I gave in. The birds always get their way...

[DanteD716]

There was some drama in the aviary. I'd diamond dove chased and mounted another male (in guessing dominance thing) and then a female went into a nest that was already claimed. She got pecked until she left. And i thought doves were peaceful

[Sheather]

If they're anything like mine, you will find your birds exhibit much more pronounced personalities and dramatic interactions when they're allowed a natural habitat like yours now have.

[DanteD716]

Just some things I've noticed since the change:

BWM are not as aggressive as everybody seems. Maybe it's just my case but they're my new favorite species. They're social, and I've only had minimal bickering between their own kind. Maybe it's because there's 15 of them, and they have a lot of space do they aren't too mean. They all shove into one nest every night. Each and every one of them.

The canaries are taking a bit longer to adjust. The females can get around good, but they're often in flights. Males are often in small cages so I'm not sure how they lived before they got here. They have trouble getting to the higher perches and getting off the ground.

The weavers stay in their flock, with bickering between the 3 youngsters but that about it. I love it so far and i think they do too!

[finchmix22]

DanteD716
Dante the BWMs may seem to get along better because you have so many. Also, the canaries probably were in single cages for singers, if male. That would mean they wouldn't get much flying exercise. I'd put some perches lower and some middle and then the higher ones, so they can gradually build up their wing strength. I'm surprised the Weavers are peaceable as I always heard they were aggressive. I'd love to see some more pics of the finches in your new aviary.

[DanteD716]

Deborah i added more perches last night. When i get home I'll be sure to take plenty of pictures. But yeah the weavers aren't bad at all. They all just mind their own

[MariusStegmann]

Nice going Dante. My wife will kill my slowly and painfully if I had to do the same. In South Africa it is quite acceptable to have a Barbecue room, but not a bird room.

[Atbird]

Canaries are not such great fliers to begin with (relatively speaking). The ones I got from others took time building up their stamina, one took a few months. The ones I raised ( and fledged in my living room) are very good fliers, but still not as good as my linnies (or other finches that I've seen)

[DanteD716]

Just a few photos

[DanteD716]

MariusStegmann lol I'm sorry Marius! Just ease her into it!

[DanteD716]

Atbird hmm i didn't know that. The females are all great flyers, the males are just having trouble. Probably because they were kept in smaller cages is my guess.

[MiaCarter]

Looking great!

@finchmix22 -- I have tile floors and I just use a mop to clean. I use vinegar and water with a mop that has a washable fabric slipcover thingie. Got it at Target.

I have an area rug that I vacuum. If they poop on the rug, I pop a post-it note tent over it to mark the spot, leave it to dry and then it just pops right off when you vacuum (whereas if you try to pick it up wet, it smears.)

The rug does get spots from some of the poopies so as needed, I haul it out onto the driveway and powerwash. I do that with my living room rug too (with the dogs and all.)
I let them dry in the afternoon sun and then pull them inside.

I also put half a puppy pad under the popular perching spots. I'm lazy and those are waaay easier than mopping up daily.

Really, that catches 90% of it, since they typically spend most of their time perched and therefore, most of the pooping happens while perched.

My friend has little poop guards that I totally want to manufacture and sell.

There's a long thin rectangle of clear plastic with a wire on each corner. It's the same length as each perch. Those wires attach to the perch. So it's like a little swing that sits below each perch.
They don't tend to perch on the guards; perhaps because they're clear?
You just wipe those down every couple days.

[DanteD716]

Just added two pairs of normal zebras. I think they're great additions. If i ever decide to get back into mutations I'll breed then separate. They didn't know what to do with all the room at first! The doves and canaries don't care when I'm in the aviary. Through bronze wings (as a flock) all fly to the top of a cage i keep in there (some like perching in it) the poor zebras didn't know where to go! But like all zebras, after 5 minutes (and that's over guessing) started singing and mating

[DanteD716]

Before the release

[Sheather]

Your male canaries will figure it out but will never be great flyers. My male took a month until he could easily get around but still struggles with floor-to-air take-offs and can't get to the highest branches without some help from a low perch first. I also notice that while the hen, aviary-bred, can fly laps and loops and everything else, the male only flies from place to place. He's still clumsy in the air as he never had practice flying in the open as a youngster.

You're also going to want to make sure no foliage is ever under popular perches, or it gets gross quickly. : P

[DanteD716]

Two of the males are actually showing dime improvement but i agree, they will always have trouble. I put all the foliage above or out of the way of perches, except for when u used one to wrap around two branches thus connecting them.