[defrey12]

Originally Posted by New Englander

I'm considering getting a bird bath for my backyard. I'm in a courtyard Villa and many birds land on the block wall in the back. Now, I don't want to give Mosquito a place to breed. I see there are tablets you can put in a bird bath that will keep the mosquitoes away. I don't want to hurt the birds, I want to help them. Does anyone here have experience with this or is a birdbath a bad idea?

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Bad idea. Let me ask you this: Did the wildlife exist prior to your meddling with the ecosystem? Leave it alone. Let them be WILD, please.

[Ptmcbriz]

The mosquito tablets (actually donut shape) work great. One donut should last a month. It doesn’t hurt animals. We used them in our livestock drinking barrels for the wildlife in the area at our ranch years ago. It keeps larvae from developing. I think it’s an enzyme of some sort.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Two Bills

At the end of a day of bathing, there is not much water left anyway, just muck.
Flush it daily and there will be no problems with critters breeding in the bath.
Do not need any chemicals, just clean water and a brush to clean.

I know little about birds. You must be attracting some dirty birds leave muck behind? Typical year I find 2-3 nests in bushes and trees. I've sort of given up on my blueberries. Used to grow them up north the birds would at least wait for them to ripen. Florida birds, perhaps why they are dirty-birds eat them green.,

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Pondboy

It contains a bacterium that kills mosquito larvae….or something like that. It’s used mostly in small koi ponds. Never used it in a bird bath…..

For what it is worth koi are fancy carp. Many carp in lakes and ponds were purchased as gold fish at pet stores. Kill mosquitoes? With proper care. Proper being no care, the fish keep the insects in balance.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by DAVES

For what it is worth koi are fancy carp. Many carp in lakes and ponds were purchased as gold fish at pet stores. Kill mosquitoes? With proper care. Proper being no care, the fish keep the insects in balance.

Most carps In United States are European and Asian. Farm ponds can be mix depending on how the got in there?

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by DAVES

I know little about birds. You must be attracting some dirty birds leave muck behind? Typical year I find 2-3 nests in bushes and trees. I've sort of given up on my blueberries. Used to grow them up north the birds would at least wait for them to ripen. Florida birds, perhaps why they are dirty-birds eat them green.,

Which can first birds or Neanderthals?

[merrymini]

Love having a bird bath. They come close to be viewed. I empty the water every day. Shallow pans are better and I put smooth river rock on the bottom allowing butterflies to get water too. Use regular water with some hydrogen peroxide to clean with a brush. The peroxide will not harm the plants. I have a separate small bowl for the donuts. I would only use clean, unadulterated water for the birds.

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by defrey12

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Bad idea. Let me ask you this: Did the wildlife exist prior to your meddling with the ecosystem? Leave it alone. Let them be wild, please.

I can't help it. I'm a meddler.

[Plush]

Originally Posted by New Englander

I'm considering getting a bird bath for my backyard. I'm in a courtyard Villa and many birds land on the block wall in the back. Now, I don't want to give Mosquito a place to breed. I see there are tablets you can put in a bird bath that will keep the mosquitoes away. I don't want to hurt the birds, I want to help them. Does anyone here have experience with this or is a birdbath a bad idea?

For my bird bath I use a solar device called a Water Wiggler, which I purchased on Amazon. It spins creating a slight ripple to the water surface. This ripple keeps it mosquito free and it doesn’t frighten the birds.

[New Englander]

Thanks to all who replied. Because my garden hose would have to be dragged out 65 feet every time to clean it I've decided not to get a bird bath.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by defrey12

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Bad idea. Let me ask you this: Did the wildlife exist prior to your meddling with the ecosystem? Leave it alone. Let them be WILD, please.

In some areas they may need help due to bulldozer.

[Bonanza]

Originally Posted by defrey12

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Bad idea. Let me ask you this: Did the wildlife exist prior to your meddling with the ecosystem? Leave it alone. Let them be WILD, please.

A bird bath is NOT a bad idea! YOUR comment is about why certain species go extinct.
Meddling? I think not. A bird bath is NOT going to make a bird tame, and meddling with the ecosystem?
What does a bird bath have to do with the ecosystem???

[Lillypoo]

Our home is very close to neighbor. Our neighbor has a birdbath, bird feeders and feeds squirrels about 10 ft from our birdcage. The squirrels have chewed our plastic drain pads under gutter spouts, climbed up gutter spouts and chewed 2 large holes in our birdcage screens and dug up my gardens to hide peanuts she feeds them. We asked nicely last spring to please not do this as expensive damage to our home. Reply was how much she loves the birds n squirrels. Please be kind to your neighbors. Our neighbors could move their feeding area to side of home not near us or other neighbors but chooses to let us constantly pay to fix damages to our home./QUOTE]