Canaries were first bred in captivity in the 1600s. In general, pet canaries do not require companionship; the canary species is territorial, not social, and does not generally appreciate company in the same cage. Two males will very rarely be happy together, although keeping them permanently in separate cages will prompt them each to sing more than they probably would on their own. Male canaries can mimic sounds such as telephone ring tones and door bell chimes but only if they hear these sounds while young. Canaries can be taught tricks over time but great patience is required as they are fairly timid birds. If pet canaries become ill they will rapidly lose weight and this is why it is essential to treat disease as quickly as possible. It is wise to have glucose powder and an eye dropper in store to administer drops of diluted solution via the beak if a canary stops eating canary food. When a bird is sick, it puffs up its feathers to stay warm; give it gentle heat. You can often drape a heating pad over or under the cage, but be sure the bird can also get OUT of the heat if it wants.Common household hazards include fumes from the kitchen. They are also sensitive to smoke from cigarettes, aerosol sprays such as deodorant, air freshener and polish. Plug in air fresheners/ stand-alone fan fresheners are very toxic, as are some candles, especially scented ones (except unscented beeswax candles). Avoid placing a canary's cage where it is in a draft, or be in full glare of sunlight without any shade available. If you let your canary out to fly about for exercise, always cover mirrors and windows, as they may fly into them and break their neck. A number of houseplants/cut flowers are very poisonous to canaries (as are some herbs), so never let them nibble leaves of houseplants. Be very wary, as canaries love to eat greens of all kinds! Safe plants include spider plants, African violets and boston ferns. In addition to canary food, canaries love bathing and should be allowed to bathe often. Offer cold water for them to bathe in, as it improves their feather condition. Warm water, on the other hand, will help to strip essential oils from the feathers, and will encourage itching and picking, rather than preening. Plentiful time to bathe is especially important to a canary during the moult. When it comes to disease, prevention is better than cure. Canaries should be examined for mites and, if mites are found (especially easy to spot around the neck and rump) they can be treated with over-the-counter medication (canary mites don't bite humans). Abnormalities of the skin and feet may be caused by mites and this can also be treated with over-the-counter pet medication. Be aware that dietary problems can cause skin, foot, and feather problems that may look as if they are due to mite damage, so before treating with any drug, get an experienced opinion from a good avian vet on the actual cause of the condition. Nutra Scarlett Canary Food is a very popular canary diet that contains super clean seeds and fortified particles. The entire mix is then coated with an orange extract that the birds love.