Page 520 - Hand rearing birds second
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Swifts  517

























             Figure 33.5  White-throated Swift perched on top of a cloth-covered caging wall.

























             Figure 33.6  White-throated Swifts roosting together in a cloth-lined reptarium.

             become more mobile, they will eventually require a slightly larger space, such as a 4 ft. (1.2 m)
             reptarium. Walls of the reptariums should be lined with fabric as previously described to prevent
             toenails from becoming caught on the reptarium mesh (Figure 33.6).
               Alternatively, once fully feathered, they can be housed in an aviary as described above. In fact,
             White-throateds cohabitate very well with Vaux’s and may be raised together. A word of caution:
             White-throateds are not flighted until they are almost 6 weeks old, so will likely climb out of the
             chimney and end up on the floor of the aviary, eventually making their way to a wall to climb up.
             Walk in the aviary carefully and take a mandatory headcount upon entering. They can somewhat
             utilize the space in a 24 ft. (7.2 m) aviary for flight, but it is awkward for them due to their large
             wingspan and unique takeoff and flight capabilities. But remember, it isn’t really necessary to pro-
             vide pre-release conditioning for this species.
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