out of control maggots

[toothlessjaws]

I seem to have the thing operating okay now. as suggested keeping the lid off actually inhibits the maggots from crawling out. it must be the high humidity the lid creates that has them wandering. I am still working out exactly how many maggots i need to produce and how little time i can get away with putting into the system, but i do seem to have it working okay and the fly colony reproducing and supporting itself.

[Craig52]

I seem to have the thing operating okay now. as suggested keeping the lid off actually inhibits the maggots from crawling out. it must be the high humidity the lid creates that has them wandering. I am still working out exactly how many maggots i need to produce and how little time i can get away with putting into the system, but i do seem to have it working okay and the fly colony reproducing and supporting itself.

Just keep that bran dry and you wont have any problems. You can add to and take from the same container in the fridge virtually for ever but add fresh bran to keep down the moisture often. Craig

[Craig52]

Actually, i have shut down my fly cage about a month ago. All my prs of crimsons went into a heavy moult and weren't eating them anyway. I have learnt not to push my birds to breed over our hot summer, in the early days i would lose nest after nest on mid 30's to +40 degree days so a waste of time and effort on the birds and me.
I only breed crimsons and found that their breeding season is very similar to gouldians so i am treating them the same and restart them with livefood (maggots) at the end of March so infact they are only fed soaked/sprouted seed, dry seed and a bit of seeding grass over Summer. So fly cage gets a clean and a restart around the end of Feb. Craig

[toothlessjaws]

fledged my first firefinch yesterday and I can hear they have more in the nest. also have painted's and cordons sitting so here's hoping for some more soon.