If you are considering getting a pet bird for the first time you will want to know what to look for in finches for sale.
Finches are very popular birds to keep as pets.
They are rather inexpensive and easy to care for.
They come in almost any color you can imagine and are small compact birds.
They have pleasing songs and are very active.
You never want just one finch.
They are very social birds and to keep one alone will make it miserable.
When you go to see finches for sale you will have to watch the birds carefully to try and detect any sick birds.
Birds naturally mask or hide any symptoms of illness that they can.
In the wild a weak bird is easy prey so instinct tells them to act like nothing is wrong with them.
Look for clean birds that have been properly maintained.
Their claws should not be extremely long and dirty.
Their feathers should appear clean.
Their feathers may appear a little tattered but that is just from activity and is perfectly normal.
The beaks on these little birds should be cone-shaped.
You can see this best by looking straight at the bird rather than at a side profile.
If the beak is misshapen or appears to be damaged it could be a sign that bird is ill.
Watch the birds eat and see if they can pick their food up and eat it with no distress.
Look at the birds eyes.
The eyes and the nostril holes should be clear and dry on the bird.
If there are any signs of mucus then that bird is ill.
Look at the cage floor for the droppings.
If any of the droppings seem to be the wrong consistency or a different color from the others, try to identify the bird leaving these droppings.
This bird could be sick.
In the event you see a sick bird in a cage with other birds you may want to avoid all the birds in that cage.
You will not know which of the other birds may become sick later.
The little birds should be very active and social with each other.
They may not appear overly friendly towards you but that is normal.
The finch prefers other birds company to the company of humans.
While you are there you should see them flying and hopping around from perch to perch.
They should be entertaining to watch.
Any bird that appears to be unsocial with the others or is just sleeping is probably sick.
Avoid birds displaying unsocial behavior.
If you do not know what breed of finch you want you can judge them a little by the colorings of their feathers.
The birds that appear kind of plain are usually your song birds.
They are darker in color and often times brown or mottled colors.
The brighter colored little birds are usually much quieter.
When considering what to look for in finches for sale try to look for healthy, active, well-maintained birds.