maesie

Looks fantastic!!! The safety door is a must too... very handy. Great photo, but I'm starting to wish I lived in your avairy!!! haha

You'd need to quarantine the 'new blood' for 30 days before giving them a whirl I have read that you can cover the hole of the nest box with something... carboard maybe??? and poke a little hole in it... apparently it can help get them in the mood (so to speak) as they rip it and chew their way in... nesting etc... and yeah... home sweet home and eggs!?!? Never tried it though!

Spider

I too am sleep deprived due to the ashes (2.30am ) Sleep deprivation is budges can be displayed as behaviour issues. It can also stimulate breeding behaviour, as less daylight hours = spring/summer = breeding. Can you move him into another room while the ashes is on? (Being 82/5, we should have them out tonight, so you don't have long for this test) Please explain "ashes"? I'm confused, sorry Sorry... the 'ashes' are the cricket that is on at the moment. It is played between Australia and England. It's over there this year so starts at about 7.30pm australian time and goes all through the night.

Excellent!!! I can't wait for pictures too. The whole trust thing is the biggest milestone... and getting her comfortable to eat and drink around you is the beginning (you often never see them drink) Yah for progress.

No one is having a go at you for having an opinion... it's just that in your first post you stated that 'in all cases' back rooms are used for quarantining etc... Unless you have seen ALL back rooms of all petshops, you can't really say that. You might have been better to word your statement differently. I'm glad the ones near you are used for good. As to the bad ones we have seen. Many members here do complain about them, and rarely things get done. RSPCA may have the protocol and authority, but this doesn't mean it will happen. Sometimes, things do change, and improvements do happen, but not as much as we'd like...

Here are some new photos of all my 'kids'... Lucia Milli Winston Doogie and Jemima

I too am sleep deprived due to the ashes (2.30am ) Sleep deprivation is budges can be displayed as behaviour issues. It can also stimulate breeding behaviour, as less daylight hours = spring/summer = breeding. Can you move him into another room while the ashes is on? (Being 82/5, we should have them out tonight, so you don't have long for this test)

Eating the millet is a great sign. Also having his seed up and high and at the back is also good... many people make the mistake of having the seed dish on the ground and then wonder why their bird is not eating. They're in a new environment, and wary of everything, the last thing they want to do is put their head down to eat. I see you dish is at the back... perhaps put it on the side so when he eats, he can look up and see you, but still be semmi hidden by the sheet. It's also good to have a perch near the seed dish, so they can reach it, just remember not to have it too close as they'll poo in it! lol..

okay... now if he's not eating much, his poo will not be normal. Maybe try finely cutting up his greens/or mash it up? Maybe also if you have something to crush his seeds up with, you could do that too, and add to his veggies. Also, hard boil an egg, and grind the whole thing up as well... (edit to this, we usually recommend adding the shell as it's a good source of calcium, but with your guys condition, it may agrivate him more, so maybe leave it out for now??) As to his lamp, have it down one end... if he wants it he'll sit under it. Good luck and I hope he comes good.

Great work. I have many budgies with toes like that... (the down side of colony breeding). They all get around fine.

Thank's Kaz, We have 2 nest box's on shelf, opaline and one other pair, mum sitting on 6 eggs, no problem's there and two hens, (underage) loose in aviary.Other cages are inside aviary but birds are caged. Opaline and mate seem o.k she just leaves box for a fair while and only goes back for a few minutes and she's back out. It has been warm here last week or so, don't know if that has any bearing on it. She looked like she had a bit of bloody head, but it looks like pin feathers coming so thought moult? Cere is brown but she's still mating so, maybe it's just me. Firstly... you should never have underaged hens in an avairy with nest boxes. You are asking for trouble there. As for the eggs in question, if she's in and out as you say, they may be no good. If she has blood on her head, she may have had a fight with someone trying to get back to her eggs and my not be scared to go back in?? If it were me, I'd candle the eggs to see where they're at, and if they look okay, I'd add some to the nestbox that already has eggs, and the others to the nestboxes in cages you have (if they have eggs too). Because they are soon hatch soon, I'd give it a go, but prepare for nothing... Good luck

i thought tis rat was larger than the car for a moment!!!! They are all very cute, but right now im having a rat problem with rats in the cage!!! As hard as it seems to comprehend... the wild rats we have in our cages and aviaries are VERY different to those we keep as pets. (although I do understand how people group them as one) Pet rats make great pets, they're very intellegent, sweet and love spending time with you. Great photos BP. The babies are sweet as

Me too!!! I personally don't support those places I know doesn't treat their animals well... and the members I know who live near me don't also...

NO... unfortunately not. We can get into a lot of trouble if we start naming places etc... If members who live near you want this information, feel free to do this via PM, but publicly naming/photo's of them is not permitted. Sorry.

YAH... he is growing up into a strapping young fellow!. Thanks so much for the update.

Petshops vary greatly... From what I have seen, most near me are not good. There are many I won't give any bussiness to, as I don't agree on the consitions of how they keep their animals, therefor they got NONE of my money... There are a few however, that are really good and I often go there...

So sorry babe... but pleased you will get some answers... hugs xo

Love them!!! Especially the group ones!

My only comment would be regards the picture above. See how the top two nest boxes are on the right of the breeding cages, whereas all the others are on the left... that would annoy the **** out of me... :thumbs_up: Maisie, mmmmm, you are right - they do look odd. Now I don't think I will be able to walk in without feeling visually stressed!!!!!!!! and to think I was feeling so calm after all the great work that Liv did... Sorry :rofl: :rofl: I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks like that! hehe

Hi and welcome... you have a great set up and I look forward to following your breeding journey when it starts

Looks great LIV!!! So much room too... My only comment would be regards the picture above. See how the top two nest boxes are on the right of the breeding cages, whereas all the others are on the left... that would annoy the **** out of me... I'm so anal when it comes to stuff like that...

Yes... you don't have any say who decides to mate... and just because one male is helping a hen raise her chicks, doesn't mean he's is the father!

Mine LOVE corn on the cob... You can also give them braches from native trees/plants... Check out these links for unsafe plants and food: Unsafe food Plant Guide

NOT a tick... definately a spider. Ticks look like this: http://www.surfbirds.com/blogs/mbalame/bird_tick_sm.jpg