maesie

Thanks guys What about metal spoons? I like the bangle idea too!

I'm making some toys for my budgies and cockatiels, and have ordered a whole lot of goodies from 'my parrot shop' online. I was also wondering if I could use spoons on their toys also? I was thinking of drilling holes in the handles and stringing them up, so they can be knocked together to make plenty of noise!!! Do you think this would be safe? Do I need spoons made out of something specific? Thanks all. I'll be sure to post some pics when my toys are finished.

I'm no expert, so I'd wait for some more posts... however, a dirty bum can sometimes be a sign of illness. She may look okay, but they often hide things VERY well. If it was me, I'd try to clean up her bum a litle and keep a very close eye on her. Also try smelling it ((Laughing out loud)... nice I know), this can also be an indication of something wrong. If it doesn't change, I'd suggest a visit to the vet. Have you changed her diet? sometimes this can change her poop but I've never had it stick to their bums before...Is she eating and drinking okay? Hope this helps

I heard that too, not the bit about the loss of toes etc, but that their toes shouldn't meet when they perch. I think I might have read it. I ended up having a rope perch and some natural branches, so it worked out well in the end. Thanks all

Hey Little One. I've had some ant success so I thought I'd share it with you. After the ants kiled my newly hatched babies, I decided it was time for war :yelling: , yes, WAR!!! I removed my budgies and re-arranged the avairy, then armed with vinegar, I sprayed everywhere! esp where the little #%&*!@ were getting in (which was like, everywhere), then I used one of the outdoor sprays which also forms a barrer around things. I sprayed aroung the avairy, on the ouside of the walls and even on the roof... So far, so good. They are still 'around' but haven't been on the food and water etc... so fingers crossed. I'm also planning on rigging up a fresh fruit/vegie dish (as suggested by Kaz) it's a dish inside a dish filled with water... hopefully the ants can't get to it and it may last long enough for the birds to acctually eat it. I'll post pics when I get it done. Also, do you happen to get earwigs as well??? They are no where near as annoying as ants, and don't really seem to bother the birds, but pee me off a little as they seem to be multiplying!!! I hope you have had some success in your quest for an ants free avairy. May the 'force be with you' and the ants GONE forever!!! (Laughing out loud)

Thanks Juliet. Australia is a pretty good place to live. We have lots of bugs here too... flys, mozzies, bees, spiders and ANTS. Some definately worse than others! At present, the ants are behaving. :glare:

I have been following your post. That's fantastic news. I'm glad things have worked out for you all. It sounds like the boys are helping her adjust and showing how just how things are done. Love the name by the way :sad: Keep us updated xx

ohh, love that idea. Will definately try that! However, I have also found ants in the water bowls too! Maybe the ants in my area like water :sad: Thanks though, will try anyway.

Thanks all. I went on an ant killing spree on Saturday. Used some vinegar inside the avairy and outdoor ant/insect spray outside (i was very carerfull to avoid drifting) It seemed to have worked at the moment so I just need to keep on top of it. Is Ant Sand safe? I was worried they would take it into the avairy and the birds mite eat it?! I agree Kaz, one of the budgies dropped an egg, and wella, they were all over it. I also notice they love the corn too. The birds are getting used to the fact that they must eat it FAST before I remove it before th invasion starts!

Thanks Dave and Elly. They have a rope perch, a dowl one for now, which I'll replace with natural ones tomorrow, and a number of little shelves, perches and swings. They love their new decor

After re-arranging my avairy, I want to add natural some perch's. I have read on here, and other places that Bottlebrush is a good one, and as we have a tree in our backyard, it would be very convenient. Does anyone know if I have to do anything to it before putting it in... dry it etc??? or can I just cut it off and wack it in (Laughing out loud). Also, do I need to remove the flowers and those small round nut/seed pod thingemajigs? or can I leave it all on. Thanks

After my recent losses, I am cleaning out my avairy and re-designing it. I plan to put in a rope perch, a dowl one and some natural branches. I know I've read someone on here before about the recommended width of the dowl perches but cant seem to find it and am on my way out to shop!!! :sad: (Laughing out loud). Help anyone?

To update you all. No luck. All chicks either died after hatching (ants) or were dead inside... think the cold chill they got when mum left them, and yeah... I guess it was just meant to be. Unfortunatley. Will def be doing something about those #@*!?% ANTS!!!!! Thanks all for your help etc... during my breeding times...

