Termites

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Sapperfinch
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Posts: 37
Joined: 31 Aug 2020, 22:11
Location: Mandurah

Had some friends over today & they were looking at my aviaries and they noticed the termites & one mate said if he was into anything that needed termites to survive he wouldn’t have them. I assured him that they are quite safe because the bird love them & if they leave the aviary the ant population would clean them up. Has anyone had or heard of an infestation from termites bought into the aviary. Be interested to know if a house has been attacked
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Craig52
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Joined: 11 Nov 2011, 19:26
Location: victoria

There are many species of termite some ok some not but l wouldn't trust any of them. Yes i have had them escape 200 ltr drums and infest my paling fence going underground from the drum to the fence using the drum as the home nest.
I also had a major black ant infestation in my aviary that no matter what i did to kill them they always came back,they were entering a small hole into a pine stud wall cladded with tempered masonite. I removed that cladding thinking the black ants had a nest in there but i couldn't believe what i was looking at. Between each stud was a fully formed working termite nest and the masonite was paper thin and not much left of the wall studs. Termites need moisture to survive and i found that there was a small leak in the currugated iron that was keeping the wall timber moist for the termites.
You will get the die hards saying that is rubbish but i'm talking from experience with them.
A lot of breeders are harvesting termites on site now just taking termites and no nest using termite tumblers and freezing them when they get home which seems a good idea but most breeders have resorted to bushfly maggots, small mealworms, crickets, vinegar flies and breeding most finch species although termite bred finches take time to adjust. All in my opinion.
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arthur
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Joined: 13 Mar 2009, 10:22

Write down what Craig said and paste it in your hat . .

Termites do what termites do

I have a steel frame house but that didn't stop termites getting into wooden window sills and door surrounds

"Experts(??)" suggest burying pine pieces at various points around the house to act as sacrificial/ sentinel sites

Termites are far and away the best livefood for finches but they can come with a pricetag . .
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Sapperfinch
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Posts: 37
Joined: 31 Aug 2020, 22:11
Location: Mandurah

Thanks Craig I should have mentioned that they are kept in a bucket with a lid & only fed to the bird in breeding season then only in a dish on a stand in a bird bath. I was jus asking if there was anyone that had issues & it looks like you have cheers
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