# Does anyone keep lizards in their bird aviary?



## CGSwans (Jan 22, 2008)

I just put my bluey in my 6m flight cage, to see how he goes. He seems to be enjoying looking around, although both he and the parrots had a bit of a :shock: look at first.

I'm sure others have done this with blueys or other lizards. Any good/bad experiences to share?


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## ally_pup (Jan 22, 2008)

I have an aviary with blueys but would never put birds in their. Reason why outdoor pits have lids on them, to stop from swopping. My opinion anyways. Cheers


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## CGSwans (Jan 22, 2008)

ally_pup said:


> I have an aviary with blueys but would never put birds in their. Reason why outdoor pits have lids on them, to stop from swopping. My opinion anyways. Cheers



These guys are just budgies and cockatiels, so nothing to worry about in that respect.


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## alex_c (Jan 22, 2008)

i kept bluetoungues in a large aviary with princess parrots and superbs for a while and had no issues


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## cockney red (Jan 22, 2008)

*May have to move the Harpy Eagle...:shock:*


ally_pup said:


> I have an aviary with blueys but would never put birds in their. Reason why outdoor pits have lids on them, to stop from swopping. My opinion anyways. Cheers


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## ally_pup (Jan 22, 2008)

Thanks for the smart a** comment cockney but as a matter of fact we have birds here smaller than budgies who like to swoop!!!!!!!!!!


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## geckodan (Jan 22, 2008)

Bad idea, despite their clumsy appearance the blueys will climb and raid nests and have been known to catch the odd bird, mainly babies.


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## cockney red (Jan 22, 2008)

*Didn't realise you wated to keep lizards with miniature lizard eating swooping thingys.
*


ally_pup said:


> Thanks for the smart a** comment cockney but as a matter of fact we have birds here smaller than budgies who like to swoop!!!!!!!!!!


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## Bigweem (Jan 22, 2008)

geckodan said:


> Bad idea, despite their clumsy appearance the blueys will climb and raid nests and have been known to catch the odd bird, mainly babies.




what if you cut their legs off first??


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## CGSwans (Jan 22, 2008)

geckodan said:


> Bad idea, despite their clumsy appearance the blueys will climb and raid nests and have been known to catch the odd bird, mainly babies.



That's also not a problem in this case as there are no nestboxes in the aviary. They're strictly pet birds. 

My real concern is that he might try to escape and hurt himself on the wire. He hasn't shown any inclination to even approach the wire yet, though. He's staying at the back where the afternoon sun is hitting the colorbond, and I think he's enjoying it immensely.


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## Full3R (Jan 22, 2008)

Just put some plywood along against the inside of the aviary wire, doesnt have to be high, only so that he cant drag his nose across it with alot of force


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## Mark Newton (Jan 22, 2008)

I have 2 x inland bearded dragons _P. vitticeps,_ and 1 x water dragon in an outdoor aviary,,,,,oh and also a long neck turtle in the pond..LOL birds are 4 x cockatiels, 2 x burkes, 2 x quail and 2 x red rumped. No problems....


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## CGSwans (Jan 22, 2008)

No problems with the beardies or water dragon trying to eat the quail, Mark?


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## Full3R (Jan 22, 2008)

We once had a baby EWD in the avary about 20cm in total length, it was hissing turning its side up and trying to scare the quails, didnt work


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## MrBredli (Jan 22, 2008)

I'd be more concerned about the bluey having to walk around in bird **** all day, or drinking water that the birds had defacated in. Perhaps if there were only one or two birds, and the aviary was cleaned very regularly... nah on second thoughts i don't think i'd go down that path. Aviaries are for reptiles only, not birds.


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## CGSwans (Jan 22, 2008)

MrBredli said:


> I'd be more concerned about the bluey having to walk around in bird **** all day, or drinking water that the birds had defacated in. Perhaps if there were only one or two birds, and the aviary was cleaned very regularly... nah on second thoughts i don't think i'd go down that path. Aviaries are for reptiles only, not birds.



The cage is cleaned regularly and there are only five birds in the aviary, with about 6sqm of floor space. The water bowl is positioned carefully so that it's not beneath any of the perches.

This is interesting - there appears to be two very different schools of thought on the topic. Cheers everyone.


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## salebrosus (Jan 22, 2008)

MrBredli said:


> I'd be more concerned about the bluey having to walk around in bird **** all day, or drinking water that the birds had defacated in. Perhaps if there were only one or two birds, and the aviary was cleaned very regularly... nah on second thoughts i don't think i'd go down that path. Aviaries are for reptiles only, not birds.



I agree Mr Bredli, i would be concerned about the faecal matter too.

Also, some animals are prone to rubbing their noses on the wire and you would want to make sure the bottom of the aviary is concrete or something they can't dig into.

Simone.


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## tankbuster82 (Jan 22, 2008)

well if ya do get flying c*aps in the water bowl just get another one and put it in a cave that only the blue can go in with some light going in so he can c it. i think they will get along quite well good luck with them


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## CGSwans (Jan 22, 2008)

tankbuster82 said:


> well if ya do get flying c*aps in the water bowl just get another one and put it in a cave that only the blue can go in with some light going in so he can c it. i think they will get along quite well good luck with them



That's actually a very good idea. Thanks.


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## tankbuster82 (Jan 22, 2008)

no probs


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## Hickson (Jan 30, 2008)

Just watch the budgies. I've been told they can attack and kill King Quail. 



Hix


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## Nephrurus (Jan 30, 2008)

Reptiles do very well in all finch aviaries. Every nestling that can't quite fly for a few days goes down the lizards throat. Great if you keep zebra finches though. 



-h


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## CGSwans (Jan 30, 2008)

After more than a week, it appears to be a success. The bluey dashes to his hide whenever anyone approaches, but that's ok by me. The birds haven't ventured to the cage floor, but that's also not too worrying for me - only two of them ever made a habit of going down there anyway, and there's a huge number of perches for them to use. Their food and water bowls are also elevated, so that's fine.

I'm quite happy and I'm sure that my lizard is happier.


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## Australis (Jan 30, 2008)

Ive done it before, kept a few at the bottom of a medium sized aviary that house
a couple of small native parrots is it ideal?.... no, not really.

But for what its worth, i dont see it being any different than keeping anything 
else that lives on the aviary floor... like Quails etc.. 

Also, a blue tongue or two will sort out any mouse problems.


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## CGSwans (Jan 30, 2008)

Australis said:


> Also, a blue tongue or two will sort out any mouse problems.



Yep. That's true. Field mice were constantly coming into the bird aviary from next door's garden. I had long since given up on keeping them out, but now that I think of it, I haven't seen a mouse in there since the lizard went in.


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