Aussie Finch Forum

I'm considering finches but I want to learn a lot first. I have worm compost bins with red wigglers. I give them many things that could go to my finches including shredded toilet paper cardboard rolls. So I'm wondering: Can I take the newspaper in the bottom of finch cage and give to worm farm? Can I take an over-abundance of red wigglers and feed to my finches? Would finches enjoy shredded cardboard?

It just seems they are all part of a natural, organic situation and I might further benefit from understanding their interaction. I guess I could bury newspaper with bird poop in my garden, maybe but I also have too many red wigglers. I've read here (I'm new) that we don't want compost in an aviary but are my questions silly? Can these two processes (birds and worms) benefit each other? Thank you very much. Oh I will be buying Australian finches once I get the money.

Jessica.

Using finch waste is more then ok to give to your worms and in the garden, but on the other hand I would not advise to give the excess worms to your birds as they could carry a variety of fungal infections and parasites.
Finches will use shredded cardboard a bit when making nests sometimes (I have never used it but others may have), but don’t expect them to go wild over it, the finches would rather prefer some grasses instead. Also a warning about cardboard products being used for birds, a couple weeks ago someone on Facebook lost their cockatoo. It was found that the cardboard the bird had been chewing on is what killed it, because of the sanitisers and other sprays being currently used in packaging factories, many spray the boxes as a result and is extremely toxic.

As Noah has said. The newspaper from the bottom of finch cages is excellent for the worms.
The worms are excellent for the garden. The seeding grasses in the garden are excellent for the finches. You can plant finch seed to increase the natural feed for the finches and the worms usefull garden work. The circle is complete.
Finches like grasses and shredded white tissues for making their nests. ((Other colours are OK but they have a love of white)) Once they have fledged their chicks + if you intend to breed+ or when the nest gets grotty, the nesting material goes into the worm farm. Another way they can interact.
There are some forms of worm that are good for some finches - mealworms - you can breed these and feed them to your finches - their waste is also suitable for going into the regular wormfarm. This is expanding the recycling.

As mentioned, the newspaper and small amount of bird poo works perfectly well in your worm farm.
You do need to be careful if you are putting a large amount of bird poo into your farm at the one time as like poultry manure it is highly alkaline and can interfere with the ph of your work farm. Small amounts mixed with other organics is fine.
I doubt any Aussie finches are interested in red wrigglers.
They prefer termites, maggots, mealworms, vinegar flies and the like

Vinegar flys can be attracted by putting rotting fruit into a clear plastic juice bottle with holes in. I use an icepick to make the holes. Once the fly trap gets yucky it can safely be added to the worm farm for them to recycle while you make a new fly trap. Do not put citrus in the fly trap - but as you worm farm you probably guessed that.

noah.till wrote: ↑26 Dec 2020, 09:20 I would not advise to give the excess worms to your birds as they could carry a variety of fungal infections and parasites.

Excellent point, Noah! Thank you so very much! The shredded cardboard will only be the centers of toilet paper rolls. My red wigglers eat that up so I thought it might work in the bottom of cage as absorbent then I can put it back in the worm bin to finish it off. But I might use sand or soil or ...

I like the thought of a wire grate in the bottom so I can pull out the drawer to clean it. But I want something good on bottom for birds to walk on so I thought about putting some mats like maybe this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KW ... JT01&psc=1 so I can wash then hang to dry. But I figure I'll read up on this forum about that subject before deciding and I can always change that too. Thank you so much!

BrettB wrote: ↑26 Dec 2020, 15:34 As mentioned, the newspaper and small amount of bird poo works perfectly well in your worm farm.
You do need to be careful if you are putting a large amount of bird poo into your farm at the one time as like poultry manure it is highly alkaline and can interfere with the ph of your work farm. Small amounts mixed with other organics is fine.
I doubt any Aussie finches are interested in red wrigglers.
They prefer termites, maggots, mealworms, vinegar flies and the like

Hi Britt! Thank you! I almost lose my lunch thinking about termites, maggots or vinegar flies (whatever those are). I don't mind worms, though so my finches will get worms. Maybe I'll MATURE and eventually do the others for variety but they really gross me out. But I want healthy happy finches so maybe I'll brave it out. My mom is upset at the thought of bugs.

Jessica wrote: ↑27 Dec 2020, 00:57

BrettB wrote: ↑26 Dec 2020, 15:34 As mentioned, the newspaper and small amount of bird poo works perfectly well in your worm farm.
You do need to be careful if you are putting a large amount of bird poo into your farm at the one time as like poultry manure it is highly alkaline and can interfere with the ph of your work farm. Small amounts mixed with other organics is fine.
I doubt any Aussie finches are interested in red wrigglers.
They prefer termites, maggots, mealworms, vinegar flies and the like

Hi Britt! Thank you! I almost lose my lunch thinking about termites, maggots or vinegar flies (whatever those are). I don't mind worms, though so my finches will get worms. Maybe I'll MATURE and eventually do the others for variety but they really gross me out. But I want healthy happy finches so maybe I'll brave it out. My mom is upset at the thought of bugs.

As far as worms for birds go, insectivorious finches like small mealworms, but this should be fed in small quantities as too much can lead to fat problems (much more than other insect types). I only feed mealworms and vinegar flies because my mum is quite grossed out at the sound of me breeding maggots and I have a wooden aviary so termites are not an option. What types of finches do you have??

I don't have any finches yet. I will try to buy owls, lady gouldian, weavers, java rice, cordon bleu, society ... not sure which types. I think it MIGHT be safest to buy all 'Australian' or all 'African'. I don't know if the types get along. If finches need meat then I will do it. I would prefer to only give them seeds and fruits/veggies but I will give them whatever they need to be healthy. Thank you for your input; I appreciate it.

Maybe even goldfinch. I just discovered them and they seem cool but I don't know if they get along and I think I want a few different varieties. I also just read today here that too much millet can make them fat.

Brisbane_Finches_333 wrote: ↑27 Dec 2020, 13:54 ... my mum is quite grossed out at the sound of me breeding maggots...

Aren't they a bit small for you?

Seriously though - the SOUND they make? Maggots make sounds? I just shuddered.