splat

Thanks Kaz, I tried something similar last night but didn't catch a thing, but mine wasn't good enough. Greg's dad gave me a bucket and told me to half fill it and then put try grass on top of the water and then put some peanut butter in on the dry grass, I think I might have listened to him wrong because some of the peanut butter sunk and I caught nothing. BUT i will make one or 2 of these tomorrow.

GB is right, keep him warm and in a quite place, that happened to one of my babies a couple of years ago, He recovered and was doing good but then he died 4 days later, I think delayed shock.

Thanks Kaz , I was told yesterday that up the Malley way the have a bad plague and here we have a mild one so far. BUT then it is ment to rain tomorrow so it will get worse. I just hope I have it sorted, driving me nuts. My heart has never raced so much from fright in my life. I have to sort the old bird room and indoor type aviary yet, another big job. I have spent a small fortune on bits and pieces trying to mouse proof these rotten little so and so's instead of catching up with my bills, so annoying but then I can't let the birds get sick. AND the smell, rotten, like yesterday when I replaced everything, all the smell was gone BUT this morning it was all back again. YUK!!!!!!!!. I went to Bunnings today to get some more TOMCAT bait and guess what they were all sold out of all mouse and rat traps and all TOMCAT bait and nearly all other mice bait. Friday the shelves were well stocked, couldn't believe it, I left empty handed, I went to IGA on my way home and they were sold out too, so when I got home I went to the hardware store to get some and guess what they were sold out of everything too. Unbelievable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I come home empty handed, I have put Bicarb soda everywhere. I hope it works.

Rotten mice, after spending all day yesterday trying to mouse proof the out side aviaries, this morning rushed out and checked and **** one in the trap in the escape part and I went into the first aviary that I totally cleaned and replaced everything yesterday, to find 2 mice in the draw of the seed hopper, I managed to kill one, boy was i scared. So today I set about more work when I heard noises on the roof, so I got the ladder and they were everywhere, they are breeding on the roof, so I put bait there and started blocking more spots off, then I went to the other end and boy I could see how they were getting in. When Greg built then he built them in sections and the last one has different tin on the roof, So I think by the looks of it they are running along the roof and just jumping into the fist 2 aviaries through the coragation iron, boy I was angry, they had free access to the first 2 aviaries, Why Greg did it like that is beyound me but at least I have worked it out, I think. I cut the mouse proof wire to the coragation shape and screwed it on, I had to put a flat piece in first because that's where they were dropping into the first part and and then through the coragation part in the second part. I just hope it all works. I really can't stand much more of this. I still have my birdroom to attend to do but caught no mouse there today but I did see one. Have my fingers crossed.

Yes mine do the same in change of weather. I wouldn't worry about it to much.

Thanks Finnie, don't worry I was a sight BUT it was worse today. I worked all day trying to mouse proof my out side aviary, I put the mouse proof wire on and everything is finished but then I went in to clean out the aviary because it just stunk bad of mice, well I was vacuuming away, first the seed area, well I pulled out the draw from the seed hopping and out jumped a rotten mouse, I started jumping and screaming, the birds started flying everywhere but i am not sure if it was the mouse that scared them or me, any way I tried to vacuum the mouse up , I got in in the end. I then ran inside and told Greg and that could he help me get it out BUT he didn't move, so I opened the vacuum cleaner and it was covered in dust trying to jump out so I put the lid back on and ran and got a bucket of water but when I opened the lid again the little rat jumped out and ran for the fence covered in dust and found a hole and went next door. I think that is where they are coming from. Anyway I think I have moused proofed it now, I hope so anyway. Tomorrow I have to work on the old bird room and the inside aviary but that is going to be so much harder but I will give it a shot. God I hate mice.

Update on mice problem. Friday I didn't catch a mouse at all so was very happy. Because the night before I relised that Greg had pine poles leaning up against the back of the birdroom and I can see mice droppings where they went up and came down, some were blue from the bate. The little suckers were getting into the ceiling and climbing down into the room. ANY way I pushed them over and told him to take them down the back PLEASE. But late yesterday I lifted the lid on my cabinet where the wire cages sit and a rotten mouse jump out in front of me, I almost had a attacked from fright. Today I caught 2 out in the first part of the bird room and it was really strange because I thought the mouse traps went off and I missed them but when I looked closer both traps had a tail hanging out. I had the bi carb soda every where too. Any way I wasn't sure if the mice were dead because like I said only tails were hanging out, so I sat the traps on top of a tall post for a hour or so and I thought I would put them in a plastic postage bag, just to make sure they were dead and didn't escape and then put them in the bin, Well I I nearly jump out of my skin, couldn't believe it, the first was was alive and it was jumping around the bag and I didn't know what to do. I screamed to Greg, HELP! HELP! but he didn't come, I was jumping up and down like the mouse was on me, I am holding the bag closed and and the mouse was running around inside it and I was jumping and screaming, god it must of been a site. I knew I should of just squashed but I couldn't, I ran in the washing holding the bag and grabbed a bucket which already was half full of water thankfully, I was to terrified to wait for it for to fill. I tipped the mouse any the water and then I thought I would try the other trap and it was was alive too. Unbelievable. My heart was raising for hours later. 1. Today I worked on the aviary, I put a piece of alum angle on the side of the escape door,so that stopped one way from them squeezing through. 2. I put wire in any holes I could find. 3. I put mouse proof wire around the bottom of the aviary, I still have one to go tomorrow. i had to take all the tin off that we put in from stopping Jake peeing on the wire. So it was quite a big job and I did it all by myself. I have to put the Alum angle on the ends of each piece of the tin tomorrow too. Hopefully by the time I finish it should be totally mouse proof. I did catch a mouse in a trap in the escape part last night. I have the trap still there, so will be interesting to see if I get any tomorrow. Once I finish that, I have to finish doing the perches in the 3rd aviary and then start trying to mouse proof the old bird room. Have some ideas, hope they work.

