Aussie Finch Forum

Im Planting My Aviarys tomarrow just wondering what i should plant i plan on having ob waxbills in a mixed aviary in it ,
also were os the best place to buy river sand , ?
i can tell will be a big day tomarrow

thanks guys

Harvey, there is a good section on types of plants that are safe to use in an aviery under the housing section it comes with photos to give you an idea of what they look like. As for sand best to ring around any place that sells soil and rocks, they will tell you if they have it and how much. The only advice I can give is when have waxbills you'll need to have a range of plants from ground grasses to bushes.

I reckon grasses are the ideal finch aviary plant - nesting sites, foraging habitat & seed heads all in the one plant. Don't over plant to start off with & consider the mature size of the plants used. I would also withhold Red-faced Parrotfinches & any of the larger Munias until the plants become established - otherwise they may never get to that stage.

Guinea grass is good, but can get out of hand. Possibly plant in pots, so you can rotate in and out of avairy to wash down. But if you do rotate, check very carefully for nests before moving.
LML

thanks guys , im up to planting now just about to head to the local nursery and its raining
I At least got 3 bays that are 4.5m long and 2.5 wide , done (The River Sand) and it only cost me 95 dollars incuding deliver which was 35 but im happy now just plants and im allmost there , so keen to get orange waxbills , what are there favour plants ? and thanks for the tip i might wait a few months for parrot finches , until the plant get up and going

Hi Harvey123456789,

I like to use plants in pots because i can move them around the avairy and when they are looking a bit sick i change them for new ones.Dad gets the plants for free when we need them,all nurserys have got river sand.

Bye
Harv11

HARVEY123456789 wrote:... keen to get orange waxbills , what are there favour plants ?

Just this morning had 4 OBs fledge from a nest built in a large pot of guinea grass. Another pair has a rather precarious nest hanging in a grevillea.

Here Is Some Photos Of The Work Done today

You have been busy. Keep up the progress shots.
LML

Looks good but just a few suggestions/queries....
1. Looks to be a heap of plants - I'd say the aviary will be overrun with shrubs once that lot gets established. I'd probably have 1 or 2 shrubs and a few bunches of tall grasses growing in an aviary that size.
2. Consider lining the walls with heaps more nest sites - tea tree, nest boxes, cane nests. I use 90mm PVC pipe tech screwed to the frame to hold my tea tree.