What Are Red Canaries Like?

Canaries are animals with an extraordinary and inexhaustible genetic variability. There are more and more color variations due to the appearance of new mutations. The origin of the red factor canaries comes from the crossing with the Cardinal of Venezuela. In the year 1925, Dr. Dunker of Germany and Dr. Bennett of the United States continued the methodical study of the crossbreeding of these magnificent birds and their results. Thanks to this, today we have, among others, the varieties of lip chromes (yellow, dominant white, recessive white and red). The truth is that unlike the yellow canary; red is not a mutation but hybridization.

Depending on whether it has more or less blood from the Red Siskin.  These hybrids are usually called Fas, that is, a son of the cross of a domestic canary  (Seriouscan ariadomestic), would be an F1, of which only 25% of the males are fertile. The crossing of this with another domestic canary it would be an F2, and so on until reaching the F5, which will no longer be considered a hybrid due to the low percentage of genetics with the Cardinal from Venezuela.

The smaller the number that accompanies the F, the greater the red hue of the bird and the less need it will have to take specific food that enhances the color. The reality is that if we do not feed them with certain foods that favor the pigmentation of their plumage, they would remain an orange color because they have strayed too far from genetics. Therefore, depending on how close the genetics of our canary is to the Siskin, we must use foods with dyes to a greater or lesser extent.

What do you need for red canaries?

Feeding with dyes:

Traditionally, the pigmentation of the red canary had been highlighted by adding some foods to its diet, such as carrots, tomatoes or peppers, which contain a large amount of biological pigments. These foods provide Beta Carotene, but by itself it is not capable of coloring it to a deep red, but only an orange.

That is why today it is chosen to use artificial pigments since they give better results, they favor the brightness and intensity of the color. These are Cartophily and Canthaxanthin.

1. Canthaxanthin is the pigment that most easily colors our birds. Although we can find it in nature, more specifically in the «chanterellesciborium» mushroom, it is its synthetic form that is used for this purpose. By itself it is sufficient for good pigmentation, but a moderate use of this dye is recommended, since in excess it can be harmful to the animal. For this reason, it is usually used together with two other pigments derived from it. It should be kept in opaque jars, away from light and in dry places.
2. Cartophily is a substance derived from canthaxanthin. It does not have the same pigmenting capacity as its predecessor; however it is highly recommended for those selected specimens closest to the Venezuelan Siskin. It should also be preserved in cool, dry places, protecting it from light and heat.
3. Beta- carotene, as we have mentioned before, was the first colorant used and purified. It can be widely found in fruits and vegetables such as carrots, spinach, tomato, or even in milk. It is always used in accompaniment to cartophily or canthaxanthin, or also with both. Its coloring capacity is considerably lower than the other two substances mentioned, but they assure that it provides greater brightness to the color of the plumage; and this would be the main cause of its use. 

 Ways to administer pigments:

1. Through the water they can be poured over the drinkers; but since the substances are vulnerable to light, it is advisable to do so in opaque and ball troughs. Special care should be taken since these birds like to bathe and it is possible that they end up taking a dip in the dyed water, and they can stain their plumage with pigment where they should not.
2. Breeding pastes with dye have very low pigment content. If we want to achieve a good tonality, we will have to inevitably resort to pure dyes. These pastes are just an alternative for all those who have a red factor specimen who are not very demanding with the result. However, it is one of the best options to administer the pigment to them. The most recommended is the soft or moist type, since this type of paste acquires moisture through the added fats, and the pigments are inserted into the plumage through the  

 The pure pigment and the dosage:

The degree of concentration of the dye is also an important factor to consider. The use of products whose characteristics we do not know will not facilitate a correct dosage of the administration. On the one hand, we have pure pigments, which contain a minimum concentration of ten milligrams per gram (10%); and on the other hand, the products that are pigments made by various cheaper brands, which have a mixture of dyes. Depending on the breeder and what type of range the specimen is, you can search for the product that best suits your needs and those of the animal. However, in the latter, the manufacturer does not usually report on what proportion of the different colorants bears its brand; but it must also be said that they contain vitamins and minerals that favor the action of pigmentation. Finally, the result we obtain may depend on the amount and type of pigment we use for the bird’s diet. If we use a pure dye (minimum 10%), the dosage can range between five and ten grams per kilo of breeding paste. If we use a brand dye, the dose is given by the same manufacturer, but here the result could also vary in our canaries.

We have already seen that there are different types of dye. It is usually advisable to mix cartophily and canthaxanthin for intense color, and beta-carotene for shine. Regarding the proportion, if we used a 10% colorant, it would be seven parts of acanthine and one third of beta-carotene. Also the foods already mentioned that are very rich in carotenoids such as tomato, spinach, broccoli or carrot will favor the coloration of our specimen.

Environmental conditions:

For our red factor canary, not only is proper nutrition necessary, but also accommodation and conditions are factors to be taken into account.

As we have mentioned, the dyes oxidize in the light, which is why to obtain an optimal result in our bird; in the mounting season it is placed somewhere with little light. It is highly recommended that we house him in cages or cages that are as large and spacious as possible. If possible, do not share accommodation with many animals, avoid pecking or fights, with little light and in this way the bird will remain calmer, in addition to avoiding the oxidation of the lip chrome of its plumage. For the acceleration of the molt it is also good that they are provided with a daily bath, in addition the canaries like to be clean.  Sometimes specific bath salts are added to the water to help them keep their plumage beautiful, soft and shiny.

Tips for Red Canaries

• Avoid excessive and harmful use of pigments for birds. The abuse of dyes can cause poisoning, hypervitaminosis (Vitamin A), and liver problems that can cause the death of the specimen. One of the organs that intervenes in the process of assimilation and transformation of the dye is the liver. There they are stored and pass into the blood, and from there into the plumage. If a large amount of these products is administered, it can cause a malfunction of this organ. To avoid this, it is also advisable to use a liver corrector such as calcitonin, or by providing foods that contain this substance such as egg yolks, cauliflower, iceberg lettuce, or soy; we can administer the latter in the form of soy lecithin in the breeding paste.
• Avoid excess foods that are conducive to diarrhea such as apples or lettuce, and vegetables in general. Since this fact would cause a rapid elimination of pigments, iceberg lettuce still has good properties, but it is not optimal to include it abusively in your diet. Charcoal or Grit is not recommended either in periods of pigmentation, because they retain the pigments, which will then be expelled through the stool.
• In mounting, in addition to the care already mentioned above, it is advisable to add a little more oily seeds that enhance their pigmentation, such as flaxseed, black, hemp seed etc. One trick is to add a tablespoon of oil per kilo of dry pasta, even if it is moistened with sprouts afterwards.