Aussie Finch Forum

Has anyone come up with a neat technique for catching Zebras specifically, from a mixed aviary? I need to thin my Zebra population and would like to do it with minimal disruption to the other finch species.

Ta

In larger aviaries 2 people is definitely 100 times easier - one at each end. Depending on aviary size you can use a sheet to herd the finches down one end or into walkway/safety flight for easier netting.

Thanks Sam. I was hoping to avoid the stressful netting procedure and get clever with baiting and trapping. Just not sure exactly the method...

I recently had the same problem so I used a budgie cage with a piece of string attached to the door and placed some food/treat inside.
It was a slow process but atleast it avoids stressing the birds out to much.

I think Sams plan is still incredibly difficult if you have a well brushed up aviary like I know Sam does.

It takes me on average 2-3 hours to catch ruddies and zebs.

The best way is to secure the safe door and chase them into that little area (or entice them to that little area) then shut the door.

Netting then becomes easier.

I also made up a shade cloth barrier in my avairy. My avairy is a Col western design 2.45M deep. SO I purchased one length of heavy duty condute (orange) from Bunnings and cut the shade cloth off my Sons Trampoline (no I didnt vanadlise his favourite toy...the labrador destroyed it and I salvaged what I could).

I then threaded the shade cloth on.

What I then do is cut it to length so it fits in the grooves of the aviary roof, effectively cutting the aviary in half.

Depends on the aviary but thats what works for me even though the process ages me 10 yrs each time I do it

l use a self setting trap with a caller bird of same species in it....still slow but it works..