Grit & Egg food?

[QuakerMom]

It seems I cannot ever get the search function on this site to work and I'm sure this question has been asked time and time again..

While I was at the pet store, I picked up some Browns brand Avian Grit plus. It has granite grit, charcoal (not sure they need that but doesn't hurt to ask!), calcium, vitamin & trace mineral and is licorice scented. Smells pretty good actually. Heehee

Also bought Higgins brand Proteen (yes, spelled proteen) Egg Food. It has dried eggs, honey, and bread in it. I bought it as a treat and Piper loves it. She also likes the grit.

Does anyone else use these products? Or something similar? Or are you opposed to them, and if so why?

 

[jugoya]

Parrots don't need grit... in fact it can do them serious harm I've heard.

Avoid it.

If you need calcium for your birds I'd say egg shells are the best way to give it to them.

 

[QuakerMom]

Ohhh. I just finished reading several articles about grit for parrots.

The bad news is they don't need it and it can kill them. Why the world is it marketed for hookbills then?!?!?!?!?
The good news is I know of lots of birdies (wild birds, chickens) that would love the grit. And it was a small bag. And it was cheap

 

[MikeyTN]

You can give them crushed oyster shells too! But they would really go after cuttle bone if they needed calcium!

 

[MonicaMc]

Oyster shells and cuttlebone are also grit.


Parrots out in the wild eat 'grit' - small pieces of sand, stone and pebbles. Do they need it? Not necessarily, just as much as we don't need fast food.

There is soluble and insoluble grit. (whether or not it can be digested)




If you feed it, you'll want to feed a very small amount, if not tiny/minute amount of it. If you over feed on grit, or if you have a sick bird that eats too much grit, it can lead to crop impaction and death. It is also said that grit could cut up the walls of the crop, causing pain.

Having said that, your bird wont die from not eating it as long as they eat a healthy diet!





The occasional cooked eggs (scrambled/boiled) can be used for extra calcium/protein too.

 

[QuakerMom]

I think I'm going to get her a cuttle bone. She has thick layers of her beak peeling off so I think she needs something abrasive to rub her beak on..

 

[MikeyTN]

From raising birds for years, I watched the momma birds feast heavily on cuttle bone, mineral block, oyster shells, egg shells, etc right before they lay. They also feast on them to feed their chicks for growing purposes. Any other time they do not touch them.

 

[Megapixel]

I think I'm going to get her a cuttle bone. She has thick layers of her beak peeling off so I think she needs something abrasive to rub her beak on..

Get a good concrete perch or two.

 

[Blueridge]

Birds without hook bills need grit to digest seeds, because they swallow them whole instead of cracking them open like hook-billed parrots. Finches, doves, canaries etc. need it.

It's dangerous to parrots, although the little bit he has eaten already probably won't do him much harm.

Get him a cuttlebone for calcium and maybe a sand or concrete perch for his beak. But don't use the sand/concrete perch for his primary perch because they can cause bumble foot if the parrot is on it too often.

Good luck!

 

[crimson]

I agree with Monica on this one. Grit is dangerous to any bird. even though it contains good properties.

Birds can and will eat too much of it and get a impacted crop from it.

I had a beautiful female yellow back goudian finch eat grit, then days later she started puffing up, she died later that week. she had an impacted crop and I am to assume it was from the grit. I had her for two years with no issues, I had just placed the grit in their cage for the first time just days before.

 

[QuakerMom]

Thanks everyone. I'm sorry about your finch, Crimson

Piper didn't go to town on the grit so I doubt she ingested too much. As soon as I learned that it could kill her, I dumped her dish out and refilled it without grit. Not giving that stuff to her or any other hookbill, Ever! I just can't believe it's marketed for parrots. Has a picture of a cockatiel right on the front. Grr

 

[Blueridge]

Wow you're right. What the heck. The people at Browns must be stooopedd or somethin.

 

[MonicaMc]

Why do stores sell cigarettes and alcohol? Why are there fast food places??? We all know that stuff is bad for our health!!!


If you understand why those things are sold, then I think you could understand why companies sell chocolate coated seeds (with wax!), mite protectors and other potentially harmful products or junk to our pets!

 

[QuakerMom]

Chocolate coated seeds?? Mite protector? I know chocolate is deadly for birds but never heard of a mite protector.

Things like this, designed with the unsuspecting consumer in mind, make me want to find the head chief of this brilliant marketing ploy and kick him in the... shins.

I'm glad I found out about these dangers before something bad happened. I've only had my Piper for 5 1/2 months but losing her would be terribly painful.

 

[MikeyTN]

Mite protector is one those hang on the side of the cage round metal container. It's ineffective plus toxic to birds.

 

[QuakerMom]

Nice. I thought most indoor birds don't have mites, unless they've been outside or an infected bird comes into the house?