Why has my canary stopped singing? He sang at first. Vet says he is healthy. Chirps a lot but no more singing?

Question

He had a respiratory infection not long after we got him, but that was cured with antibiotics. Since then, he hasn't sang a song. The vet says he is healthy. Any ideas?

Answer 1

I used to breed song canaries. Its completely normal for your bird to stop singing in the summer. This is the season where canaries molt, which means they are replacing all of their feathers. The growing of feathers takes a lot of energy and birds can become a bit lethargic. Its very important to give your bird a good diet during this time. Be sure to give him greens like kale, broccolli or other dark greens. Ice berg lettuce is not good by the way. Hard boiled egg with the shell on is very good for him, believe it or not. A little whole grain bread is nice, too. Birds can't get by on just seed. He should start singing again in September or there abouts. Playing music is good to encourage singing, particularly flute music. There are also tapes available that have canaries singing that you should be able to find online. This will encourage him, too. I would not recommend getting a female. Outside of nesting season they will fight. Breeding them is rather complicated.

Answer 2

Canary Stopped Singing

Answer 3

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RE:
Why has my canary stopped singing? He sang at first. Vet says he is healthy. Chirps a lot but no more singing?
He had a respiratory infection not long after we got him, but that was cured with antibiotics. Since then, he hasn't sang a song. The vet says he is healthy. Any ideas?

Answer 4

There are actually times when a canary doesn't sing, like a lull between breeding seasons, etc. Also, like others noted here, it is good to encourage singing with stimuli such as music, and you also might consider going so far as to get him a female. Alot of canary singing is done to impress a mate. When he does sing again, he will also be quite encouraged if you "sing" (whistle) along with him.

But the most important thing of all, is to commend you on consulting your vet. Too many folks get exotics when they can't afford the vet bills and then end up scrambling on forums and mailing lists for answers to sometimes serious problems. You get an A+ for care!

Answer 5

At times, some male canaries stop singing. If you want him to sing again, try playing some music and keeping the music on even if you're gone; add some toys in his cage (bell, mirror), give him a variety of foods (fruits, veggies, pasta). If you have a spare room, bring him in there, close the door and let him fly around (put some towels around cause they will poo). Add a bath in his cage or if he doesn't like that, bring him in the room and put a small bowl with room temperatured water so he can bathe.

Answer 6

Good for you for asking the vet first. It's possible that you're no longer rewarding his singing as much as you used to. When you first got him, you might have given him a lot of attention, playtime, etc. when he sang, but the singing lost its novelty over time and so you stopped being as enthusiastic about it.

If that's the case, try rewarding him somehow when he makes any kind of songlike chirp using praise, cheering, laughing, treats, petting, or whatever makes him happy. He should figure out pretty soon that singing is a good thing!

Answer 7

I have been breeding birds for 9 years and treated my customers male canary for this same symptom and cured him. A male canary can stop singing due to "Air Sac Mites". These are a tiny mite that enters the birds lungs. You cure them by purchasing a product called "Scat" from Lady Gouldian.com and place 2 drops behind the birds head, near the neck area. If he has air sac mites, when you hold him, you will hear a faint "Clicking" sound when he breathes. These are the air sac mites in his lungs. If they are not taken care of right away, he will die from suffocation from the mites. He will also need to be treated with scat twice a year to prevent them from coming back. Hope this helps.

Answer 8

I'm having the same problem with my 4 yr. old canary, going to try buying song food and putting a mirror inside, maybe, even buying a larger cage...

Answer 9

he waits for me every second pecks my nose, flights around, waits for me to talk, is very healthy, bathes eats good,would never leave me even to eat if I stood there---stopped singing---does he hate me or love me? he's a 3yr. old canary--does moulting mean a couple feathers once in s while?

Answer 10

sometimes they just dont sing... most vet stores actually have a return policy for the birds if they dont sing, you can bring them back for another. im sure you wouldn't want another, you seem very attatched, but there is nothing wrong with the bird.