Red factor canaries (Scientific Name: Serinus canaries) are a color-bred bird, developed by crossing a yellow domestic canary with a red siskin. They are showy and ideal for people who want to flaunt their pet to guests, or even at bird shows. They are an easy pet to keep, although, breeding one is not that easy.
|Also known as||Red canary|
|Color||Bright orange or red body, white beak|
|Size||5.5 in (14 cm)|
|Weight||0.4-1 oz (12-29 g)|
|Breeding age||Less than 1 year old|
|Breeding season||December to April|
|Clutch size||3-6 eggs|
|Incubation period||13-14 days|
|Temperament as pets||Hardy, gentle, doesn’t like to be handled|
|Maintenance level||Easy to keep|
|Noise level||Low, soothing singing sounds|
If you have a single red factor canary go for a cage with a size of around 1.5 ft (45 cm). Canaries do not require toys or other forms of enrichment like parrots do, just one swing will be enough to keep them happy. You could also put in a couple of perches to keep the bird happy.
Red factors can be comfortable in temperatures ranging from 60° to 70° Fahrenheit during the day while the nighttime temperature can be 40° Fahrenheit.
As mentioned earlier, these birds have quite a gentle disposition. They do not like to be handled, however, but with adequate interaction, will grow rather fond of their owners.
In order to maintain the bright orange or red plumage, you will have to provide the bird with a specific diet consisting of cherries, berries, carrots, cayenne pepper, paprika, yams, beets, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and squashes; this is called color-feeding. These foods are especially essential during molting. Provide a cuttlebone to keep up the calcium levels in the body.
Canaries, in general, do not require a lot of care. Red factors, like all canaries, do like to bathe, so offer them a bath every day. Clip the nails now and then.
They have a tendency to susceptibility to mites like scaly mites, air-sac mite, feather and red mites. Canary pox is another serious health condition they contract from mosquitoes, especially in the warmer months. Frequent trips to a veterinarian can keep these potential hazards at bay.
Red factor canaries usually have a price tag between $125 and $150.
- It was in the 1920s that red factor canaries were first bred.
- This is the only canary with red in its plumage.
Red Factor Canary Singing Video