offering grit

Discuss and post questions on cockatoos with other parrot owners. Complete discussion of different subspecies including Moluccan, Umbrella, Goffins, Sulphur Crested, Galah, Slender Billed, Major Mitchell, Citron Crested and others.

Moderators: garrett, damian, kirsten, christie, conniep

offering grit

Postby Melissa on Mon Aug 27, 2007 12:06 pm

Let me start out by saying, I know that grit is not generally recommended for parrots because they shell their seed and in theory shouldn't need it to grind up the food in their gizzard. I've had birds for 25 years so I'm not a newby and I read and research a lot. That being said, I have a problem child in the form of a greater sulfer crested 'too. I used to participate on here about 5 years ago, and this used to be the place to go for good common sense cockatoo info.
My girl is 6.5 years old and tends to injest pieces of her toys that she shouldn't be eating. I've seen her eating slivers of wood and pooping them out. If I give her a rope toy, she will separate out the strands, ball it up in her beak to about the size of a small seed and swallow it. I've come home from work a couple of times to find a muticolored pasty mess of regurgitated string next to her water bowl. She does this with sisal, cotton, and the stringy stuff inside the palm frond piniatas. I've tried multiple diets with her over the years. All natural, pellet, trace minerals, etc. All to no effect.
This morning I had a bit of an epiphany. What if Ariel is eating stuff out of some sort of instinctive need to ingest gravel? I know true greaters are ground feeders in australia and that a lot of aussie bird keepers still offer gravel. What do you think about offering her some gravel? Not free choice like we used to before we knew better, just a pinch maybe every few weeks.
If I wanted to do this, where would one go to find grit of a size suitable for a bird her size? I know they still make it for cockatiels, but I've never seen it marketed for bigger birds. I think Robert Palvis used to post here about giving his Wendall some grit. Hopefull he still posts here?
Thanks,
Melissa


Log in to avoid seeing this advertisment
Melissa
Egg
Egg
 
Posts: 41
Joined: Wed Oct 18, 2006 6:41 pm
Location: Iowa
Feedback: 0|0|0
Rate my sale, purchase or posting knowledge by clicking the feedback above


  • Log in to stop seeing Google Ads

  • Postby ParrontPlus on Mon Aug 27, 2007 12:52 pm

    'Toos who frequently ingest non-food material scare the poop out of me. I'm no vet, but unless yours has a better idea, I think offering her a small, measured quantity of grit might be a good idea, Melissa.

    Having never fed grit to any bird other than my childhood budgies, I wonder if you'll see it come out -- or if it gets pulverized. If you can see it, and you've counted what you gave her, then you might have an idea whether it's getting stuck along the way. If it usually gets pulverized -- and that's the object, I suppose -- then just limiting the amount might be your best safeguard.

    Someone like Nancy Speed who breeds a lot of 'toos might have good advice for you based on experience.

    Wishing you good luck, Paca
    ParrontPlus
    Flock Leader
    Flock Leader
     
    Posts: 1645
    Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2006 10:58 am
    Feedback: 3|0|1
    Rate my sale, purchase or posting knowledge by clicking the feedback above

    Postby Cyndie on Tue Aug 28, 2007 1:35 pm

    Rober still does post now and then...right now, I think he is on a little well deserved camping trip with family...I'll drop him a line and ask him to read when he gets home...other than that...I'd be interested in knowing...I have several toos, but none that ingest....Shauna might be able to help you....
    User avatar
    Cyndie
    Chick
    Chick
     
    Posts: 279
    Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2006 5:51 pm
    Feedback: 0|0|0
    Rate my sale, purchase or posting knowledge by clicking the feedback above


    Return to Cockatoo Chat

    Who is online

    Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests