What is your favorite nesting material,

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 11:23 am

HJ...have you ever tried Sourdough pancakes? They are DELICIOUS!! They really fill you up! There a little bit of work though as you must start the yeast dough the night before...but they are worth the wait!

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 1:39 pm

Does anyone offer shredded paper (no ink) for nesting material? Would the gouldians like or dislike it? I just got a lot of it as packing in a box and wondered if I could recycle it to my finches?

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 2:51 pm

L in Ontario wrote:Does anyone offer shredded paper (no ink) for nesting material? Would the gouldians like or dislike it? I just got a lot of it as packing in a box and wondered if I could recycle it to my finches?

I havent but have been wondering the same thing as they do love papertowel pieces etc.

I was gonna send some paper through my shredder NON ink of course. Let us know if you use it ok

hilljack13 · Post by **hilljack13** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 3:17 pm

FH - your making me hungary..I like sourdough bread so I'm sure those pancakes would be super yummy!!

hilljack13 · Post by **hilljack13** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 3:18 pm

There are several people on here who say they used shreded paper or shreded paper towels. I'm not sure if they are using it for goulds or not though. You will just have to try and see if your particular birds like it or not. Some do and some dont.

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:25 pm

L In Ontario....I have heard that certain kinds of fax paper is not good because of chemicals in that stuff....would need to do more research on that one!

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:35 pm

so most copy papers would also have something most likely not so good to aye?? glues holdin together or something??? But then Im sure paper towels may have something to I dunno any PAPER experts here. lol

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 6:09 pm

Seems I found a website with that info a while ago....will try to find it again....but don't hold your breath...hehe!

williep · Post by **williep** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 5:37 am

I think the paper you are referring to is the old roll style fax paper. The fax machines burn the back of the paper creating text. This is definitely poisonous and should not be used.

As far as normal printer or copier paper goes, I've used it with limited success. The problem I found is that the paper is too hard to be used as cushioning or lining and too flimsy to be used for nest structure.

The paper towels are better (unscented and unprinted off course) and I supply that to my birds if I do not have any white feathers available

TammyS · Post by **TammyS** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:00 am

I have one concern about using absorbent material such as paper towels, tissues and so on as nesting material. Because they are so absorbent, they tend to hold moisture. So when you have chicks in the nest, the material gets moist/wet from the droppings and then you have the perfect environment for bacteria to grow. And you could end up with dead chicks.

Most nesting materials do not pack tightly together, so they "breathe" so to speak and allow the droppings to drop through or at least dry out in the nest.

williep · Post by **williep** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:07 am

I agree in most instances with what TammyS wrote and I prefer feather as well, but if I do not have access to feathers I use the finely shredded paper towels. Just a thought, have you ever left a feather pillow in the rain? Feathers not packed closely together and overlapping as on a bird also absorb water.

pon · Post by **pon** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 1:02 pm

L in Ontario wrote:Does anyone offer shredded paper (no ink) for nesting material? Would the gouldians like or dislike it? I just got a lot of it as packing in a box and wondered if I could recycle it to my finches?

I did that with my Lavender Waxbills. They LOVED IT (even if they seem to take a little bit of everything I give them and put it into the nest... >_>). Immediately took the paper from the bottom of the cage and stuffed it into the nest. They even stuffed a little ball of it in the back of the nest, where there is a little peep hole, haha. It was very finely shred paper too-- I wouldn't say more than 2 cms is the width. My owl finches seem to be pretty happy with it too. ^^