Termites and wooden aviary?

FINCHIE · Post by **FINCHIE** » Wed Nov 19, 2008 5:55 pm

I am about to go out a get some termites but I want to know whether you can freeze them (and then thaw them) before you give them to the birds? I have a wooden aviary and don't want to have any termite problems???? Will this be OK?

gomer · Post by **gomer** » Wed Nov 19, 2008 7:02 pm

If you bring a nest home put them in a drum with grease around the top to prevent them from escaping.also black ants eat them.Same with feeding out a dish in another with water to stop them from escaping.

FINCHIE · Post by **FINCHIE** » Wed Nov 19, 2008 8:29 pm

OK i'll do that, do you think putting them in the freezer to slow them down would help?

mickp · Post by **mickp** » Wed Nov 19, 2008 8:33 pm

I keep livefood in the fridge, dont know how the birds would react to frozen termites

gomer · Post by **gomer** » Thu Nov 20, 2008 5:44 am

What I know about termites is from what I have read and seen on dvd.As the only termites around here are the ones in trees and eating houses,which I believe are the wrong ones to feed to finches as their pinches are to big?The ones I have seen are mound nests kept in a 44 gallon drums with a lid and grease around the top,also a piece of damp hessian not wet on the nest.Each day a small piece off nest is removed and broken up to expose the termites to be feed out.
As for freezing them I'm not sure,I give mine frozen sprouted seed daily and frozen grass seeds.I keep mealworms in the fridge but I think termites may perish.You could get a nest and try a portion in the freezer.The problem as Mick said maybe getting them to eat dead frozen ones.anyway keep us posted.