Aussie Finch Forum

Does irradiated seed make birds glow in the dark?

If so I want some

I believe most seed available to us commercially in WA is irradiated or heat treated and has been for years with no effect to birds.

Zipman wrote:I believe most seed available to us commercially in WA is irradiated or heat treated and has been for years with no effect to birds.

I wonder - does this also apply to seed for human consumption? Might explain some of the seedy characters getting about in WA!

Zipman wrote:Does irradiated seed make birds glow in the dark?

I have a particularly vibrant red Red Siskin from WA. Maybe you're onto something?

Hi,

Just to follow up on sterilisation of seeds.

Zipman is right - seed to WA, NZ and Tasmania will often be sterilised and breeders don;t report any ill effects.

The following article is put out by the QLD department of health about irradiation.

http://www.health.qld.gov.au/ph/Documents/ehu/14775.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In any case, aside from imported nigerseed, it is vary rare that Australia imports birdseeds, as I said, it is a royal pain in the proverbial which we avoid at all costs.

Regarding alternative seeds such as hemp, chia, quinoa, we need to buy containers of this stuff to get it in commercially and I don;t see the demand being there. We imprt nigerseed which has a much bigger demand than these seeds and it still takes two years to sell a container worth - so at this point you have to make do with the health food shops.

Keep an eye out for hemp seed though - there are moves to develop a local hemp industry as it really is a fantastically useful crop.

Happy New Year

Dennis

..............it destroys the dna making it useless for sprouting and therefore useless to any serious finch breeders.........think you'll find Canadian plain canary was freely available last year which was radiated unlike the NZ stuff which was not radiated.

The hemp u mention is being trialled down here for fabric but no idea what they do with the seeds!!!!

http://hempseedsaustralia.com.au/?gclid ... pAodNGkqeA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Fincho162 wrote: The hemp u mention is being trialled down here for fabric but no idea what they do with the seeds!!!!

Be suspicious of any factory fires in the area then

whoa dude

Oddly enough there is an 'Urban Legend' which goes that some 'persons of interest' visited said experimental crop and removed a goodly sum of the heads and leaves ( now why wood they do that before the seeds formed - obviously not bird people!!!!)
Then packaged and sold said stolen goodies and incurred the wrath of their customers who failed dismally to get a hit from their "product"!!!!!! Apparently the goodly thieves vented their anger on a Uni Farm vehicle!!!!!!!!!

For wot its worth if one searches through the literature there are cases of finches becoming addicted/reliant on hemp seeds so might be one to leave well alone given the plethora of more "healthy" seed choices around!!

A local chap from way back when it was freely available describes young Cordons that were reared on it hanging upside down on the perch like fruit bats........and once hemp was withdrawn all died................never heard that for Guinea grass!!!...............maybe we cood try coca leaves!!!!

Fincho162 wrote:Oddly enough there is an 'Urban Legend' which goes that some 'persons of interest' visited said experimental crop and removed a goodly sum of the heads and leaves ( now why wood they do that before the seeds formed - obviously not bird people!!!!)

Ahaa, hemp heads make good mosquito repellent, they could have sold it to other people as a mosquito repellent!

On the more serious note, my birds would be eating "posh" if I was to pay AU$18.95 for 250 grams. I do not recall how much was a kilo of hemp seeds in other countries but certainly it wasn't $75.80.

https://hempseedsaustralia.evolveshop.c ... 9291746478" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;