Thanks Gb, I will do that, I remember something a few years ago about cement but I forget how, maybe you mix it with flour and the mice must eat and the cement gets wet in their tummies and I guess then they die.

Greg said once it gets cold they will disappear or go away, BUT I think they will hybinate (can't spell) under the wood heap or somewhere near and breed up and be back worse than ever, I really do not know what to do. Tomorrow I will work on trying to stop them getting in and first thing though is to vaccuum aviaries to get rid of mouse droppings. More scared on snakes than mice, at least a mouse won't kill me but will make my birds sick though. I am the biggest sook when it comes to snakes.

I know that Kaz and that is what I am worried about. BUT I am not the only one around, even as far as Shepparton a friend there can't belive how many are running around his backyard, he said they can't get in his aviaries but they are in the chook pen and parrot cage, hundreds on them.

Thanks Kaz, I will see what I can do tomorrow and then post some photos, Greg thinks I am crazy trying to stop them getting in, but I am now beyound my self, honestly have been crying because I can't fix the problem. And what's worse I don't have the money to by anything to improve anything either. I can't stand it. Sorry for going on but one of those days. Caught 5 this morning in the breeding room and 4 this avro. Driving me nuts.

My cabinets are empty at the moment and they are scaling heights into them because there are droppings everywhere, I am horrified as I just discovered they are in my aviaries now, poop everywhere. I just want to cry I have had enough.

That's the problem here Nubbly, I guess you can say it is near the end of summer and they have only just started getting worse in the last a couple of weeks. Catching more this week than ever. Are you have any problems with your breeding birds with the mice there or is everything okay, mice not bothering the birds. Greg says they will be gone soon when it gets a bit colder, sounds like you are saying the same thing Nubbly.

Well i am off to get one tomorrow and more ratsak

Thanks Nubbly, I am more concerned about the mice because I want to put my birds down but am to scared in case the mice course problems with the breeding birds. Caught 4 today, 1 just before. Unbelievable, the are hanging around my freshly painted spotless breeding cages, NO seed insight.

Kaz that money will have to wait for another couple of weeks because I am off to buy one of those mouse traps tomorrow, wish I can afford more but I can't. I caught 2 mice today but one was only caught by his leg and when I tried to grab the trap and I was scared he got off and ran away, little sucker!!!.

GOOD NEWS, I have busting my back trying to get my old bird room ready to put the birds down, I have now down everything but I am catching 2 -3 mice a day and Geoff told me I can't breed like that so next week we are finishing my new birdroom yahoo yippee. Hopefully they will be down by next week end all goes to plan.

What for the snake or the mice Taboo. I was at friends place today and he has the same problem. Mice I mean

Kaz I have steel around my aviary have seen a mouse in there, wire is small. It's the old bird room where I am catching the little beggers and in The garage. They seem to be able to squeeze through the smallest spaces. driving me nuts. Jake has a really deep scary bark when someone comes but he also gets carried away with the same bark over nothing, the hair on his back stands up he looks very scary. Anyway I am buying some more of that mouse proof wire and see if I can do some more mouse proofing.

Thanks Kaz, I am catching 3 mice a day, I think I have caught over 30 in the last 2 or 3 weeks, also got one in The pantry in the house, kept Greg and I awake all chewing, so the next day in went the mouse traps and talon and we got one I had to go and buy heaps of containers to put our food in last week because I had to through a heap away that they got into. I am so sick of all these mice, it has put me off putting the birds down, the more seed in the breeding cages and on the floor more mice I think. That's why I was dieing to get my new room finished because it will be more mouse proof than my old one. My old one is mouse proof as I can get it but they still get in. BUT I have never had a mouse problem until now, Greg said they will go away soon, that everyone has the same problem at the moment but I don't know whether to believe him or not. The problem with the snake is that if Jake sees it I really think he would try and play with it because really he is that silly. Still a big puppy, he would pounce on it and bang dead dog. If he sees frogs and lizards he goes after them and chucks them around and plays, so I think he would do the same for a snake and wouldn't see the danger. A worry.

Those babies are looking really promising , especially the spangle pied and the violet grey, really nice, I can see frontal rise and good width across the face. I hope they feed probably for you. The one you got back from you know who how did she or he turn out.

Don't have to worry Nubbly, I am NOT going any where near it if I see it. BUT it looks like it has traveled on, well I hope so anyway. Greg is still using the torch in the mornings to get to his car and I am watching where I am walking. We still have snake net up just to stop it from getting into the birdroom and that's protecting the birds. BUT I still don't like them, really afraid of them actually. Spiders come in second. The night the tiger snake killed Buffy, I was no help, I was standing on top of the kitchen table. a real sook. but a safe one at that.

Looking good Maddy, can't wait to see them a bit older with more feathers. keep up posted.

Well today I painted all 16 breed cages, 2 to and one baby holding cage which are in the other part so I thought I would do this side first. I also found an easy way to clean nest boxes, concaves and perches, Greg's new presure washer. it is so cool, I have used it more than him. I have cleaned 2 of the aviaries, still have to to go and I have cleaned the breeding cage trays and wire fronts plus what I did today, it was so much easier than hand scrubbing as I usely do, I couldn't believe it, when I sprayed the concaves the poop was very caked on and it just blew it all off. Tomorrow I will be putting nest boxes a bucket of VirkonS and then sit them out in the sunlight all day, they say sunlight kills all germs. I am not going to worry about painting the insides of them I think, I am worryed the smell of paint might be to much for the breeding birds. Any thoughts on painting nest boxes inside and out.

Perfect explanation Nubbly5. I think natural is best.