Aussie Finch Forum

Have been wondering, would adding wild caught flies to my flybox risk introducing worms or some other parasite? These flies would be caught from around horse manure rather than any rotting meat, but I think there may still be more risks... Thoughts? Opinions?

The maggots preceding those flies would have needed to have fed on infected bird droppings in order to carry any parasites. Unless you are tipping your aviary waste into the pile of manure you are pretty safe.

Spanna
Danny can cover the parasite question better than I but why would you need to add new flies to your colony.
If it is to build up numbers just don't feed out as many for a short while.
If it is because you are worried about inbreeding don't.
My fly colony has been going non stop for 13+years
A change over at least 3 times a week so 3 X 52(weeks) X 13(years)= 2028
There for it is likely that we could have inbreeding around 2000 times,no white flies,they still breed well and they
can still actually fly. I do not know how,also I would hate to know how many times that they have inbred before I got my initial breeders.

So inbreeding is safe? Sorry I couldn't resist. But it does go to show that inbreeding has it's place.
LML

nice try FB.

The only reason that I ask is that my numbers in the fly box are lower than usual, and we had literally thousands of flies at the poop trailer (yes, trailer!) today so thought I may be able to quickly and easily bring numbers back up. Increasing the genetic pool was another reason, though it is interesting that yours (E orix) have been so long without new blood and no signs of inbreeding, not that I would know what the signs would be in flies!

Thanks for the input Danny, wasn't sure if it would be a problem, and I know there are a lot more knowledgeable than myself on these issues so I make the most of you all!!

Cheers, and wish my happy hunting tomorrow morning when they're still cold, slow and dopy!!
Spanna

finchbreeder wrote:So inbreeding is safe? Sorry I couldn't resist. But it does go to show that inbreeding has it's place.
LML

If only we could breed inbred wingless bush flies - my wife would yell at me just a little bit less.

Danny wrote:

finchbreeder wrote:So inbreeding is safe? Sorry I couldn't resist. But it does go to show that inbreeding has it's place.
LML

If only we could breed inbred wingless bush flies - my wife would yell at me just a little bit less.

But then they wouldn't be flies they would be walks

Maybe try clipping their wings to stop them flying lol.
Is interesting though 13yrs with no new blood and no problems with them.