Nest material thrown out of the nest???? Why????

[Corkysgirl]

I just wanted to write and try to incorporate another post from Sandri and what she uses for her nests. Also, you really should go over to her page and look at her really cool pictures of her finches and canaries. She has amazing photography skills and her finches are out and about...so cool to watch! sandri_90 This is what I was talking about; you use it to remove your makeup or to put over a wound or something etc.
It's perfectly safe, I used it after a breeder told me that it helps. I also put some of these in the nest, to make it more comfortable; it's also easier when you want to clean and change the nest.[/quote] (Well...I tried to paste and copy her quote...and it didn't come up "from" her page...uggg. It is her quote).

[delray]

corkysgirl thanks for adding this into my Thread. Thanks sandri very helpful

[Sheather]

My society finches love almost anything to nest with, but most especially shredded newspaper. It's their mainstay and I give them some everyday. It's the best nesting material IMO - it holds its shape, is soft, and is absorbent, easy to clean, and cheap to replace. I also give other materials to add to the nest however, such as dry lawn grass clippings (another fav, but only if entirely brown and dried), crinkly purple paper like they sell for Easter baskets (paper, though, never plastic), thick sisal twine, and timothy hay. They use it all and make some very elaborate nests. It's also very fun to add two or three nests - maybe some enclosed and some open (what I do) and allow them to make several nests. Then they love to build one, then a few days later tear it up and build a new one. It keeps them entertained. Mine love to build in any sort of nest, and if it's just an open canary nest they build a roof for it with newspaper and make it covered.

Also Delray your finches are still young, about the age of my Apollo. His dad still does most of the nest building and he just twiddles with it - nest-building will certainly improve with age.

[MiaCarter]

Corkysgirl -- How do you use these?
Do you offer them whole?
Or do you use them as more of a nest liner? (perfect size for those small open nests, I bet!) Or do they use them as normal nesting material?

My guys are nuts over paper towels and toilet paper.
I give them a foraging bin with hay, and I have one who will use hay for his nests occasionally, but only if there's no more paper towels and TP!
They also LOOOVE the millet sprays. Fresh, all eaten up, half eaten up...doesn't matter! The second I take the old spray out of the clip and toss it on the floor, it's scooped up! (And Elvis will even try to pull it out of the clip with all his might! Very cute.)
In fact, last night, I caught Molly Sue trying to steal one of the sprays from Elvis' nest while Elvis was busy bathing. Well, let me tell you -- the second Elvis noticed what was happening, he was on it! He let out an ungodly screech and rushed Molly Sue at top speed! LOL
"Not! My! Millet! Spraaaaaays!!!!"

[Corkysgirl]

MiaCarter That's so funny about the millet sprays and the chase!!! Mine will use them for their nests when they are the small ones. They're funny looking jutting out everywhere! Mine love paper towel shreds. I haven't tried toilet paper. No I haven't tried the discs. Sandri_90 uses them so that's why I posted them...and her quote...though I didn't know how to transfer her quote from her other page.

[delray]

So I finally gave Phineas and Ferb paper towels for their nesting material since everyone was saying that their finches like it plus they were trying to pull the paper towels below the bars . So I lay the paper towel on the floor and they were off to work!!!! I now learned that I have to shred the paper more since the nest was packed. Though their creation was so amazing. I think this shows based on the last few threads that societies are very smart. Some of the material has already fallen though so it's not as much.

[Corkysgirl]

Isn't it amazing delray?! It's so fun to watch them with the little pieces. I LOVE watching my old man bird with his giant piece trying to get it in the nest! It's the funniest, most entertaining thing! Better than tv or a movie!

[ac12]

I tried small strips of newspaper about 1/4 inch wide, but my gouldians work it so much that the news paper starts to curl. And that creates a wierd mess in the bottom of the nest.

I think I like the paper towel idea. It has more mass, than newspaper, so I don't think it will curl as much. Now to go cut some paper towels.

[MiaCarter]

I use paper towels as my primary nesting material and they love it! I used to cut it, but I just tear it now. It seems like they prefer that. I also run it through the paper shredder on occasion to get strips; just a different consistency to work with.

I also use toilet paper on occasion and the guys who like to build on the walls and ceiling of the hooded nests like using it for that purpose. It's "stickier" than the paper towels.

I used to use newspaper (I worked for a newspaper, so I could get it by the pallet! LOL) but the ink rubs off on the white birds and my guys often dump nesting in the water cups. The ink isn't good for them.

My guys love the millet sprays too. They build crazy creations with them! I just posted this on another thread, but I'll post here too as it's funny and relevant: