Are flavored cuttlebones worse than plain cuttlebones?

[Rio Mom]

Its really not needed if your not breeding or egg laying hen.... mineral block would be good enough to grind and polish beak. Sand perch does the trick too!

Rio has a sand perch, but he is absoltely determined that he's not going to stand on it! I even tried hanging milet by it for a treat, and the little stinker just hangs off the side of the cage upside down and eats! lol

 

[Parrot Parent]

I provide it for all my lil birds cause it helps keeping their beaks in shape and my parakeets eat it alot! Xander doesnt seem to pay too much attention to it though

 

[MikeyTN]

Have you tried to place the perch at the higest level of the cage?

 

[Rio Mom]

Have you tried to place the perch at the higest level of the cage?

I will have to try that, because his favorite perch is the highest one. I was hoping he would stand on it at least occasionally to help his nails and beak stay trim. Although a coworker with a budgie, said that it does keep her birds nails trim, but it seems to make them sharp! Rio has been good so far about letting me trim his nails a little when they get sharp.

 

[MikeyTN]

Found this link to be a good source of information.


Avian Health Care

All that said i remember something said at a bird club meeting years ago that calcium wasn't absorbed by parrots I really don't know what the true answers are but the only source of calcium I use for my birds is cuttle bone or the blocks as well as a balanced diet. However i do know that we can overdose on the liquid calciums. My Vet recommends powdered calciums over the liquid.

Thanks for posting that Pedro! They feed chickens oyster shells to help with the hens producing eggs....its something I always provide for my hens when they nest...

 

[Spiritbird]

I give Rosie no supplements. My vet said a birds calcium level should be between 7 and 10. Rosie's was a good 9.5. Vet was very pleased and I do concentrate in calcium rich foods in her diet such as unhulled sesame seeds. They are 35% calcium. The hulled ones are much lower. She is also under full spec. lighting.

 

[Atwee921]

Thanks for all the info guys, I want my cockatiel to be the healthiest it can