Petri is eating Paper Bedding

[Williamsong]

So I have a little box in Petri and baby's cage and I put some wood shaving/paper bedding in, I have noticed recently that Petri has been soaking he paper pieces in water and eating some of it. It is blue colored and I will attach a pic of what it looks like. She is not eating a lot of the bedding just some here and there, but is still eating her normal pellets and treats as usual. Is this paper toxic in any way? It says for birds on the bag but I don't think it is meant to be ingested.

 

[bigbluemacaw]

Hi William, its hard to say just on a visual. Most vegetable dyes will start to come out in warm water so I'd be inclined to try soaking some of the blue paper in warm water and see if the colour runs - if it does then you know you've probably got vegetable dyes and you should be O.K. If it remains colour fast it will more likely be chemical but even if this is the case short term exposure will probably be alright. The real risks are long term and possible cancers but this is over years . . When you consider food stuffs however, try and avoid these colourants and additives for your bird:
a) Red #3 - can cause Thyroid tumors, chromosomal damage, hyperactivity, may cross react with salicylates

b) Red #40 can cause Lymphatic tumors, hyperactivity

c) Blue #1 can cause Chromosomal damage

d)Blue #2 can cause Brain tumors

Green #3 can cause Bladder tumors

Yellow #5 can cause Thyroid and lymphatic tumors, allergy, hyperactivity

Yellow #6 can cause Kidney tumors, chromosomal damage, allergy

But again all after long term exposure. Overall, at this stage I'd probably not worry to much about the bedding, but when you replace it choose something natural (wood shavings BUT NOT from treated wood perhaps?

Good luck

Blue and Daddy

 

[Williamsong]

I soaked a few of the blue pieces in a shot glass full of water and then took them out and the water was still clear. So that means its chemical dye?

 

[bigbluemacaw]

Yup chemical almost certainly. Don't panic buddy though, you may find your bird is just ripping it apart for fun rather than eating it. But overall, remove it and maybe go to Hamster bedding (which can be eaten - I think!!)

 

[Aquila]

It looks like it's this, which I believe is discontinued.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008RQ5WNY/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687462&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000256DS6&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0Q5E0TFYQMSP397Q6H1D"]Amazon.com : Carefresh Shavings Plus Pet Bedding, 69.4 L : Small Animal Bedding : Pet Supplies[/ame]

Ingredients
Wood pulp, cellulose

Probably not the best to ingest, but shouldn't be particularly harmful, I'd worry more about some kind of impaction.

I'd recommend using something like this, which you can also find on many bird supply sites.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/carefresh-Crinkles-Bedding-Mardi-Gras/dp/B0098B6LWI/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1445818938&sr=1-2"]Amazon.com : carefresh Crinkles Bedding, Mardi Gras : Pet Food : Pet Supplies[/ame]