Deck the halls and move the finches

Six months ago, we added two pet finches to our family. That number doubled when they hatched two eggs in September. Now that the two babies are old enough to rejoin their parents, we decided it was time to put mom and daughter together and dad and son together.

Our other option—one we didn’t really want to explore—was to become finch breeders and fill our home with many, many finches. As the person who does most of the feeding and care of the finches, I knew what we had to do.

We had to separate our finches and move them into different cages. I just didn’t know how exactly we would do it. Moving our finches from cage to cage has been extremely challenging in the past, and I always worry we will lose or injure one in the process.

It’s a Small World

So, I sought advice from a finch breeder in Austria—someone I met on Instagram who has willingly answered my questions over the past few months. Move them at dusk, our Austrian friend said. Finches can’t see well in the dark. Simply catch them in your hands and move them to the new cage.

It sounded like a good plan—if a little tricky. But our boys were immediately on board. Finches are not handheld birds. They’re adorable and sweet and they respond to us. They love when my husband whistles to them. And they will sometimes land on my sons’ hands when they come bearing treats. But our finches don’t really want to be held. They want to eat and jump and fly and play with one another.

So, this was a novelty, and our sons couldn’t wait to hold the birds.

Get Ready to Fumble

I felt more as if I were preparing for battle. The four of us carried three bird cages into the smallest room in our house. We dimmed the lights and picked our positions. We had a net ready in case a bird got loose, and we went through our game plan a dozen times.

This was our basic plan:

1. Move Bart (baby boy) out of the cage he shares with his sister, Lisa, to a new, empty cage.
2. Move Ron (dad) out of the cage he shares with his wife, Hermione, to the new cage with Bart.
3. Move Lisa (baby girl) into the cage Hermione (mom) has been sharing with Ron. I hoped Hermione would be less territorial, but we added a few things to her cage to try to make it different.

We learned quickly how difficult it is to catch a bird, even in a small cage. They were scared, slippery, and quick, and your instincts are to be gentle and not scare an innocent little bird. At one point, I tried myself, and I was hopeless at it. But our sons—who are 13 and 11—were capable, skillful, and fast.

It probably took less than an hour, though it felt like longer. My older son moved Bart and then Ron, and his brother moved Lisa. It was done. We high-fived, sent the boys to shower, and vacuumed up the birdseed from the floor.

Somehow there is always birdseed on the floor.

Tweet, Tweet, Tweet

We need to keep the cages in separate rooms for a week or two, but the finches can hear one another—and they aren’t happy. They chirp and chirp for their mates, and it makes me sad. But I know it’s for the best.

You’re probably wondering whether the parents remember that these are their babies or vice versa, and they don’t. They seem to know these birds as their next-door neighbors since their cages have been side by side for the past few months. But they don’t have any memory of a family connection. Their main concern is that they aren’t with their cage partners.

I’m hoping they will make friends with one another and be content. I have faith they will.

Don’t Know Much About Finch Rearing

Six months ago, at the time of the summer solstice, we started this journey with two little finches. At the time, we didn’t even know they were male and female. We didn’t know much of anything, actually. We’ve learned more than a few things along the way.

Today, as we mark the winter solstice and face the darkest time of the year, I think of the light and love these little creatures have brought to our home and to our family. They’ve brought their share of chaos, of course, but that’s been part of the fun.

Now, as we prepare to enter the Christmas season, I realize our finches are adding their own little sweetness to this time of year—as the soundtrack to our days is our four calling birds.

Copyright © 2020 Catholic Review Media

 Print