Aviary completed

[kcfd55]

Sree:

how do you prevent ants and common house lizards getting in to the aviary?

Well, "common house lizards" are not common around here .

I've had good luck getting rid of ants using something called, "Terro." It is a concoction of boric acid and a sweet liquid which attracts the ants. The ants take the stuff back to the nest and that ends up killing the queen. It is supposed to be safe for birds, but I don't put it in the aviary itself. I place the baits around the outside. Does nothing for insects attracted to sugars, though. Seems to make cockroaches to away as well according to my father.

Mike

[sreeshs]

Sree:

how do you prevent ants and common house lizards getting in to the aviary?

Well, "common house lizards" are not common around here .

I've had good luck getting rid of ants using something called, "Terro." It is a concoction of boric acid and a sweet liquid which attracts the ants. The ants take the stuff back to the nest and that ends up killing the queen. It is supposed to be safe for birds, but I don't put it in the aviary itself. I place the baits around the outside. Does nothing for insects attracted to sugars, though. Seems to make cockroaches to away as well according to my father.

Mike

As of now I have a 4 feet long cage which is hanged by chains from top. I use the repellent chalk available at shops here to draw over the joints which keeps ants away but not the lizards.

I am planning for a bigger cage with stands, that's when ants will be much more an issue. I am thinking of a water bowl filled with oil or water to keep them.from entering the cage then.

[Fraza]

WHERES THE PICTURES OF YOUR FINCHES IN THIS FOREST OF AN AVIARY

[kcfd55]

Sree:

am planning for a bigger cage with stands, that's when ants will be much more an issue. I am thinking of a water bowl filled with oil or water to keep them.from entering the cage then.

Ants can cross water w/o any problems. They just create a chain of their own bodies so that others in the nest can cross. I don't know if the oil would work. Perhaps soapy water would prevent the ants floating on the surface.

You must have some mean ants.

Mike

[kcfd55]

Fraza:

WHERES THE PICTURES OF YOUR FINCHES IN THIS FOREST OF AN AVIARY

There is a picture in the Gallery of the lone bird, a female Gouldian, in the new aviary (Aviary 5.1). I've ordered more birds for delivery Jan 6. I'll post more pictures then. I had a number of Zebras, but gave them to a local bird store because I didn't want 150 of them in the aviary .

Mike

[Fraza]

kcfd55 okay I’ll have a look and bet she’s lonely but happy haha

[kcfd55]

Fraza:

I’ll have a look and bet she’s lonely but happy haha

She adapted pretty quickly, and visits pretty much all parts of the aviary. It is interesting to see the different behaviors in this dirt-floor aviary that I didn't see when she was in the cage. She almost acts like a very small, colorful chicken as she pecks at the dirt and leaves.

I can't wait to see what happens when the others arrive.

Mike

[lovezebs]

kcfd55

Looking forward to more pictures.

[lovezebs]

sreeshs

Hi Sree,

Over here (in Canada) you can buy little ant traps. The ants go in and don't come out again. Not sure if you have anything like that over in India.

Here is some information which you might find very helpful, just tap the site below:

http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/8 ... ant-killer

Good luck.

[kcfd55]

Elana:

Looking forward to more pictures.

Be ready for a blizzard of pictures when the shipment shows up . I'm getting a pair of owls, 3 Gouldians, 4 pair of strawberry, 2 pr of RCCB, 3 pr of Gold-breast, 1 pr of Melba, 1 pr of Spanish Timbrado Canaries, and 2 pr of St. Helena finches.

I would have purchase more than one pair of the owls, but he didn't have any other than fawn, and more than the 3 Gouldians because I wanted red-cheeked, and he didn't have more than the 3, and I already have the one female. It's just me, but I prefer the original colors of birds and don't want to mix the cheek colors of the gouldians.

I've purchased several styles and sizes of nests, and building more, placing them all over the aviary at different heights. I have some large tree fern trunks, and found out this weekend that they are at least partially hollow. I'm still thinking about different nest designs using the tree fern trunks.

Mike

[SherLar]

No fair. Now all of you are showing off. Bitterly cold in the Omaha area. So glad to live in a time where we have furnaces! Otherwise I would just throw myself in the snow and freeze to death within a few minutes just to put me out of my misery.
sherri

[FinchLover&Breeder]

SherLar
lol. no you wouldn't. you love your family and pets too much to do that.

[SherLar]

Gee... where are all you armed weathered people? You didn't leave any addresses for me to come move in.. um.. I mean visit.
Sherri

[sreeshs]

sreeshs

Hi Sree,

Over here (in Canada) you can buy little ant traps. The ants go in and don't come out again. Not sure if you have anything like that over in India.

Here is some information which you might find very helpful, just tap the site below:

http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/8 ... ant-killer

Good luck.

Thanks, that was a new information for me

I do not have that major issue with ants now, so not planning for drastic steps. Also the ants here do not cross the water bowls, unless the bowl is fouled with leaves or twigs providing an easy access. They seem to have much better free lunch options so not ready to unnecessarily burn extra calories I think

[kcfd55]

Sree:

Also the ants here do not cross the water bowls, unless the bowl is fouled with leaves or twigs providing an easy access.

Perhaps North American ants are more desperate . I can still picture in my mind the sight of ants crossing the water of an aquarium to get at a baby turtle that they killed while it was floating on a piece of wood when I was 5 years old .

Mike