Aussie Finch Forum

I currently have two pairs working and since I have been feeding Frozen termites I have not had a problem with producing young. I am getting three or four per nest. Also found that pairs are keen to get back to nest soon after fledging previous nest. - I agree they are a great little bird with lots of personality and its a pity they have gone out of favour, although I have spoken to many breeders who are getting back into them

FINCHFUN wrote:since I have been feeding Frozen termites

Can I ask if you harvest your frozen termites yourself and freeze them, or do you get them commercially?
If commercially, where from and how much?

Just interested, really, so feel free to ignore my question.

mattymeischke wrote:

FINCHFUN wrote:since I have been feeding Frozen termites

Can I ask if you harvest your frozen termites yourself and freeze them, or do you get them commercially?
If commercially, where from and how much?

Just interested, really, so feel free to ignore my question.

No, don't ignore him. I know he's annoying but the rest of us who live in big cities and have no termite mounds nearby want to know the answer too.

I'd especially love to know where matty thinks you can harvest your "frozen termites" yourself .

Generally I collect the nests myself and extract ( sieve) the termites out , put them in an ice-cream containert and pop them into the freezer.
There is a fellow in Brisbane who does the same but sells them on - I don't know whether he sends them interstate or not.
Also a guy in Newcastle was trying to market them but don't know how successful he has been.

natamambo wrote:I'd especially love to know where matty thinks you can harvest your "frozen termites" yourself .

I get mine on private land (with permission where it's not my land) and on various firetrails and other easily accessed bushy blocks.
I rotate through about 12-15 mounds, depending on where my work takes me (I often pick them up on the way home from work).
I try not to take more than once from a mound before it's rebuilt, then I tax the rebuilt side when I return as it is soft and usually full of busy fat termites.
I don't take more than one side off a mound at a time.

Would love to build an extractor, but it is currently some way down a long list of things to do.

I think it should be pointed out that once you go down the termite path its hard, and alsmost impossible with some species to stop or swap them back to other livefood. There maybe the odd person doing frozen termites commercially but make sure the supply will constant. Its not much point swapping to termites as your main source livefood if you run just as chicks hatch or are about to fledge.

nknow a really good breeder of auroras over here in Perth he keeps bout 3-6prs and consistently puts young on the perch and normaly big clutches to think averages is 4 for him even had one of 7 whcih he was suprosed with but he also concentrates on bluecaps aswell and does pretty well wit them to. at the last auction on the weekend just gone there were 2pr went for 70-90$