Thanks Daz, already done. I have never hand raised babies full stop and these poor eggs have been left cold by their mum, fostered, and now moved around. Before disguarding them I checked them (candled and listened), and with them over due, the chicks weren't moving, no noises were heard, and the air sack was quite largeand red lined (blood?) On opening, the little guys had no chance. Poor little buggers. I am pretty bummed, but also believe everything happens for reason, and perhaps my hens weren't ready for raising babies. So... thats all for breeding for now. Tomorrow is the big avairy clean up, ANT DISTRUCTION, and new toys etc... for my budgies. Thanks everyone for your advice and help xx

Thanks so much! There is not enough swear words in any language to cover how cross I was when I found them :sad:

I lost my second chick to ants today. Just got home from work and there were shells on the ground and when I opened the nest box, the chick was black(covered in ants!!!!) What do I do??? I have moved mum, dad and eggs inside in a breeding box??? but not sure if she'll sit on the eggs or not? Should I remove them and tryto incubate them? never done that before. What temp do they need to be kept at? Both have cracks in them? I also own lizards, and there temp is set to 25 and 30 respectively. Should I put the eggs in there to keep warm and hatch then give them back to mum, or will she still not look after them??? Please help :sad: I'm freakin out... gonna cry!!!!! More news. Mum threw the eggs out og the nest box!!! I now have them in a container in one of the lizard cages to keep them warm. Do they need to be fed asap when they hatch. Will they call out to mum at this age? I'm worried she'll just kill them anyway if she even goes in the nest box at all. Should I just disgaurd them? It's so upsetting. I'm also not sure if the chick today died and was thn covered in ants, or the ants killed it... It's so upsetting, I feel sick!

Brilliant!!!!!! Thanks so much. Will say some prayers for the little unhatched chickees. Cheers Sailorwolf xx

Nice to meet you ALL. Bec Sta, I think it was fun (Laughing out loud), no seriously, it was awsome! You should definately give it a go. It's full on, but what the ****** why not I say :mellow:

Yeah, cold to touch... I have only been checking the nest box twice daily, same as before. I ended up swaping her eggs for her neighbours eggs (which are empty)... so hopefully the hen who is continuing to sit on the eggs will hatch those. Fingers crossed x You might be lucky,its depends how long she had been off the eggs & how cold they got,if there is no chicks in a day or so.You might be out of luck. Thanks for that. I was wondering how long she'd been off them for? They were pretty damn cold! Fingers crossed though. Thanks all for your advice xx

Yeah, cold to touch... I have only been checking the nest box twice daily, same as before. I ended up swaping her eggs for her neighbours eggs (which are empty)... so hopefully the hen who is continuing to sit on the eggs will hatch those. Fingers crossed x

Some news!?!? On my morning check, I found Crackle (mum) happily playing and not near/on her eggs. On further inspection, the eggs were stone cold. She had decided she had done enough mothering duties!!! NOT HAPPY JAN. :budgiedance: So, I moved the four eggs into next door, where Jonah, had three eggs which she was sitting on. I moved her eggs into crackle's nest box. Those eggs are infertile. So.... Jonah now has Crackle's eggs... Still following??? (Laughing out loud). One of them had a small hole/crack, which has now fully opened and the chick is sort of out of it... Can the hens happen to help them out when they are not ready??? It still looks like it's conected??? and it bleed a bit too??? Not sure if it will survive. It was wriggling round lots, but no noises thus far. In previous clutches (to other mothers) I haven't noticed this. Does anyone have a picture of a hatching chick and/or just hatched... Fingers crossed anyway. Will check again in a few hours. :feedbirds: The egg sounds like it may have been accidentally broken too soon. Unfortunately the little one didn't make it. The orginal hole/crack looked as though it was made from the outside (by mum/dad) not from the inside by the chick... So I guess it was not meant to be... :angel1: Still three to go! Let's hope their foster parents take a little more care!!!

Some news!?!? On my morning check, I found Crackle (mum) happily playing and not near/on her eggs. On further inspection, the eggs were stone cold. She had decided she had done enough mothering duties!!! NOT HAPPY JAN. :budgiedance: So, I moved the four eggs into next door, where Jonah, had three eggs which she was sitting on. I moved her eggs into crackle's nest box. Those eggs are infertile. So.... Jonah now has Crackle's eggs... Still following??? (Laughing out loud). One of them had a small hole/crack, which has now fully opened and the chick is sort of out of it... Can the hens happen to help them out when they are not ready??? It still looks like it's conected??? and it bleed a bit too??? Not sure if it will survive. It was wriggling round lots, but no noises thus far. In previous clutches (to other mothers) I haven't noticed this. Does anyone have a picture of a hatching chick and/or just hatched... Fingers crossed anyway. Will check again in a few hours. :feedbirds:

Thanks all for your info... Hope I WILL get babies out of the eggs eventually (can you tell I'm impatient???) so I can put my newly found knowledge to the test. :feedbirds: xxx

Yeah, cool. Wasn't gonna remove them yet... Just wondered if it was normal for her not to be spending as much time in there. First was laid on 5th Nov, last 14th Nov. She had five and one was infertile. So I have plenty of time for the possibilty of babies. Thanks xx

My Hen's eggs are a few days overdue, and she seems to be spending less time in the nest box than before. Does anyone know if this means anything? Does she know they are empty and is therefor disguarding them, or do they need less warmth etc... from their mother close to hatching??? As I mentioned in Breeders chat, I candled them and about 1/3 of the egg is dark inside, and the eggs are really white. I think i also saw something move inside one of them... or not ... any thoughts????