FEATURE
Food provided consisted of the following; Fed daily. Live food Apple
Pear Tomato
Fed frequently. Kiwi fruit Peaches
(tinned and fresh) Mango Fig
Soaked sultanas Apricot Thawed peas
Sweet corn Grapes
Live food consisted of mealworms, crickets (brown, black and banded) and wax worms. Spiders were also given and were hunted with relish. Also given daily were soaked Witte Molen low iron Mynah pellets and Beaphar Universal food. All the fruit given is finely chopped.
I am really surprised how little these birds eat, although a variety of food is always available. I feel that Red and Yellow Barbets are generally an insectivorous species that will take a variety of other food items, whereas that other African barbet, the Bearded, is mainly frugivorous but will take a few insects. The nest box provided measures internally 6 inches square by 10 inches high (150mm x 150mm x 250mm) and is situated inside the shelter, access to the nest is via a door in the back of the
Cooked or tinned carrot
box so that inspections can be carried out without entering the aviary. I have noticed that the box quickly attains a very strong musty smell almost as soon as the eggs were laid, I have never noticed this smell on the birds themselves. On the 1st June 2004, 2 eggs were discovered, no attempt at nest building had been made, just a scrape in the shaving which had been provided. Both eggs were thrown out on the 5th June. On the 12th June, just 7 days later, inspection revealed 4 eggs, these felt cool to the touch. Two days later and incubation appeared not to be taking place as the eggs always felt cool, so two eggs were removed to an incubator and two left with the parents. The next day 15th June, I removed the two other eggs. Three of the eggs were fertile and one of the second two pipped on the morning of the 25th, and hatched later that evening after just 10 days! I gave him his first feed at 5.00am the next morning and then every hour and a half. Food consisted of the insides of a wax worm. All went well until 3.00pm the next day when the chick died after knocking the scab of it’s naval and bleeding badly. Meanwhile the parents were still busy and on the 24th June they laid the first of four eggs. The eggs are laid daily and incubation starts from the first egg, so the chicks hatch daily. The first chick hatched on the 8th July, with all
BIRD SCENE 7
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