Pests

[JohnP]

Just been out giving some mealworms to the boys and girls a couple of hours ago and within five minutes they were all covered in ants. Now to date ants have never been an issue and the birds seem very reluctant (or fussy) to eat any of the worms but would rather watch the ants go for them. Just checked again and all the worms have been eated by the birds (I assume). Do finchs normally have this reaction and are ants a bad thing for the birds? Ants can not get to the food, yet.

[finchbreeder]

The risk with ants is that they will get in the nest and eat baby finches.
I would use Coopex to eliminate the ants to be on the safe side.
LML

[JohnP]

I guess that is why the birds were a bit hesitant to go near the worms, instinct. Will look around for Coopex, thanks for the reply. Does it go by the name of Coopex or some marketing name, do you buy from a pet shop or some other store

[AMCA26]

Bunnings down here sells Coopex just bought some today around $10.

[JohnP]

Excellent, I will pay our Bunnings a visit this weekend. Appreciate the input.

[Pete Sara]

the common ant can be a host to tape worm so its best to deal with them quick,best be rid now of them as it can be costly waisting good live food on ants. as everyone else says coopex is the best for around birds and aviaries. make sure u mix it to the right consistancy .....pete

[Diane]

I have sprayed the aviaries the Coopex and it works really well.
When I feed mealworms or veggies I usually put the bowl containing the mealworms/veggies in another bowl that has water in. Any ants that escape the Coopex cant get to the food.

[jusdeb]

Ive just had the council spend a week poisoning a huge nest of meat ants out the front of my place , they had been coming up the driveway and had attacked Axle the wonderdog luckily we caught them before they found the aviary / cages , from what Ive been told they can kill nests full of chicks in no time .
Council tells me that the smaller ants are often food for the bigger ants so killing the smaller ones of now might save problems later.

[finchbreeder]

Every summer we get the big meat ants from council land coming down the drive and into the bin. Fortunately they are content with that and drinking from the front lawn retic. and have not ventured into the back yard.
We do poison some of the sods though cause it is a nuisance when trying to put your bin out is an excercise in avoidance. (of bites)
LML

[JohnP]

With the Coopex (got some today) do you spray around the outside of the aviary or generally inside the aviary