I fed them with a special mix of "rohhack", Pronutro, dried crickets and mealworms. On 1 December 2009 they left the "cave" I had built them from a cardboard roll and started flying around in the cage together with their "friend", a red-faced mousebird which I was also raising. One could sit in front of the cage watching them for hours; they were such beautiful creatures both in colour and in character. Prior to releasing them I had them ringed by licensed local bird ringers. On 15 December 2009 I opened the cage door and they left leaving me behind with one eye laughing and one eye crying. They are free - and they are still around with a flock of bee-eaters roosting in our neighbour's tree every night. In March 2010 I managed to take a picture of one of them. One cannot see the ring in the picture but I am almost 100% sure I saw a ring on its leg when it took off.