Painting inside of nestbox (1 Viewer)

[Laurab]

To paint or not to paint that is the question.
Hubby installed a nest box camera in one our woodcrete bluetit boxes. Painted the inside white to increase light for camera, would appear to have been a mistake. Observed blue tits flying upto identical woodcrete -cameraless/paintless box couple of feet along the house. Took a look this afternoon and they appear to have been roosting in it..mmmh so we took that box down to see if they would go into painted one....blue tit had a look several times then decided to roost in sparrow terrace instead!!! I think they may be telling me something, but has anyone got any experience of this?
Thanks in advance
Laura

 

[Keith Dickinson]

There is a possibility that the odour from the paint may be off putting to the birds but also if the box is painted white inside the light levels will be wrong and the birds may not like that.
I have never painted the outside of a nest box, never mind the inside.

 

[s.g.]

No paint in or out.

S. G.

 

[Laurab]

Painting inside of Nestbox?

There is a possibility that the odour from the paint may be off putting to the birds but also if the box is painted white inside the light levels will be wrong and the birds may not like that.
I have never painted the outside of a nest box, never mind the inside.

Box was put up over 2 months ago, I would have thought odours would have dispersed by now. Don't know about light levels?

Thanks Keith

 

[Bish]

The BTO state that you should NEVER paint/treat the inside of a nest box!

Regards Bish. :t:

 

[Laurab]

The BTO state that you should NEVER paint/treat the inside of a nest box!

Regards Bish. :t:

Thanks Bish,
Just sent an email off to them, for full details, why and damage control, if poss!

 

[Richard Bryce]

Painting the inside is a no-no. Wood treatments can be poisonous if ingested. Birds may peck at the inside of the box, especially around the entrance hole in order to widen it, or ingest flakes of old paint.

 

[jurek]

Caterpillar wallpaper is best

 

[Abbygirl]

Right, we painted the outside of our birdhouse but not the inside. we get a family of birds coming 3 times a year. I think that its a house finch that we get. ITs a tourquise color that we painted the house.
JOyce

 

[Mangetout]

If you construct the birdbox out of pale softwood and leave it untreated, the inside will be almost as good for lighting conditions as it would be painted white.