pictmanual4

David Pace's Pictorella manual (Page 4).

Aspect and lighting:
Orientate aviaries away from prevailing winter winds and bad weather. In Victoria, Vujovich has installed artificial lighting that supplies his birds with an additional three hours of winter light between 4:30am and 8:00am. Vujovich argues that this is important considering the fact that the Pictorella is a tropical species, adapted to longer days (Vujovich '92).

Cat proofing:
In areas where cats may be a problem, Stossel recommends that an electric cat-proof fence is vital, reducing the loss of young when parents are frightened from their nest in the middle of the night (Stossel '93). This may also apply to areas that have possums in residence.

2.4 Spatial (size) requirements including State regulations. Also include possible display/off limit differentiation
I have found that a single pair of Pictorellas fared best in aviaries 1.2m wide x 3.6m deep and at least 1.8m high. Vujovich equally has had success in indoor aviaries that measured 1.2m wide x 2.4m deep and 2.4m high. In contrast Cameron has had success in a large aviary that measured 10m x 4m. Do not keep Pictorellas in breeding cabinets, boxes or small aviaries (Stossel '93).

Health requirements
3.1 Routine worming
Vujovich records that deworming and treatment for coccidiosis should be carried out upon acquisition and then every three months (Vujovich '92). Stossel from Queensland worms his Pictorellas using Systamex (90.6g/l Oxfendasole) at a rate of 2ml per litre of water for 7 days. He then follows up a coccidiosis program, Amprolmix-Plus at a rate of 3ml per litre for 7 days then 1.5ml per litre of water for a further 7 day (Stossel '93).
Stossel recommends the use of 90.6g/l Oxfendasol every four months for the eradication of all worms, including the roundworm egg. This treatment, to the best of Stossel's knowledge, is harmless to a bird's fertility and does not put young in the nest at danger (Stossel '93).

3.2 Heating
Heating could be utilised in very cold climates, however many successful breeders have not used any form of heating in cool temperate climates (Cameron '90). In areas where extreme winter temperatures are experienced, artificial heating would be an advantage.
Kingston cautions against subjecting Pictorellas to temperatures below 8? C for extended periods (Kingston '94).

3.3 Cleaning
Stossel cleans aviaries thoroughly every 3 to 4 weeks. Every six months the top 15mm of gravel is sieved to remove husks and dust from the floors. Once a year birds are removed and the aviary receives an entire clean down. This includes the washing and sanitising of walls, feeding stations, perches, rocks, logs and floor, the replacement of brush and finally a spray of Coopex to help in the prevention of black ants and cockroaches. New gravel is laid and the birds are returned as quickly as possible (Stossel '93).

3.4 Nest hygiene
Old nests should not be removed as a pair will utilise the same nest over again (Vujovich '92), however Francis records that his birds would build a new nest about three weeks after the young had fledged (Francis '60). Other sources suggest that the nest is not used once young have fledged and should be removed and burnt to reduce the possibility of mite and lice infestation (Queensland Finch Society '87).

3.5 Known health problems
The Breeding & Research Sub-Committee of the Avicultural Society of South Australia, after comparing the breeding experiences of several breeders, concluded that the Pictorella, if housed adequately, was a hardy species that did not seem to have a common ailment (Breeding & Research Sub-Committee '93).
In contrast to the findings above, Stossel details several health problems common in Pictorellas:

� Gizzard worm infestation that results in birds consuming large amounts of live food even when they are not breeding. Stossel suggests that this is caused by the bird having difficulty in digesting hard seed and so finds it easier to gain energy from soft, live food. If the bird is not treated, it will soon begin to pass whole seeds and loose condition rapidly. Stossel treats this with 1ml of Systemex (90.6g/l Oxfendasol) with 9ml of water and administers, by crop needle, 0.1ml of this mixture per bird (Stossel '93).

� Candida, a fungal disease caused by excessive moisture, has similar symptoms to gizzard worm infestation. Birds suffering from Candida however, display a small amount of white froth at the edges of the beak. Stossel suggests administering a nizarol and placing the bird on an antibiotic program with consultation from a veterinarian (Stossel '93).

� Mosquito bites on the legs of Pictorella can lead to infections that cause severe and permanent damage to feet. Stossel believes this is caused by the fact that desert species, such as Pictorellas, sleep with their legs exposed unlike other species that keep their legs tucked under feathers. Stossel notes that there is no known cure for this problem other than prevention by the eradication of mosquitoes (Stossel '93).

� Coccidiosis can be avoided after prolonged wet periods with Amprolmix-Plus at a rate of 3ml per litre of water for seven days. Sodium Sulphadimidine B.P. or Sulpha drugs are more effective but have a short-term impact on the fertility of birds. However, the latter can be utilised for young or non-breeding birds (Stossel '93).

� Air-sac mite, Sternostoma tracheacolum, known to infect wild and captive Gouldian Finches, also has been discovered in wild populations of Masked Finches, Budgerigars and the Pictorella. The incidence of infection for the Pictorella has increased dramatically over the last decade with an estimated 62% of the population affected. The implications for Pictorella populations in the wild are unknown (ANCA '95). It would be logical to assume that Pictorellas in captivity could be as susceptible to air-sac mite as are captive Gouldians. Caution should be exercised, particularly if Gouldians are housed with or near Pictorellas.