Crimson Finch care guide
Distributions and Habitat of the crimson finch
There are two sub species of crimson finch. The more common is the Black Bellied variety. They are found in north Queensland from the coast, stretching inland. The less common White Belied variety, which are found from Cape York Peninsular up into Papa New Guinea.
When i was in The Northern territory i only eye balled a pair that was perched in a Pandanas tree it was winter time (dry season) and the surrounding grasses and vegetation was very dry. These finches have adapted to encroaching civilisation with many populations living in cultivated areas.
Diet for the Crimson finch
Seed– Always feed your Crimson finches a good quality finch seed mix this is essential to the long term health of your birds and especially important if you desire to breed them. Be wary of some supermarket mixes If you are unsure of the mix you are using ask your local bird specialist. Other seeds such as hemp seed, black and white lettuce seed are also great additions to the diet.
Sprouted seeds– are also eaten eagerly as long as they are washed thoroughly with aviclens before feeding to remove bacteria .
Millet sprays– they love fresh millet spray french white is a favourite of these finches.
Green food such as seeding grasses, cucumber, endive, bok choy and spinach.
Live food including meal worms, fly pupae served in a small dish with a pinch of wombaroo insectivore mix.
Egg and biscuit formula available at birdsville and most pet shops.
Vitamin supplement– Many good brands available in Australia this must be fed to your birds via the water supply as vitamin in seed is wasted as finches shell the seed as they feed.
Grit– Use a fine mix containing Baked egg shell, charcoal, crushed cuttlebone, charcoal and limestone.
Medication for your crimson
Sulphadim or sulpha 3- After heavy rain treat your birds with sulphadim or sulfa 3. This medication is cheap and magic it has saved many of my birds lives this is also useful for birds which have runny feacies as it is a mild anti biotic.
Have your wormed your birds?
Have you sprayed your birds with mite and lice spray?
Spray your birds with mite and life spray and worm your birds every 6 months- instructions will be on the bottle.
Breeding Crimson Finches
Crimson finches will breed in a variety of nesting places including wicker finch nests, coconut husks, hollow logs, and open finch nest boxes. These finches like to nest high so place the nests in a high area of the aviary. Supply swamp grass and some coarser grass for them to properly construct the nest. They will line the nest with feathers so be sure to supply them. Both male and female take part in building the nest.
They will lay around 6 white eggs and begin incubation around 4 days after laying. The eggs will take 14 days to incubate. Both parents will share the duty of incubation.
The chicks will start to venture outside the nest when they are about 4 weeks old an will be continued to be fed by both parents for a further 4 weeks as they learn to hull seeds for them self.
The birds will greatly increase the intake of live food while the chicks are being raised so increase the live food mentioned above.
Crimson finches can be aggressive when breeding attacking other finches inside the aviary.
Sexing crimson finches
Being sexually dimorphic these finches are easily to visual sex as the male have more red coloration than the females. Juvinile birds are more difficult to sex.
Found in store, for more details call Birdsville 9667 2555. More information coming soon.
