With Bengalese finches there is generally little that needs to be done in the way of health maintenance.  A balanced diet is by far the most important thing. However a few of things to watch out for are signs of illness, nails, leg bands and strings or string-like materials that can damage your birds.

If your bird sits in the corner, looks puffed up, or generally looks under the weather then he may be ill.  Make sure there is a good supply of fresh food and clean water, in shallow dishes, on the floor of the aviary or cage at all times.  This will make it easier for the bird to access them.  Try to raise body temperature by moving the cage to a warmer location or by placing a lamp beside the cage or aviary. Unfortunately, because of their tiny size, an illness can often run its course and kill your bird before you even notice the symptoms.

Birds' nails will usually be maintained naturally by the inclusion of a cuttlefish in the aviary.  If nails grow too long then you will need to catch the bird and trim them.  A nail clipper works well but be sure not to clip too much.  If you clip to the 'quick' it will bleed.  If you look very closely at the tip of the nail, you will be able to see that the tip looks more clear in colour.  This can be safely cut off. However, only do this in extreme cases.

Keep a close eye on birds that have leg bands attached to them as their legs can grow too big for the band.  This could restrict blood circulation leading to a swelling of the foot and possibly lead to death. In this case it would be important to remove the band by cutting it off. This could well be a two-person task but be very careful - legs on most birds are extremely delicate.

Strings in the cage or aviary can be very dangerous although birds do love to play with them. There's the possibility that a string could get tangled around a bird's leg or neck and then become entangled with objects in the cage leading to an injury or the fatality of the bird. Best just to have short pieces available - say 5 cm - rather than to risk future injury and lose your bird.

Bengalese finches, like any other caged birds, are notoriously difficult to catch. Their prime instinct is one of survival - they obviously see you as a great sign of danger, especially when you plod into their aviary fully equipped with bird net in tow! Just remember that they weigh just a few grams; your weight and stature is many more times this! Be sure too that you remember that your hand is immensely strong compared to the frame of a tiny bird. If you keep trying to catch them for a very long time without success, the birds will become overly exhausted and could injure themselves by crashing into the cage walls. Therefore always try to avoid this.

catching birds

Nets can be purchased for catching birds. These work best in a large cage or flight rather than a small cage. Removing some of the perches which could interfere with your hand movements sometimes helps too. When a bird is on the perch, move your hand toward him from the rear. Totally encompass the bird with your hand, not squeezing too hard but just hard enough that he cannot escape. If you make sure that his head is covered with your fingers, he will be more calm.

To catch birds in (near) total darkness is sometimes the only way of entrapping birds. However, remember that neither you nor your intended prey can see as well as normally so they may get scared and fly into the wall of the cage while you're attempting to catch them, subsequently injuring themselves. Birds do not move very much when it is dark or going dark, and you can sometimes push them off the perch before they will move. Use a dim night light as your source of illumination if undertaking this

Whatever your chosen method, there's no straightforward way in catching a bird, but with perseverance you usually find one method of catching your prey! However, no matter which method you do choose, it's a safe bet that you'll become exhausted well before your birds do!

what to do if a bird escapes its cage or aviary

Hopefully this will never happen of course, but if it does then you need to know what to do. If the bird escapes from its cage within the confines of your house then you can use a light piece of material or clothing to throw over it. Gently pick up the bird within the cloth and return it gently to its cage. If one escapes outside then you should be prepared to say "au revoir" to it! However, if it flies not too far away from the aviary then you could again use the above technique by throwing a piece of light material over it.  You could even put a small cage outside complete with food and water. Leaving the door slightly open you might be very lucky in that the bird returns to investigate. Finches are small birds and when they have been living in a cage with everything supplied for them - food, water, shelter - they will never know how to fend for themselves if they should ever leave that safe sanctuary. They will probably fly until they get tired and then get eaten by a larger bird or a cat. As sad as this is, c'est la vie!