[steinbock]

i've had parakeets for...oh gee, 11 years now? But only recently developed the vegetarian thing...does anyone else still give their birds access to cuttlebone? I'd like to step away from it, for the same reasons I don't eat fish...but I don't know how to make sure my babies get their calcium...and they absolutely destroy cuttlebones within a few days' time. So...any ideas?

please and thank you

 

[ynaffit]

No, my birds eat pellets that have all the calcium they need. If your birds won't eat pellets or high calcium veggies, you could get mineral blocks instead.

 

[Kiz]

Do you live near a beach? You could just pick up some pieces of cuttlefish there - they wash ashore like shells in some places. The cuttlefish bone is not just for calcium, it's to keep their beaks on good condition, too. If you move away from it maybe put a few, varied bits of wood in with them to give them something else to chew on so to speak.

 

[crystalteacup]

Yeah, mine go for the mineral blocks just as well as the cuttlebone.

 

[steinbock]

so if I just give them seed (they're parakeets, and pellets are really hard to find for them around where I live...) and a mineral block, their calcium needs will be met? (yeah, I knew about the beak thing too, but they chew on plenty of things

)

Thanks everyone!

(Oh, and sadly, no, i don't live by the beach

)

 

[Bits]

Birds need cuttlebone to trim their beak aswell as getting calcium from it. i still give my finches cuttlebone & i strongly suggest you do the same.I don't think you birds should be deprived of something they enjoy just because of your beliefs.

 

[steinbock]

alright...I think I'll just let them keep their cuttlebone, at least they're little and don't go through a WHOLE lot...

thanks

I just didn't want to be a hypocrite...I figure I've reached my hypocritical limit with milk/eggs

so, thanks again

 

[anonymousemo]

I have a quaker parrot and I don't give him a cuttlebone. Even if I did give him one, he wouldn't touch it. He's fine without (=