Wish me luck.

[kinnika]

I have finally gotten the RCCB to eat what I think is a pretty good diet. I have shedded my egg, added carrot and some dried Blood Worms and they are eating it. I put a couple of small mealworms in the dish also but they are just throwing them out. I am worried as the eggs should start to hatch this week and I don't want them throwing the babies out.

The GBWB are also starting to eat this mixture.

[L in Ontario]

Sounds yummy to me!

[cartel]

Wishing you the best with RCCBs

[Sally]

The secret is coming up with a mixture they will eat, that supplies the protein they need. We all look for that magic mixture that will work, but it is different for everyone, and even for different birds in the same birdroom! You just play with it till you get a combination that works for the birds, and for you.

[lovemyfinch]

Best wishes too you for babies.

[franny]

[quote="kinnika"]... I put a couple of small mealworms in the dish also but they are just throwing them out. ...quote]

When I first tried, I thought my GBs weren't eating the canned mealworms I offered them. But in fact they were biting the heads off and then tossing them. After a couple of days of offering them, they then started squeezing the bodies (like toothpaste! ) and eating the insides. Then it wasn't long before they were fighting over them!

So keep offering a couple of mealworms with each meal and eventually they will try them. And most likely will try them once they are feeding the babies.

[Leda]

Never heard of canned mealworms. Are they dead then?
Leda

[franny]

Never heard of canned mealworms. Are they dead then?
Leda

They sure are! I couldn't bring myself to feed live. These are better than dried insects, because they are moist & juicy, and look like the live ones, but no worries about escapees.

I got mine at http://www.fairestfinches.om, but I'm sure there are lots of places that sell them. She has them at a very good price They are from Exoterra, I think. Something like that. They are larger than the mini's that ZooMed sells at Petsmart, but my tiny little Goldbreasts preferred them over the mini's. Guess they liked squeezing them.

I only had 2 little birds, too. So didn't need many, so canned works best for me. They keep for a long time in the fridge (weeks), and you can also take them out of the can and freeze them into small containers of about a teaspoon each, which is what I do. Now that I only have the one GB, my can will last for months! (The society won't touch them.)

[kinnika]

Thanks for all the good wishes. So far so good. Franny I will keep trying the mealworms. They really like the Bloodworms so I am thankful for that. I even gave the GBW some today and they gobbled them up.If all is okay they should be hatching this week. I have no idea how many eggs there are as I can't see inside the nest at all. I will just have to be patient and hope for the best.

[franny]

Yes, my GBW loves the dried bloodworms best of all her treats, except maybe the Abba soaked seeds.

[L in Ontario]

Good luck with the egg hatching!!

Franny - it's nice to see you on the forum again.

[FireFinchMayhem]

I'd keep feeding them the dead worms at least until the little guys fledge. You might as we did and a few others on here that finch diets can change dramatically, nearly daily during the full cycle from weeks before egg laying until the fledge..

Good luck.. fingers crossed that you have a successful clutch.

[franny]

Good luck with the egg hatching!!

Franny - it's nice to see you on the forum again.

Thanks Liz. Good to be back.