Whats getting my finches?

[lstyles]

I have three cages/aviaries outside my home. One is a large aviary with 1/2" hardware cloth on it. That has all the male zebras. I have another powder coated (very sturdy) cage with 1/2" bars that had a pair of parrot finches in it. Yesterday I found only the remains of the female parrot finch (just the head actually!). The third cage is one of those cheap metal cages that has light gauge 1/2" bars and holds my female zebra finches. Today I found a partially eaten zebra in this last cage. The cages don't appear to have been torn/pulled apart and frankly I dont think an animal could pull the powder coated cages bars apart. I am not sure what is getting at my birds. The 1/2" hardware cloth seems to be keeping whatever it is out though. We have racoons and possums and cats in neighborhood so those are possibilities but not sure how they are getting in there to get bird (maybe a paw between bars, they wouldn't be able to do that with 1/2 x 1/2 inch mesh. My dogs have generally kept predators away before but they are spending less time outside because we are in a rental house after the fire. We have been here about 9 months though and this just started happening. Could it be rats or some other rodent? Any advice? I think I will have to bring in the two cages until I figure things out but I want to be able to put those birds outside in winter.
thanks,
Lori

[Sally]

I would say you can rule out snakes, because they will swallow the whole bird. I've never had rats, so can't say what is their method of killing. Racoons are a definite possibility. They will reach through the bars to snag any bird unlucky enough to be too close to the bars. Cats are also a possiblity, with the same method. I have no idea if possums would be guilty, or even if they are carnivorous.

If racoons are hungry enough, they can pry open doors, pull off mesh that is not secured well enough--they are buggers to deal with. You may have to keep your cages inside till you figure this out, as now that whatever predator it is has learned where there is food, it will be back.

[L in Ontario]

Oooh sorry to hear this Lori. Hope you can get it figured out real soon.

[waxbill lover]

Might be a weasle, also known as a stoat. They are VERY sneaky, and may very easily slip through 1/2" bars... Google them.

[lstyles]

Thanks for the responses...I will definitely bring them in tonight until I figure things out. We don't have weasels here in the city...at least I have never heard of any...maybe a loose ferret though!
Lori

[debbie276]

I would guess some sort of rodent like mouse or rat for no other reason then the birds remains are still in the cage. I would think a larger predator would pull the bird through the wires and carry it off.
Hope you can figure it out soon, best of luck

[30 Seconds to Bob]

Why don't you place a couple of baited, medium sized, live traps in the vicinity of the cages? You may capture (and remove) the culprit. Bob

[lstyles]

I thought about putting out a trap but the rats around here are VERY smart and just avoid them. Also I have three dogs so I need to be careful they don't get into things. I moved the cage indoors and while doing so noticed one of the other birds was injured. She was hiding it pretty well but couldnt fly well and when I picked her up to look at her I noted she had been attacked on other side and eye was gone! Also some damage on the wing/chest on that side. Interesting her tail feathers were almost all gone too. I wonder if whatever it is is knawing on them! Anyway, I was afraid the injured bird wasnt going to make it but I cleaned up her eye and put her in a nice warm cage with food, egg food, and water on the floor. Amazingly she is making a great comeback. Unfortunately the eye is pretty much gone. She will have a nice long life with me though!
Lori

[cindy]

Lori, we had a few breeders having issues with raccoons. They would sit by the cages or under the cages and wait for the birds to come close enough to pull parts of them through the mesh or bars, tearing wings and limbs. Very Sad. hope your little one will be alright and you find out what is happening. An idea is to suspend your cages well off the ground if you can.

[lstyles]

Cindy that is something I had not thought of. However, I am not sure how I would do that as this is one of those flimsy cages and is 5 ft long x 18 wide x 36 inches high. Maybe two ropes on either end. Do you think rats could climb down that. I am beginning to think it must be rats because of the body parts have been INSIDE the cage and because of the partially wounded bird with loss of feathers....weird!
Lori

[debbie276]

Before I would try to hang that kind of cage I think I would put the cage up and away from everything, like on a table and surround it with traps.
Wonder if you could lay down flour or some sort of dust and see what kind of footprints you have in the morning. Then at least you would know what your dealing with.

[cindy]

This is what the breeder did with all here birds, she built a covered hut and hung the birds well off the ground where the raccoons could not get to them.

[debbie276]

Not sure hanging the cage would stop rats anyway. If its so flimsy your afraid to hang it maybe you could reinforce the frame some how. Ropes would be very easy for a rat to go up and down, maybe cables would be better, harder to get footing.

[FeatherHarp]

Do you know anybody who has a Critter Cam that you could borrow and set up? If you could get a pic of the predator then you would know how do deal with it.

I hope you can find a solution and not lose any more birds.

[finchboiuk]

we had a few rats dig there way in to the bird shed they took 2 adult canaries the 3 chicks and the mother second clutch of egg but they took the hole bird and left nothing not even egg shells and they got in by chewing the wooden door locks