Lorna Hopkins - 2010-09-26 I am just starting to learn about the canary. I have always wanted a singing canary and my favourite colour is orange so to have an orange singing canary I would be all in my glory. I was told that my canary is not a red factor so I had no hope. A friend of mine gave me some red granulated stuff that he feeds his canary to keep it orange, I tried it and mine is turning colour. What is this stuff and where can I buy it?
Debbie L - 2010-06-03 I would just like to say with relation to the comment that canaries are not interested in toys that this is simply not true. We have had canaries for many years and it is our experience that the canaries derive lots of pleasure from all their toys, swings, ladders, mirrors. Our latest canary is a Red Factor and she too plays with the toys most of the day. I feel it would be cruel to deprive these birds of toys from which they get so much enjoyment.
Joan Quinn - 2009-11-06 I have a Red Factor Canary and I thought he didn't really need toys, as is stated on a previous posting. However, I felt sorry for him and bought him some toys, bell, mirrors, dangly toys and of course a swing. He loves his toys! And he is always on his swing looking in the big mirror on the wall where his cage is, and he sings all of the time because he thinks he is singing to the bird in the mirror. So, it has been my experiences that canaries do like to play with toys and they also like mirrors and sing to their own reflection. His name is Mango and he is one very happy little boy!
Venceslau Barbosa da Silva - 2009-10-19 I have read the comment by Ronald, saying that the cross of Carduellis cuculata and the canary does not lead to fertile hybrids and that the insertion of the siskin's red factor to obtain the redfactor canary is a myth.Unfortunately Ronald, I can assure you that I, myself, have already produced lots of fertile F1s from that mating and definitely it is not a myth. If you do not believe it, just get a male venezuelan siskin, cross it with a canary and check the fertility of some male offsprings. The females are not fertyle, but, a good percentage of the males are. Try it, before getting to the final conclusion. Venceslau Barbosa da Silva
Nancy Butterfield - 2009-08-05 I noticed Ronald asking about black canaries. I had a solid black male in 1979. I got him from a breeder in Minn. He was beautiful. Haven't seen any since then. The books I read on the subject said they hadn't seen any around since the 70's. It does seem like if they were around once it could happen again.
ronald irvine - 2009-04-03 I have been involved with redfactor canaries for many years and when I hear the stupid myth regarding a fertile mule bred by crossing a venezuelan black hooded red siskin / spinus coculatus with a canary to breed a fertile mule, I must say I have to laugh any one who believes this is a real fool. Ok man can interfere with nature once by breeding a mule or hybrid, but the pairings, be it birds or animals, are always born infertile as this is mother natures way of saying once is enough. just think if nature never stepped in we would not have any one true species of birds or animals. So please don't believe this nonsense regarding the redfactor canary, it was bred just the way he yellow or any of the other colours are by selective breeding, remember the original canary is green and is still with us.
This gorgeous canary, the Red Factor Canary, is prized by many as the most beautiful of all the Color Bred Canaries!
I am just starting to learn about the canary. I have always wanted a singing canary and my favourite colour is orange so to have an orange singing canary I would be all in my glory. I was told that my canary is not a red factor so I had no hope. A friend of mine gave me some red granulated stuff that he feeds his canary to keep it orange, I tried it and mine is turning colour. What is this stuff and where can I buy it?
I would just like to say with relation to the comment that canaries are not interested in toys that this is simply not true. We have had canaries for many years and it is our experience that the canaries derive lots of pleasure from all their toys, swings, ladders, mirrors. Our latest canary is a Red Factor and she too plays with the toys most of the day. I feel it would be cruel to deprive these birds of toys from which they get so much enjoyment.
What is the general life span of a male red factor canary?
I have a Red Factor Canary and I thought he didn't really need toys, as is stated on a previous posting. However, I felt sorry for him and bought him some toys, bell, mirrors, dangly toys and of course a swing. He loves his toys! And he is always on his swing looking in the big mirror on the wall where his cage is, and he sings all of the time because he thinks he is singing to the bird in the mirror. So, it has been my experiences that canaries do like to play with toys and they also like mirrors and sing to their own reflection. His name is Mango and he is one very happy little boy!
I have read the comment by Ronald, saying that the cross of Carduellis cuculata and the canary does not lead to fertile hybrids and that the insertion of the siskin's red factor to obtain the redfactor canary is a myth.Unfortunately Ronald, I can assure you that I, myself, have already produced lots of fertile F1s from that mating and definitely it is not a myth. If you do not believe it, just get a male venezuelan siskin, cross it with a canary and check the fertility of some male offsprings. The females are not fertyle, but, a good percentage of the males are. Try it, before getting to the final conclusion. Venceslau Barbosa da Silva
I noticed Ronald asking about black canaries. I had a solid black male in 1979. I got him from a breeder in Minn. He was beautiful. Haven't seen any since then. The books I read on the subject said they hadn't seen any around since the 70's. It does seem like if they were around once it could happen again.
I have been involved with redfactor canaries for many years and when I hear the stupid myth regarding a fertile mule bred by crossing a venezuelan black hooded red siskin / spinus coculatus with a canary to breed a fertile mule, I must say I have to laugh any one who believes this is a real fool. Ok man can interfere with nature once by breeding a mule or hybrid, but the pairings, be it birds or animals, are always born infertile as this is mother natures way of saying once is enough. just think if nature never stepped in we would not have any one true species of birds or animals. So please don't believe this nonsense regarding the redfactor canary, it was bred just the way he yellow or any of the other colours are by selective breeding, remember the original canary is green and is still with us.
Where can you buy red factor canaries?