different, but just gorgeous! I am so happy to have a little singer again, his song just fills up the house!
"I cannot thank you enough for your kind and considerate responses to all of our questions. Your website has really been a wonderful find for us! And we absolutely love your canary CD!
"Thank you for your love of birds and your commitment for helping those of us who are learning to share our lives with our feathered friends!"
Robirda's customers find her answers to be detailed, reliable, caring and supportive. When you need help with housing, feeding, care or behavioral questions, Robirda can help you learn to understand your birds better. For more details, see robirda.com/ask.html
Links
Table of Contents
- Home
- Products
- Basic Care
- Breeding
- Photographs
- Song CD
- Flock Talk
- Canary Cam
- Birds Board
- Canary FAQs
- Books & eBooks
- Tug 'N Swing
- Care Sheets
- Bird Cages
- Cage Accessories
- The Nest
- Questions?
- Contact
- Links Pages
- Personal
- Privacy Policy
- Site Map
- Testimonials
For you
& Your Birds,
With Love
Table of
Contents
If you find help you need in this ezine or on one of our websites, please consider joining our sponsors.
Read testimonials or find out more about becoming a sponsor. If you're looking for something different, check our home page for links to all our great products!
Our next issue is due Sunday, Oct 9th. We hope you and your birds stay safe, well and happy in the meantime, and we look forward to seeing you all then!
home Back Sept 25, 2005, Issue 129 Next
Flock Talk Archives 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Dedicated to all those who try to help others on our journey to a better tomorrow.
Copyright © 1994-2008 by Robirda Online. All rights
reserved.
Home | Products | Articles | Basics | Breeding | Photos | Flock Talk | Questions | Contact | Personal | Privacy | Wings-Up Seal | Testimonials | Links | Map