Can anyone help me please?

adamharbeck · Post by **adamharbeck** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:40 am

Just out of curiosity. How big is your cage?

ruth · Post by **ruth** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:48 am

Its an outdoor avery that my husband built for me,(and has been extended twice!). Its now 8ft long by 6ft wide and about 6ft high.Dont ask me what that is in metric,I still work in feet and inches!

poohbear · Post by **poohbear** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 6:19 am

ruth wrote:Paul,
Ive searched everywhere,do you think it would be ok to put cobnut branches with the leaves in my avery?

Why cobnut??
Paul.

ruth · Post by **ruth** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 6:31 am

Because I have a massive tree in my garden! On most of the lists it says that nut trees are safe, I think cobnut is of the hazel family. I have apple in there at the moment but Ive sort of hacked my apple tree to bits!
I wanted to check,with all the problems Ive had this year, the last thing I want to do is poison them.

poohbear · Post by **poohbear** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 9:08 am

You won't do that ....go ahead use it you won't have a problem.
Paul.

ruth · Post by **ruth** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 9:15 am

You are an absolute star and the knower of all things! Thank you very much for taking the time to find that out for me.

I'm off to hack up my cobnut tree!

poohbear · Post by **poohbear** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 10:33 am

The 'Knower of all things?' Good Grief...If only.
Paul.

ruth · Post by **ruth** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 2:15 pm

Well you know a darn sight more than I do!
Thanks again.

ruth · Post by **ruth** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 4:07 pm

Well its been about six weeks since the previous problems, all was going well until yesterday. (Monday 5th August). Went in the aviary and one of my younger birds was on the floor. My favourite blackcheek, Pepe' was down too, I thought he was there because he used to feed this other young bird, he always follows the babies about. Whenever there were babies in a nest, he would be in there feeding them even if they weren't his.

This evening went in and he was dead. I brought the other one in doors and put it in a small cage but it was desparately throwing itself at the bars trying to get out. I put it back in the aviary and popped it into a nesting box. I expect it will be dead by the morning. All the others look fine.

Im so worried its starting again. Ive lost so many birds this year that Ive lost count. I really did think that is was the canaries as Ive had no losses since they went.

I dont get what I am doing wrong, I had my first lot of finches with no problems whatsoever for over two years. If I start losing alot again I think I will give up and start winding my aviary down. Its not fair on the birds. I shall be frightened to look in ther again in the morning.

FINCHIE · Post by **FINCHIE** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 1:35 am

Hi, I have just been reading your posts and am so sorry for your losses.

It seems as though something is going on during the night. Have you tried to leave a light on them? Or have you witnessed any "night fright" episodes? I didn't think I had any cats in my area either, however I have experienced frequent visits from cats at night (cats which I have never seen before) and as avid night hunters cats don't mind climbing the sides of the aviary and will stop at nothing.

Just a thought. Once again I am so sorry for your losses.

ruth · Post by **ruth** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 2:01 am

Thank you. Im beginning to wonder if its something like that. The young one was dead this morning. If I lose any more I think Im going to try staying up and keeping an eye out. Its so annoying, and I feel guilty because I cant stop it from happening. They all look fine this morning but last time they would be ok for a couple of days and then another one would go down. Going to have to wait and see I supose but it makes me a nervous wreck and I dont like going out there incase another one is on the floor. Once they do that they always die.

FINCHIE · Post by **FINCHIE** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 6:22 am

Don't worry, I didn't even know anything was happening until my sister said that at night my birds sounded like they were throwing themselves against the wire.... then I discovered the cats...

Post by **Sally** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:40 pm

If they have mostly died during the night, or are down and then die later in the day, it does sound like night frights. Even if you don't have cats nearby, they will roam during the night and seem to be able to find prey no matter what. Is there a solid roof on your aviary? Cats love to lay on the top.

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:46 am

I too have outside aviary I know we have cats that check out the finches but mine has a solid roof on it with strip of wood about 10 inches high that goes around the top of the wire to keep the wind off the birds I think that gives the birds a place to feel safe? I do have a night light that comes on at dark. I haven't had any problems with the cats that I know of. have had the same setup for about 3years,I think at times the cats have been on top of the aviary because I have plants sitting on it that are moved.
I have read that you can put cayane pepper around plants to keep squirrels away maybe that would work for cats,but I dont know.?

FINCHforum

Can anyone help me please?

Help