Plants in cages?

[chris]

Hi All,

just wondering if it is possible to grow climbers such as passionflower up and inside large breeding cages/small ndoor aviaries, and if anyone has done it successfully? my main concerns would be lack or root space (or pot space even), light levels, and birds destroying it as they have naff all better to do!

any ideas?

Chris

[Waxbillman]

hello Chris

i would recommend using indoor fig trees (ficus), they are ideal, i have used them, or even better use artifical ivy like i do

Matthew

[chris]

Cheers Matt,

i like the sound of the fig trees, although i doubt artificial plants would have ever crossed my mind. i remember someone mentioning using artificial christmas tree and the same material that comes in great lengths (forget the name, basically chrismas tree wthout a spine)

might be worth trying the 2 out with the silverbills or whatever i chose to try and breed in the cages

Chris;-)

[Waxbillman]

definately mate, give it a shot

[laurab]

I have used an artificial xmas tree, my canaries used it for nesting in.

[chris]

Hi Laura,

thanks, my only worry with the christmas tree is all the bits that fall off and if they were to eat some

Chris

[cooltom28]

i add a bit of conifer to most of my birds cages :mrgreen:

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Chris,

As far as I know Christmas Tree without a spine is known as tinsel.:lol:
If you intend on using artificial plants in cages then I would suggest using plastic or silk.
But if your intention is only to provide privacy for the birds at the nesting end of the cage, then I would go for the cheaper option suggested by Tom which is a method I have used myself in the past and cover the cage front with Conifer cuttings and include some inside the cage.

Paul.:wink:

[kenny]

hi paul
i think chris is talking about those garlands that you hang round yer bannisters and mirrors and the like.a bit like afloppy christmas tree branch

ken

[cooltom28]

paul you put so much in you cant catch the birds:p :lol:

[laurab]

I have a Xmas tree in my aviary that I put there early this year, I don't know what type it is and although it is now brown it has not shed its leaves (it is not the type that has needles)

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Ken, Tom and Laura,

Ken,

So the garlands you are thinking of would be tinsel garlands then.:wink:

Tom,

Thanks for reminding me, as you know I've still got a Jacarini Finch youngster I couldn't catch to take to Stafford.:roll: Believe me some of the aviaries will have a lot less cover in them next year, not only to make catching the birds easier, but also so I can see what they are getting up to when breeding.:lol:

Laura,

A good friend of mine told me a story of a fellow birdkeeper who asked him for his advice on providing nesting cover in his Canaries aviary.
My friend Paddy told him to place his old Christmas tree in the aviary for the birds to nest in, some weeks later Paddy asked the chap how the nesting activity was going with his Canaries, he was stunned to hear that the birds hadn't even built a single nest, let alone laid any eggs.

When he went around to see what the problem could be, although the guy had followed Paddy's advice with putting his old Christmas tree in the aviary, the doughnut had tied the tree to the aviary roof upside down!:shock:

Paul.