Finches of all kinds make fantastic pets, but you do have to be careful about how you keep multiple birds not only in one home but also in one cage!
Plenty of first-time finch owners fall head over heels in love with zebra finches, goldfinches, Galapagos finches, and grass finches but aren’t sure of how to keep them safely. Many aren’t even sure of whether or not they can keep multiple birds in a single cage, to begin with!
And that’s why we have put together this quick guide.
But for those of you who simply want to know the maths..
Each pair of finches should have anywhere between 3 ft.² and 4 ft.² of floor space to work with. It’s also important to remember that finches like to nest as a pair and are going to get a little bit territorial over that very private space. It is not advisable to keep a single finch as it can harm their mental health and can die of loneliness.
By the time you are done with the inside information below you’ll know exactly whether or not it’s a good idea to keep multiple finches (including multiple kinds of finches) in one cage or aviary.
You’ll also learn just how many finches you can or should safely keep together, how to pick a new cage for aviary, and a handful of other tips and tricks to make life keeping finches a lot better for everyone involved.
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Table of Contents
Can You Safely Keep Multiple Finches in a Single Cage?
Straight out of the gate is important to understand that finches are some of the most socially active birds in the avian world.
They absolutely love to group together in the wild (sometimes building flocks that are a few hundred finches deep) and rarely have any issue whatsoever with different types of finches joining the flock.
At the same time, as soon as you start to bring finches into captivity – and start to sort of box them in with a cage or aviary – things start to change a little bit.
Sure, you can keep multiple finches inside of a single cage or enclosure but you have to be smart about how you go about it. You need to be sure that you have exactly the right amount of finches in your enclosure but you also have to make sure that the mix of different types of finches is dialed in, too.
How Many Finches Can You Put in a Cage Together?
To start things off, if you are going to have multiple finches inside of a single enclosure you’ll want to either have a single pair living in the same space or at least three pairs (six birds) to build a small flock.
Singular finches living alone are really going to struggle, especially from a mental health standpoint. Their physical health will nosedive due to lack of socialization, too. It’s best to avoid keeping single finches altogether if at all possible.
An uneven amount of finches are also going to have a tough time getting along well with one another. The even number of birds will pair off and the singular finch left alone will suffer or fight with other birds, wreaking havoc across the board.
The trouble with just two pairs of birds is that finches can become territorial and start fighting over resources when they feel threatened. Two pairs of birds may start to find the other pair encroaching on their territory and then everything sort of falls apart.
Three pairs of birds (or more, always added in pairs) is usually enough to “keep the peace” and to maintain an equilibrium – even if you have different types of finches in the pair groups.
How to Pick a New Cage or Aviary
Space considerations are a huge piece of the puzzle when you’re picking a new cage or aviary for your pairs of finches.
As a general rule, each pair of finches should have anywhere between 3 ft.² and 4 ft.² of floor space to work with. It’s also important to remember that finches like to nest as a pair and are going to get a little bit territorial over that very private space.
You’ll want to be sure that there is plenty of room inside the finch cages to accommodate one nest per pair, and maybe even a bit of extra room to make sure that you can expand your flock later down the line without having to buy a brand-new cage.
Avian experts also recommend that finch cages also have at least 30 inches of length for each pair of birds that you are keeping. This means that if you’re going to have three pairs (six birds) you’ll need a cage at least 59-90 inches long!
A 59 – 90 inch long cage is going to require more than seven and half feet of space in a room, and we’re not even talking about how tall it should be, either. Think about the special considerations you have to work with before you commit to getting larger flocks of finches that demand larger cages and aviaries.
Important Things to Remember When Keeping Multiple Finches as Pets
Because of the territorial nature of finches (especially when you have different sex finches in different types of finches living in the same space) you want to be sure that there is a lot of perch room for your birds to work with.
You should have multiple perches set up all throughout the cage, combining different walls and at different heights. You’ll want at least two more extra perches than you have birds to keep peace in your cage.
It’s also a hugely important thing to introduce all of your finches to your aviary or cage at the same time.
This allows the social hierarchy of the finch flock to establish itself organically, rather than introducing birds later down the line that might be ostracized or attacked just for being outsiders.
If you’re going to be adding finches over time it’s not a bad idea to try and keep individual pairs in separate cages until you have the entirety of your flock and an outdoor aviary to accommodate them ready to go.
A lot of people also add toys throughout the space to keep these smart and active birds engaged, helping them physically as well as mentally. Just make sure that you’re purchasing finch-specific toys and check their condition every now and again to avoid potential mishaps or accidents.
Lastly, you need to be sure that your finches have easy access to all the food and water that they need. Multiple dishes for both should be set up all over the aviary, allowing different birds to eat or drink in different spots without causing any issue.
Suitable Finch cages
Final Thoughts
Keep the details shared above in mind when you start to build your finch flock and you’ll have nothing to worry about!
No bird should have to live a solitary life alone. But you also don’t want to overcrowd a cage. A pair of finches in a spacious cage makes the perfect combination.
