Aussie Finch Forum

to feed live food or not ,
just wanting some advice i what you guys feed youor finches
i give it to all my finches including my zebra finches what is everyone else feed their birds on ?

I feed mine dead and live food...mostly dead though. Although is seed which will sprout dead or alive?

MadOzzie
PS: Do you read any of the posts on this subject? It is all probably relevant and there are dozens of them.

The most common live foods are:

• Termites - small ones - not the ones that eat houses!

• Meal worms - but don't just feed these as too many are bad for their liver

• Maggots (Gentiles) - bush flies - very good, especially if you can't get termites

• Crickets - for the more insectivorous birds

• Woodies (bush cockroaches) - again for more insectivorous birds

it all depends on the species you keep. One thing is for sure, live food is essential for some species (all Waxbills & Pytilias for example) but not necessary for many grass finches - Zebs, Gouldians, Double Bars etc.

But for a lot of species - live food will TRIPLE your breeding results!

Virtually all finches other than Zebs & Gouldians will breed much better with insect food compared to none offered.

Could agree more with Tiaris. I feed mine termites, bush fly larva, pupa and flys, i also do a moth trap at night and cast that in during the morning feed. Since staring with the moth trap i have seen Double bars, Tricolours, Crimsons etc etc take the really live food ( in additon to the ones you know are going to take them (eg Golden Song Sparrows) in additon to maggots that they have on hand for as much as they need. Green seed (freshly picked) as well as frozen sprouted seed - it is all gone at the end of the day.
I thinks the key here is finchs are mostly omnivorous and at certain times of the season very insectivorous so VARIETY is a must. Remeber you control your birds so it is up to you to provide the best husbandary you can if you want good results. Just get in a try anything and everything, it will soon become obvious what they do and dont like.