Aussie Finch Forum

What are those bushy trees/plants/shrubs I see everyone has in their aviaries ? Are they tea tree branches ? How do you go about getting them. Do I buy them, grow a tree etc...lol. Or do people get branches off trees elsewhere ? You need a license to pick a twig of the ground in Australia ! What types do you use ?

Tea tree has become an invasive sub shrub in most parts of Oz. In Ireland, if a law is considered stupid it is ignored.

Clearing the dead branches from the bush near home to reduce the fire hazzard is my duty as a good citizen. And if the dead branches happen to wind up in my avairy that is just a bonus.
LML

Rosco wrote: In Ireland, if a law is considered stupid it is ignored.

In Queensland some people do the same thing

Here in victoria, i clear the pathways for the horse trail riders ,works for me ,garyh

Budgie_Smugglers wrote:What are those bushy trees/plants/shrubs I see everyone has in their aviaries ? Are they tea tree branches ? How do you go about getting them. Do I buy them, grow a tree etc...lol. Or do people get branches off trees elsewhere ? You need a license to pick a twig of the ground in Australia ! What types do you use ?

There is many types of tea tree in all shapes and sizes and it can become very confusing to new comers.The one we are talking about is Coastal Tea tree,the best for aviaries by far.Cut branches can hold its leaves for a couple of years or more.
In some parts of coastal Victoria it is classed as as a noxious weed/tree but unless you can get it on private property you still need permission to take it from government land. Craig

Here in NSW, I cut the bush for my birds.

Cheers... Is there anything else I can use ?

Mate here in NSW there is plenty but also plenty of councils with signs reminding us of the $250 000/jail time for vandalising native trees.

Wollongong Council has quite a few signs up by the sea.....

I use the coastal stuff and the sift lemon tea tree.

My work site has a heap of the soft lemon tea tree stuff and the golf club at near work had an abundance of the coastal stuff.

I have attached pics to help you identify these.

I have found the softer (greener) one is better, though the tougher (greyer) stuff is pretty damn good.

I have maintained one patch of brush for nearly 2 years and it still has most of its leaves.

Good luck finding a spot...golf clubs by the sea seem to love the stuff (maybe just a coincidence) or you can run the gauntlet and cut it from public land. The chances of getting caught are slim but if you do get caught I bet they would make a deal out of it to discourage others.

Good luck!

ooooh on the topic of other brush to use....if you have cup nesters try old Christmas trees

you would be surprised what will breed in these