elephantnose3334
Fishaholic
What is the recommended aviary size you usually keep birds (i.e. finches and small parrots) outdoors in the backyard?
Aviaries
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Depends on the birds.
For finches the smallest aviary is about 2 meters cube, longer if possible.
For Neophema parrots (Bourkes, turquoisine, scarlet chested, elegant, blue wing, etc) you have the aviary no longer or wider than 2 meters because they often panic fly at night and can build up some speed in long aviaries. Then they crash head first into the wire and crack their skulls and die on the floor. Bourkes are the worst for this and often fly at night. this causes other birds in the aviary to fly and you wake up to a heap of dead birds. Bourkes should be kept in their own aviary, preferably around 1 to 1.5 meters wide x 2 meters long x 2 meters high. And have a small LED night light on their aviary so they can see better.
Weeros (cockatiels, quarrions) can be kept in an aviary that is at least 1.5m wide x 2m high x 3m long (or longer). I had mine in an aviary that was 14 meters long x 2m high x 2m wide.
Budgies are fine in a 2meter cube aviary or longer if possible.
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Most aviaries are susceptible to cats, especially at night. An LED night light in the aviary is a good idea, especially when located at each end where the perches and wire are. You can also have a couple of spotlights set up and turn them on if you hear the birds panicking at night.
If you keep birds that sleep in nests at night, then cats are much less of an issue because the birds usually stay in the nest and don't panic fly into the wire.
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The wire for aviaries is normally 1/2 inch x 1 inch weld mesh. Get a thick gauge of wire so it's harder for dogs and cats to get through. You can also get 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch weld mesh. And 1/4 inch x 1/4 inch mouse wire but it doesn't come in a thick gauge so you normally put it over the 1/2 in x 1 in wire to stop rodents.
For finches the smallest aviary is about 2 meters cube, longer if possible.
For Neophema parrots (Bourkes, turquoisine, scarlet chested, elegant, blue wing, etc) you have the aviary no longer or wider than 2 meters because they often panic fly at night and can build up some speed in long aviaries. Then they crash head first into the wire and crack their skulls and die on the floor. Bourkes are the worst for this and often fly at night. this causes other birds in the aviary to fly and you wake up to a heap of dead birds. Bourkes should be kept in their own aviary, preferably around 1 to 1.5 meters wide x 2 meters long x 2 meters high. And have a small LED night light on their aviary so they can see better.
Weeros (cockatiels, quarrions) can be kept in an aviary that is at least 1.5m wide x 2m high x 3m long (or longer). I had mine in an aviary that was 14 meters long x 2m high x 2m wide.
Budgies are fine in a 2meter cube aviary or longer if possible.
--------------------
Most aviaries are susceptible to cats, especially at night. An LED night light in the aviary is a good idea, especially when located at each end where the perches and wire are. You can also have a couple of spotlights set up and turn them on if you hear the birds panicking at night.
If you keep birds that sleep in nests at night, then cats are much less of an issue because the birds usually stay in the nest and don't panic fly into the wire.
--------------------
The wire for aviaries is normally 1/2 inch x 1 inch weld mesh. Get a thick gauge of wire so it's harder for dogs and cats to get through. You can also get 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch weld mesh. And 1/4 inch x 1/4 inch mouse wire but it doesn't come in a thick gauge so you normally put it over the 1/2 in x 1 in wire to stop rodents.
OP
OP
elephantnose3334
Fishaholic
What aviaries do you have? How big are the aviaries you're keeping? How do you clean the aviaries so I can learn more on how to look after them in the long term? What's your favourite aviary you have kept?
I don't have birds anymore. I lost my birds in the cat war (1987-1991).
My aviaries were 14 x 2 x 2 meters, 3 x 2 x 2 meters, 2 x 2 x 2 meters, 3.5 x 2.1 x 2 meters, 1.5 x 1.5 x 2 meters.
My aviaries had dirt floors and I went in each week and used a spade/ shovel to turn over the soil under the perches and throughout the aviary.
Each day I washed out their water bowls and every week scrubbed them out.
They got seed when they were running low and green feed each day. They had cuttlebone and a bowl of mineral grit at all times. I had a few logs in the aviaries and used to take them out every few months and burn the outside of the log, let it cool down and put it back in. The birds seemed to like pecking at and chewing on the charcoal (no idea why). Whenever a tree in the area dropped branches (usually in winter during storms), I would put the branches on the aviaries and the birds would pick insects off them and chew the leaves and flowers.
In summer I put a sprinkler above the aviaries and let it run for a while so they could cool off when it was really hot.
My aviaries were 14 x 2 x 2 meters, 3 x 2 x 2 meters, 2 x 2 x 2 meters, 3.5 x 2.1 x 2 meters, 1.5 x 1.5 x 2 meters.
My aviaries had dirt floors and I went in each week and used a spade/ shovel to turn over the soil under the perches and throughout the aviary.
Each day I washed out their water bowls and every week scrubbed them out.
They got seed when they were running low and green feed each day. They had cuttlebone and a bowl of mineral grit at all times. I had a few logs in the aviaries and used to take them out every few months and burn the outside of the log, let it cool down and put it back in. The birds seemed to like pecking at and chewing on the charcoal (no idea why). Whenever a tree in the area dropped branches (usually in winter during storms), I would put the branches on the aviaries and the birds would pick insects off them and chew the leaves and flowers.
In summer I put a sprinkler above the aviaries and let it run for a while so they could cool off when it was really hot.
Have you kept birds before?
What happened with the mice?
What happened with the mice?
OP
OP
elephantnose3334
Fishaholic
I haven't kept birds before, but it will happen in the future when I move out from my childhood home. I was asking questions about aviaries from a person who about to own aviaries point of view.
It really depends on what birds you want to keep, and what space you have available to you.
Some birds need long flights, like parrots and parrakeets. Some birds like zebra finches explore and hang out in groups, and will do well in an aviary of most any shape, but I've found rounder, and more planted aviaries, with lots of safe natural plants to perch in, and nestboxes provided in a warm safe indoor area and some outdoors, works better for them.
Aviaries also need shelter, and the design will depend on your climate, the species of bird etc. It gets cold here in the UK in winter, and we have events like bonfire night where lots of fireworks go off, can spook birds to panic fly, and break their necks hitting the aviary wire or roof. So my dad build his aviaries onto sheds, and each aviary had an indoor section that could be heated, or lights on when needed, like on bonfire night, so they could shelter and remain warm when wanted, but also access the outside at any time.
There is a lot to learn about birds before you can really plan aviaries. Birds and their care, and ethics surrounding that - are as complicated and require as much care and learning as the fish hobby does.
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