about moving the cages outside

[shanny2]

i am thinking about moving the bird aviaries and cages outside as now we have a mouse my brother saw one and my mum says if there are mice the birds are gone and should i move them outside? i need a answer asap because i told mum so we can try to stop the threat so it doesn't turn in to heaps of mice.

[kimberley breeder]

Make sure you put the cages in an area where they are protected from the elements (wind, rain, drafts and continuous sun). You also need to make sure that butcherbirds or currowongs, owls, cats etc.... wont be able to get to your birds. If you have a decent siz Aviary with small size mesh and covered areas for them to retreat they should be fine. Zebras are hardy birds just need to protect them form predators.

[Jayburd]

I thought they were already in an outdoor aviary

[haydn92]

na we have the aviary in the pergola but shanny2 is thinking about moving his aviaries outside (zebbies and red rumps)
but he is worried because the last time he had his aviary out side it was bad news
i m not referring to predation but to the element of wind

[Jayburd]

wind is easy to block out if you have the right setup.
he is right, wind and draughts are the biggest killer of finches. Plastic pull-down blinds, or even just an enclosed shelter area really should have been thought about first, before any birds were bought.
is the pergola enclosed? otherwise I don't really see a lot of difference between there and outside on the lawn or wherever.
mice are just as happy in as out, and will eat your birds either way. I would suggest colourbond or corrugated iron around the bottom of every aviary, to a height of about 40-60cm.
even this however may not stop them. make sure there are no sticks leaning up against the wire on the outside, or branches overhanging as mice will climb a tree and drop down.
I had 19 birds eaten by mice in 6 days - approximately $600 worth.
They are also scared of quail, which is a bonus but will enter higher up so as t avoid them.