Gestation

How to Protect a Zebra Finch Nest

 
Josie F. Turner
By Josie F. Turner, Journalist specialized in Animal Welfare. Updated: July 17, 2017
How to Protect a Zebra Finch Nest

The zebra finch is a much appreciated bird due to its adorable tiny frame and the huge variety that can be found in aviaries across the world. Don´t let its size fool you, this active little bird can be loud and energetic vocalizing their birdsong.

If you're thinking of breeding a zebra finch, you'll need to know what type of nest they require. Remember that a zebra finch is a living creature and if you decide to breed them you should be responsible for their offspring. You must have enough space to provide a home for all of them as well as cover the cost of their food, cages and vet bills.

Keep reading this AnimalWised article and find out how to protect a zebra finch nest.

You may also be interested in: How to Know if Your Tortoise is Pregnant

Contents

  1. A Suitable Nest for the Zebra Finch
  2. Keeping your Zebra Finches Safe
  3. Important Elements of the Nest

A Suitable Nest for the Zebra Finch

Zebra finches are very nervous animals who don't want their eggs to be exposed to predators. When they're faced with an apparent threat to their eggs, they will act by throwing them to the ground and even eating them. For this reason, it is essential to look for a closed nest such as the one shown below:

How to Protect a Zebra Finch Nest - A Suitable Nest for the Zebra Finch

Keeping your Zebra Finches Safe

As the zebra finch is very cautious, having too much sound from other animals, too much human noise or being around perceived threats can lead to nest abandonment or tossing their eggs. Even if you have a lot of love for your finches, they might consider you yourself to be a threat, so do not disturb the nest or try to touch the eggs when they are inside. Placing water or food dishes outside the nest helps to keep interaction at a minimum.

You should also improve their diet by providing them with extra calcium and egg food. Zebra finches also love fruits and vegetables, but be careful about overfeeding. They can become bloated or ill if given too much food, so make sure they have a lot of space to exercise.

How to Protect a Zebra Finch Nest - Keeping your Zebra Finches Safe

Important Elements of the Nest

The Zebra Finch is a great nest builder and they often make the nests themselves. Occasionally this is only a one-man job, but usually both parents are involved in the process.

However, by finding a ready-made nest in their cage, zebra finches have the perfect place to raise their young. They'll also need additional material to use as padding for the eggs. If they don't have any, they'll get it by plucking feathers from themselves or from one another.

To prevent this from happening, you should provide your little birds with material to prepare the nest: goat hair and coconut fiber work well. Both of these can be purchased at specialist pet shops, exotic animal shops or veterinary surgeons. It's very important that this is made available to them, since the loss of feathers means they're unprotected and will require large amounts of calcium to counteract the problem. Avoid synthetic fibers or any material prone to contamination such as hay or leaves.

How to Protect a Zebra Finch Nest - Important Elements of the Nest

Once you have all your elements in place and ensure the zebra finches are not threatened, you can enjoy watching them grow into the beautiful creatures they are.

If you want to read similar articles to How to Protect a Zebra Finch Nest, we recommend you visit our Gestation category.

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How to Protect a Zebra Finch Nest