Canary

Description: Canaries are small songbirds native to the Canary islands, a volcanic archipelago off the northern coast of Africa. While their ancestors were typically grey or a light green, modern day domestic canaries come in a variety of different shades of white, green, orange, red and the classic "canary yellow." That's right, the color was named after the bird! Male canaries are known for their loud, melodic singing, whereas females typically chirp instead of singing. Explore our Canary Care Guide to learn more about your beautiful new bird!

Species: Canary

Normal Pet Size at Maturity: Canaries grow up to 5" (13 cm) from head to end of tail.

Average Lifespan: Canaries live for approximately 15 yrs

Basic Diet: For detailed feeding information, check out the care & feeding section of our Canary Care Guide! A pellet-seed blend will be a Canaries primary source of food and nutrition. Keep bowl 3/4 full with fresh food. Leafy green vegetables, grains, and fruit are great every other day to give your bird a well-rounded diet. Provide clean water in either a water bowl or water bottle. Honey sticks and millet spray can be offered as a treat once or twice a month. NEVER feed your bird chocolate, sugar, fried foods, avocado, or human junk food. These foods can make your bird very sick. Learn more about preparing food for your Canary in our What Do Pet Birds Eat? feeding guide!

Habitat Necessities: For full details, see the setting up a Canary Habitat section of our Canary Care Guide! Bigger is always better, and canaries need room to fly. Place the enclosure away from the kitchen, strong odors, smoke, and direct sunlight. Covering the cage at night can help your bird feel safe and secure. See our Canary Shopping Checklist for a full list of essentials to care for your feathered friend.

Does this Pet Need a Roommate? While canaries can live with other birds, they do just fine alone and don't always enjoy having cage mates

Minimum Enclosure Size: Use a minimum of a 12"x12"x15" enclosure, 18"x18"x24" is recommended if space allows

Safety Tips for You and Your Pet:

• It is recommended to closely monitor any new pet for 30 days in their own enclosure to observe for signs of illness, prevent the spread of potential diseases, and to limit stress while your pet acclimates to their new home.
  
  
• All new pets should be seen by a veterinarian within 14 days of purchase to establish care and discuss a health and wellness plan.
  
  
• All animals can potentially carry viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic diseases contagious to humans.
  
• Thoroughly wash your hands with warm, soapy water before and after contact with any pet or its habitat.
  
• Adults should assist children with hand washing after contact with a pet or its enclosure.
  
• Use caution when handling pets, and remember they may bite or scratch, especially when stressed.

Vet Assured: Pets purchased at PetSmart are part of our exclusive Vet Assured program, designed by PetSmart veterinarians to help improve the health and well-being of our pets. Our vendors meet a high standard in caring for pets and screening them for common illnesses, including Zoonotic diseases. This program also includes specific standards for in-store pet care.

When to Contact a Veterinarian: In addition to regularly scheduled appointments, contact your avian veterinarian if you notice the following signs:

• long periods sitting at the bottom of the enclosure
  
• decreased appetite or weight loss
  
• less activity and grooming
  
• feathers fluffed for long periods of time
  
• sneezing; discharge from eyes, nose or mouth
  
• runny droppings for more than two days
  
• constantly plucking feathers or feathers are falling out
  
• beak over gown⁄ not closing normally

Go to "find a vet" on AAV.org for help finding an avian veterinarian in your area.

The PetSmart Promise: If your pet becomes ill during the initial 14-day period, or if you're not satisfied for any reason, PetSmart will gladly replace the pet or refund the purchase price.