Termites / A necessity for some? Or should we find an Alternative

[finchbird2015]

Just out of interest New Zealand does have termites, native and imported ones http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/ ... ve-termite
just not many of them tho.

[arthur]

state forests = illegal
national parks = illegal

Probably ditto in most states . .

But only illegal if you get caught, and I am sure that very few officials would want the inconvenience of the paperwork involved, for something which most would regard as something less serious than expectorating on the footpath

Many years ago termite mounds would appear on my front lawn, and a 6-pack would appear on my neighbour's front porch . .

Neighbour just happened to be one of the bosses in forestry dept

Nothing like a bit of corruption

[Tiaris]

I get mine from State Forests in NSW & always have without any probs from forest workers & rangers who I often see whilst driving around with termite mounds in my ute & carrying a spade. Always get a friendly wave. I once asked the former Director General of State Forests if it was ok to collect termites from SFs or if they were protected to ensure forest litter,etc broke down properly. His response was "we're not that f....... into it" so I regard that as an unambiguous green light. I was also once asked by a forest ranger whilst I was carrying a spade through the bush "you're not taking plants are you?" I told & showed him what I was doing he said that's not a drama.

[casehulsebosch]

Arthur,
that's not corruption. Just a bloody good caring neighbour.

On the Pekins,
I did pen a reply a few days back but at my old age must have forgotten to push the submit button.

My comments on the termites, mealworms, crickets, fruitless, you name it ....was so as to highlight my believe that any diet should be broad based. After all we don't eat spinach every day.

As for feeding Pekins mealworms when they have young and as a build up to it, it is well documented on European forums and breeding reports that, only the white newly hatches babies should be fed, together with of course other sources of live food.When I bred my first Pekins many moons ago i raised the first nest on mealworms and whatever other live food they found in the large planted aviary. With a second nest that same season they did not touch them at all.

Finchbird 2015. I expect you to breed lots of Melba's and bluecaps than next season. Put me down for three pairs of each.

cheers, Case

[arthur]

Arthur,
that's not corruption.
Case

Thank goodness for that . .

And here's me been worrying about it for 40 odd years

[elferoz777]

Id be more worried about then escaping in to the house and destroying it.

[Cordonfan1]

Hence the reason they go from mound to lidded bucket to 4wd fridge to freezer

[SamDavis]

Perhaps Sam D could comment on experiences of members of FSA who are breeding PR's, as to their opinions of mealworms

Pretty sure the Pekin blokes are using crickets as the main livefood and those multi-coloured pretty bird pellets as the staple. The nuttier breeders go out catching grasshoppers for them.

[SamDavis]

I've got a bit slack on collecting termites in recent years as has another local mate. Despite this I've recently fledged goldwings and today some more pictorellas - only small clutches but they look decent enough size wise. I know my friend recently fledged some blue-caps too, which is close to miraculous IMHO.

[Tiaris]

Id be more worried about then escaping in to the house and destroying it.

The ones I get out of the low ground mounds around here are not capable of climbing out of a bucket so pose no risk that way at all. Tree ones would be a different story.