Should canary birds have free flight time?

Free flight time is necessary to keep your canary bird healthy and happy. In addition to having the appropriate cage size, canary birds should be afforded a minimum of one hour per day of free flight time. If your canary bird has never been out of its cage or only rarely, the first option would be to leave the cage door open while somebody is in the room. It may take a few minutes, or hours, or even days, but eventually most canaries will become curious and brave enough to venture out  into the world outside of the safety of their cage.If your canary has never been outside of its cage before, there are a few mandatory preparation requirements.   

• All doors closed and locked
• Windows closed and shades down
• No harmful foods lying around such as avocado
• No fans on
• No exposed incandescent light bulbs
• No other pets in the room 
• No live plants (unless you are absolutely sure they are not toxic to birds)\
• Large mirrors and windows should be covered

The first flight outside may be a little bit chaotic, but if at all possible, let the canary bird find its own way back to the cage. Do not try to catch them with a net because then they will associate outside time with stress. If they land somewhere and freeze up, gently pick the bird up and set it back into its cage. They try again the next day. Keep a close eye on the bird the first couple of weeks after you give them free flight time. After the bird becomes accustomed to the world outside of its cage, they will fly in and out of their cage at will.

You should keep a few playgrounds or perches in different parts of the room where they can train to fly too. If not they will most likely fly to comfortable high areas such as curtain rods.  Playgrounds will keep cleanup manageable. Also, never leave the house or room with your bird unattended, at least in the beginning phrase. Your canary will come to enjoy this little bit of freedom and you will see that they will be happier and healthier with the appropriate amount of free flight time.