cuttlebones?

[Tanglwood02]

Hi folks...my avian vet said I didn't need to put cuttlebones in my birds cages because they get everything they need in their pellets and chop. But I feel like I should? Do you all put cuttlebones in your birds cages and if so what brand? Thanks!

 

[zERo]

Personally, I don’t use cuttlebone and haven’t for close to a year.

I’ve found it’s not really necessary and, your vet is correct, a varied diet of chop, pellets, sprouts etc. should provided your bird with adequate nutrition, of course, only if your bird is eating everything offered.

I do give the budgies a manu block and am thinking about getting one for the other birds too as they really seem to enjoy chewing it.

 

[ravvlet]

I don’t use a cuttlebone either, and I don’t supplement calcium. From what I understand you shouldn’t need to unless you are breeding your birds and they’re actively laying. Your vet will know from their blood work if they have and deficiency issues and can help you address it through diet changes!

 

[Owlet]

I give cuttle bones as a safety measure especially for Ms Egg Laying Apollo.

I have also begun supplementing Lincoln with calcium as his bloodtests were coming back that he was really low in calcium.

 

[Keet_Krazy]

I don't use them, they are a good grooming tool but that's about it for me. Some birds can actually be receiving too much calcium from pellets, so I wouldn't ever try supplementing without professional advice.
Out of curiosity I did a bit of reading into calcium and birds a while ago, while cuttlebone can provide calcium it's not the most bioavailable form of it. My conclusion I came to was, it's one of the most reccomend basically because it's one of the cheapest forms.

 

[Greenhouseparrots]

I never used to use them and my birds seemed fine without them. I did get some recently and some of them absolutely loved them. My co worker recently went to the beach and brought me back a cuttlefish and the flock are going crazy for it so it's something I'm going to keep for them.

 

[TaylorLincoln99]

Hi folks...my avian vet said I didn't need to put cuttlebones in my birds cages because they get everything they need in their pellets and chop. But I feel like I should? Do you all put cuttlebones in your birds cages and if so what brand? Thanks!

Hi! my vet told me the same thing. She said if the bird likes it, it wouldn’t hurt to give it to them but most birds (in her experience) haven’t enjoyed or needed cuttlebones.

 

[onamom]

I have one in Ona’s cage but she never touches it.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I have one in Ona’s cage but she never touches it.

I wonder about how important chewing on wood and other things is for beak health. I've budgies that never gnaw on anything and their beaks are in great condition and never need trimming. And I've had a couple budgies that needed regular beak trims regardless of how much wood they gnawed on. I don't think parrot beaks are like rodent teeth that continue to grow during their lives and must be worn down by gnawing on wood.
I'm more convinced that underlying metabolic diseases cause parrots beaks to chronically overgrowth. Anyone have an opinion on this?

 

[Rosalindagg]

I have one in my cockatiels cage only because in May she layed an egg and I heard calcium was good. I’ve just kept it in her cage ever since then. She’ll sometimes chew some but it’s not everyday thing. She’s also my picky bird who will not eat certain things. She eats less pellets out of my other two birds so I figured it wouldn’t hurt.

 

[Rico_Tiel]

I have cuttlebone in both of my cages. With a proper diet, it isnt needed, although I would still keep one in there just in case, especially for a hen.

But, neither of my birds are on a proper diet, but are on the path to it.

 

[clark_conure]

I buy these......Just because the budgies and the conures love chewing on them and it keeps them from chewing on the blinds....

Amazon.com

They kept eating them and this was my solution now they ignore the wood and if they get calcium great.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I buy these......Just because the budgies and the conures love chewing on them and it keeps them from chewing on the blinds....

View attachment 53047

Amazon.com

They kept eating them and this was my solution now they ignore the wood and if they get calcium great.

It looks like they did a number on your blinds. I find that some of my budgies love chewing cuttlebones but just quickly reduce them to a pile of cuttlebone dust for me to clean up. I guess they must swallow some of it.

 

[clark_conure]

Oh it all becomes dust. But better than vacuuming splinters of wood.