Live food options for St Helenas/Orange Breasts

[matcho]

Hi all,
I have been reading with interest the offers of the maggots as live food. I am proposing to lessen my numbers of stars, goulds, and painteds and have a lash at Orange Breasts and St Helenas. The only hesitation I have is the amount of live food that is required for these species. I would be interested in the option of the housefly pupae from ARC (1500 at a time) as well as the mini mealies I feed at the moment. Can I keep the houseflies in the pupae stage by keeping them in the fridge and how long can I do this for before they emerge as adults? Would this method be OK for OB's and St Helenas? Daily diet includes sprouted seed, greens and grain mix, fresh greens, mini mealies and millet sprays. Would the addition of the pupae enhance my chances of success with these species? Any advice would be appreciated and would help my in the decision making process.

Thanks

Matcho.

[spanna]

i personally don't keep either saints or OB's, but would guess that they wouldn't eat the pupae. most finches don't (none of mine do), and will only take maggots. i know people who have had success with the mini mealies, but i think maggots would be the best option, if it is in fact an option at all for you!! i know many just won't allow them in the fridge (which is why i have a seperate, non-food fridge outside the house!!)

[Tiaris]

Both will do well on maggots. Saints are one of very few waxbills which actually do very well on mealworms and can eat even the large ones efficiently. Mini mealies would be far preferable for OBs though.

[Matt]

Agree with Tiaris re saints with mealworms. Mine are fed both mealworms and frozen termites and the mealworms are definitely their favorite.

[djb78]

I keep both OBs and Saints, I've always feed them mealworms which I haven't had a problem with, got some fly pupae at the start of the year and Saints only had a bit but not much don't notice the OBs eating any at all, when I received the maggots from Gerry both my Saints and OBs were happy to eat both maggots and mealworms. The only bird which devoured alot of pupae were my canaries but my finches did have a try here and there. As for how much live food to give is up to how much will your finches, best is add some in the morning and some more in the afternoon then adjust the amounts so there is only a few left when you go to put more in, remember when breeding the amount of live food gose up and clutch size will aslo affect this.

[flap]

St Helenas eat mealworms, OBs mini mealworms. I have also tried to set up a fruit fly trap but have very short lived success. The OBs seemed interested, not sure how effective a source of live food it was though. I haven't tried maggots or any other live food. Our saints haven't bred yet but they also did nothing for the person we bought them from so maybe something about this pair. OBs have had a few clutches with mixed success.

[matcho]

Thanks guys for the advice, still tossing the coin. Mini/mealworms aren't a problem but on reading a few items about their nutritional/vitamin/roughage value I am not so sure. Mention is made of the maggots from Gerry, are they viable in the fridge for a week or so as maggots and in what quantities are they available? Only problem is I would have to disguise them as mealies as the Minister for War and Finance would not be impressed if she knew exactly what they were and in the fridge sitting next to the fetta and olives.

Matcho

[Gerry Marantelli]

maggots from Gerry, are they viable in the fridge for a week

We've been sending the maggots in cardboard tubes with lidded calico ends and the feedback from members here suggests keeping them in the fridge for a week - even in the pack they arrive in (i did provide other suggestions) - has been successful for everyone.

what quantities are they available?

we have been sending 250g - which i think everyone has been happy with quantity wise - we will place them in our online store next week probably as 250g and 1kg packs and see how they go. http://www.frogs.org.au/arcade" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As for problems from the local authority, the tube is plain wrap and escape proof and if it helps they are not dirty maggots grown in waste, but very clean nice smelling ones grown on grains and milk. - comments from other members welcome but i think they smell like a cross between rising bread dough and beer.

[Faza]

MMMMMM Beer

[matcho]

Thanks Gerry,

When I get established and make the final decision I think I will badge them "FAT MEALIES" because the maggot word just has that connotation. If they smell like beer I might be on a winner as long as its not on my breath in the f...t sack