I bought a new patio aviary and unfortunately, my budgies were attacked with two killed. I have subsequently put polycarbonate sheeting around the bottom half of the cage and have been bringing the aviary in every night. I am too scared to leave it outside! Does anyone have any further suggestions as to what I can do to make my babies safe and to be able to leave the aviary outside.

Sorry to hear about your loss. What exactly what the animal or bird that attacked the budgies ? Hard to advise without knowing the full facts........and please post a photo. It will help.

I am so sorry

I agree with Kaz, and any photos will help us a lot.

Many patio aviaries have wide bar spacing, do you know what width it is? Also if your budgies sleep on the bars at night a rat may have climbed up and bitten them while they were sleeping.

I wish I knew what it was that attacked my babies. I thought it might have been a cat as one of the budgies had one of its wings completely ripped off I will take some photos when I escape work and post them so I can show you the aviary as well as where I keep them. Thanks for your replies

It sounds like a rat to me or possibly a nocturnal bird of prey like an owl or a frogmouth

Edited September 12, 200816 yr by melbournebudgies

Budgies are not the brightest crayon in the box as they will hang off the bars when spooked making them easy targets for predictors

In the meantime....stop off at Bunnings and buy yourself some bird netting, at night create a shroud around the entire patio cage, over the top and spread out all around and weighed down by bricks.......like a tent.

Great idea Kaz and I will do that asap although its going to be tough not worrying through the night when I put them back out for the first time!

You really need to know if its rats your are dealing with or butcher birds.

Chances are I would think if it is happening at night it wouldn't be butcher birds.

EXACTLY what did the injuries look like as that can be very helpful in woring out what it was as sad as it is to recount it.

MB is right...you must have rats :hap:

I would suspect rats as the prime suspect but nocturnal birds of prey are also a possibility.

Keep the birds inside and set some rat traps. See if you catch anything.

Sorry to hear about your losses :hap:, as others said a picture of your aviary would be most helpful.

Oh... I'm so sorry for your losses. I can imagine your worry about putting them back outside. The suggestions above are great... just wanted to send my wishes xoxo

sorry to here about that, What you might be able to do is make a roll up blind down the front of your cage.

I have made one up for my cage using some heavy uv grade plastic and 2 pully's. One pully is a single wheel and the other is a double.

The plastic has a heavy timber fixed to the bottom to hold it down and attached it between to timbers on the top and fixed it to the cage.

It is great in winter and heavy rain and keeps them covered at night.

Hope this helps you out.