Help required!

[dave85]

hey all,

I require assistance in - Setting up & keeping a culture of livefood to feed to my - Gold breasted waxbills, Greensingers & Chinese painted quail.

Anyone able to help or assist me in anyway?

Please get in contact

Thanks
Dave H

[Waxbillman]

what kind of livefood do you want to breed as i have a booklet explaining how to breed just about everything.


matthew

[dave85]

hey matthew,


Well what would you recommend?

Whats the easiest and best to start with? and could you help me set them up?

Thanks
Dave H

[laurab]

I would say that fruit flies are probably the best to start off with, I have always been lucky to have been given a culture to start off with but I don't know what it consisted of, but I am sure Paul/Matthew/Chris could help you with the info you require;-)

[Waxbillman]

hello dave,

this is how to culture fruit flies, these notes were originally produced by Daves coles around 20 years ago. i've tried to shorten them to save my fingers

place ripe bananas in a container outside in warm days, this will attract adults, them put the lid to allow females to lay. keep them in open cultures in the bird room to allow the insects to fly freely in and out.
when startin a new culture add a little yeast to the bananas to allow for better fermentation.

buffalo worms

to start the culture you will first need to buy some buffalo worms, even a few will be ample.
use a large glass or plastic jars with screw on lids with large holes in for ventilation. cover the holes with muslin to stop mites.
fill the jars half full or just over that with a mixture of wheatfeed (or bran), fish meal and inactive yeast, with a ratio of 8:6:1. on top of the mixture place a sheet of tissue paper, for extra surface area where the adults can walk. to provide moisture put in a lump of damp cotton wool. culture every 3 weeks with 40 adults.
their life cycle is about 12 weeks given constant conditions .

mealworms

put in a vessal a ratio of 5:5:1 OF wheatfeed, rolled oats and dried yeast, though bran can be used instead of wheetfeed. added the beetles at this stage, you may have to grow on the larvae
on top of this mixture adda thick layer of shredded paper where the eggs can be laid,
give carrot, apple. or miost cotton wool to provide miosture.
start new cultures 4-5 weeks. 21-26 degrees is best for breeding
matthew

[dave85]

hey matthew,

With the waxworms is it the moths you use? i can get some bettles & moths from my uni - unless anyone else has any to offer?

Where can i buy the food you suggest?

Thanks
Dave H

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Dave,

I don't believe Matthew mentioned Waxworms at all, but even if he did you would find it extremely difficult to find beetles to help you breed them.

Paul.:wink:

[Waxbillman]

i didn't mention waxmoths because many waxbills find thier' larvae too big
you can though breed them if you can find the moths (or keep the larvae to that stage, but they need high temperatures of 30 degrees and that cannot be justified for breeding some waxbills don't eat very much. some products are available at supermarkets, (such as yeast) other you would have to contact breeders of livefood.

matthew

[nigel]

Can anyone give me a good seed mix for soak seed and also the best/easiest method of making it,
I have seen various methods in different mags but some seem really complicated and time consuming. I can then be prepared for the next breeding session in my new bird room.

Nigel

[laurab]

Hi Nigel

I use my normal seed for soaking and basically all I do is soak enough for a days feeding, because if left for too long (especially in this heat) it can go mouldy. I too have read of various different methods including adding bleach to the mixture! I am sure that if used wisely it is quite safe. I prefer to add vanodine to the soak mixture as I know that this is safe for the birds.

The seed should be covered with warm water, and placed in a darkened area for about 24 hours, it should then be rinsed before feeding to your birds.