HOUSING INFO NEEDED

[Holliedale]

Right, need your advice, all my past avairies have been built on normal dirt/grass, but my new avairy is on concrete slabs, so what would be best to put down in there, african spotted eagle owls will be housed in there, so what will be best for them, also what type of branches, apple, willow ect, are they ok to use in there, just to give them something else to stretch there feet on. :roll:

[PeregrinesUK]

open or enclosed roof? is there drainage within the avairy ?

[Holliedale]

Covered roof, basically its a 10ft x 12ft solid wooden construction, with full wire front, it is situated on a raised, what was, a patio area, made up of 2ftx2ft slabs, which have a half grap between each other, does seem to drain really well.

[LeighJauncey]

About a ton of pea gravel raked out level - it'll be easier to keep clean. The wood perches are made from is less important than with parrots - raptors don't chew them as much! Apple and Willow are always a safe bet - and steer clear of the Prunis family. It's probably better if the main perches are covered with removable astroturf anyway.

[PeregrinesUK]

About a ton of pea gravel raked out level - it'll be easier to keep clean.
my thinking to

[Albie]

I would suggest Smooth Pea Gravel if you can get it,cause it washes cleaner every time!
I have added a picture of the gravel that I put down for mine.
Albie.. :wink:

[PeregrinesUK]

also make sure you wash it before you put it in as it will probably be covered in sand and dirty

[The New Kid]

I would suggest Smooth Pea Gravel if you can get it,cause it washes cleaner every time!
I have added a picture of the gravel that I put down for mine.
Albie.. :wink:


That picture would make a brilliant jigsaw...

[Bubo]

:lol: :lol: :lol: i personally prefer sand to pea gravel but that is down to choice.

[Holliedale]

thankyou for the tips, avairy is well on its way. Hopefully the owls will settle in it , they have only been here since saturday, but are doing very well. sadly there previous owners havent been honest with me, i was told they were definately unrelated,had been dna sexed (but no papers), and were only 8 months old. but after tracing their original breeder they are related, from the same clutch, and are in fact 2004 babies, as stated on there rings, but anyway one will be used to fly and the other, once we find it a mate will hopefully give me a successful breeding pair, fingers crossed!!!!

[Holliedale]

thankyou for the tips, avairy is well on its way. Hopefully the owls will settle in it , they have only been here since saturday, but are doing very well. sadly there previous owners havent been honest with me, i was told they were definately unrelated,had been dna sexed (but no papers), and were only 8 months old. but after tracing their original breeder they are related, from the same clutch, and are in fact 2004 babies, as stated on there rings, but anyway one will be used to fly and the other, once we find it a mate will hopefully give me a successful breeding pair, fingers crossed!!!!

[Arthur]

Hello Bubo,
your preference would be sand ...
Why please a n d ..
What type of sand please ..
regards , arthur ,
(*v*) ...

[Bubo]

hello arthur, i prefer sand just because it is softer on the feathers and my owl has fun playing around in it. Although kadabra does spend most of his time up in his hide away he does come down on the floor to run around and hide under the rocks i have in there or play with crispy leaves that fall in. I personally think he would do damage to his feathers had i put pea gravel in there.

any fine sand is good but not coloured ones otherwise your birds will be stained that colour (the red and green sands).

[Mary Quite Contrary]

I would suggest Smooth Pea Gravel if you can get it,cause it washes cleaner every time!
I have added a picture of the gravel that I put down for mine.
Albie.. :wink:


Where did you get that gravel from it looks good

[PeregrinesUK]

i personally prefer sand to pea gravel but that is down to choice.

Sand is great if its totally enclosed (white play sand) i use it in my gos avairy , as holliedale said the frount is open so the sand would become wet and stick to birds feathers / feet etc

[Bubo]

true but if you take the direction of the rain falling into account it is ok.

the rain comes to the side of my aviary and the goes well over the front of the aviary and i have a dwarf wall so the sand is never wet. :wink:

[Arthur]

Heyah Bubo ,
a 'dwarf wall' or is it 'vertcally challenged' :-)
regards ,
arthur,
(*v*) ...

[Bubo]

oops i mean the rain comes from the side and my roof goes well over the front of the aviary.

[Holliedale]

We have only moved here a few months ago, but our neighbours have been here 30 years and they said the rain comes from the back of the garden , so it will be hitting the side and back of my avairy. so the sand should stay dry, i hope!!

[Ninja-Jon]

Something i picked out whilst reading the Falconry Art&Practice Book by Emma Ford. Sand should not be used to floor mews as it is highly abrasive and can cause damage to a BOP feet, should it get under there scales.It can stick to food and impact in the crop if the Bop is fed whilst in mews. Just thought i would post it might be of some help to you as it is advice of a expert not me

[Albie]

Hi There Chuffpiece C,
I was lucky to get the Pea Gravel free of charge some years ago from an old derilict holiday centre, and as I write this the same holiday centre is now a building site with a seven year plan to build a housing estate on it.
I'm sorry to say that there was plenty of this gravel to be had there until a couple of months ago and I think Mikey manage to get his just a day before the bulldozers moved in and leveled the site.
Albie.. :wink: