Nikki Moustaki - Finches For Dummies

Finches For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

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Copyright © 2022 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2021944962

ISBN 978-1-119-75531-9 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-75532-6 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-75393-3 (ebk)

1 Cover

2 Title Page

3 Copyright

4 Introduction About This Book Foolish Assumptions Icons Used in This Book Beyond the Book Where to Go from Here

5 Part 1: Introducing Finches Chapter 1: Finches: More Than Just Pretty, Chatty Birds Where Finches Come From The Life of a Wild Finch The Many Species of Finches Anatomy of a Finch Chapter 2: Are Finches Your Perfect Companions? Knowing What to Expect from Finches Knowing What Your Finches Expect from You Deciding Whether a Finch Is Right for You How Many Finches Are Right for You? Chapter 3: Selecting Species of Companion Finches Choosing Finches: Exploring Your Options Chapter 4: Finding and Selecting Finches Choosing Finches: Exploring Your Options Finding a Finch Searching for a Healthy Finch Housing Finches Together

6 Part 2: Caring for Your Finches Chapter 5: Home Tweet Home: Preparing for Your Finches and Bringing Them Home Your Finches’ New Home Accessorizing Your Finches’ Abode Keeping Mess Away Setting up the Cage Finch-Proofing Your Home Traveling Safely from Store to Home Chapter 6: Caring for Your Finches Water: Extremely Essential Knowing What Your Finch Should (and Shouldn’t) Eat Fun Finch Food Recipes Helping Your Finches Get the Exercise They Need Getting a Good Night’s Sleep: Putting Your Finch to Bed Grooming Your Finch Can’t We All Just Get Along? Living with Other Pets Cleaning Your Finches’ Housing Chapter 7: Come Here Often? Getting to Know Your Finches Understanding Finch Behavior Finch Communication Handling Your Finch Safely Taming Your Finch

7 Part 3: Training and Breeding Your Finches Chapter 8: Keeping Your Finches Healthy and Handling Emergencies The Veterinarian: Your New BFF (Bird Friend Forever) What a Healthy Finch Looks Like Signs of Sick Finches Common Finch Ailments Emergencies: Knowing When to Get Help Immediately What to Do if Your Bird Is Lost Assembling a First-Aid Kit What to Do If Your Bird Dies Chapter 9: Breeding Your Finches Breeding Your Finches Knowing What to Do When Something Goes Wrong Discouraging Breeding

8 Part 4: The Part of Tens Chapter 10: Ten Great Finch Websites Chapter 11: Ten Fun DIY Toys for Finches

9 Index

10 About the Author

11 Connect with Dummies

12 End User License Agreement

1 Chapter 1FIGURE 1-1: Canaries are among the most popular types of finch.FIGURE 1-2: The anatomy of a finch.

2 Chapter 2FIGURE 2-1: An adult must always supervise a child around finches.

3 Chapter 3FIGURE 3-1: This crested canary has been bred to have a mop-top of feathers on ...FIGURE 3-2: These cordon-bleu finches are enjoying a bath outdoors.FIGURE 3-3: Gouldian finches are prized for their rainbow-like plumage.FIGURE 3-4: Java finches come in a variety of mutations, including white.FIGURE 3-5: Owl finches make great aviary companions.FIGURE 3-6: Society finches are more than just little brown birds.FIGURE 3-7: Spice finches are pretty little birds that can be good for someone ...FIGURE 3-8: The pin-tailed whydah male grows a gorgeous, long tail during breed...FIGURE 3-9: A male and a female zebra finch.

4 Chapter 4FIGURE 4-1: This baby zebra finch looks nothing like its beautiful parents, but...FIGURE 4-2: Your finches’ eyes should be alert, bright, and free from debris.FIGURE 4-3: This Java finch and zebra finch can be housed peaceably together if...

5 Chapter 5FIGURE 5-1: The mesh that makes up this cage is the correct size for these male...FIGURE 5-2: Your finches will enjoy natural wooden perches of varying sizes.FIGURE 5-3: This white Java finch is enjoying its time among natural, nontoxic ...FIGURE 5-4: Finches love bathing, like this red-billed firefinch.

6 Chapter 6FIGURE 6-1: Do not to cut into the quick when you trim your bird’s nails.

7 Chapter 7FIGURE 7-1: These Java finches enjoy roosting for the night in their nest.FIGURE 7-2: This Gouldian finch is sleeping with his head tucked onto his back,...FIGURE 7-3: This Java finch’s guardian has hand-tamed this feathered friend.

8 Chapter 8FIGURE 8-1: This canary has an eye issue that needs to be addressed by an avian...FIGURE 8-2: A veterinarian examines this canary that has inflammation around it...