Some Birdie Questions..

**Dogz** · 12-04-2003, 05:22 PM

I have a couple questions... so birdie experts, give me some advice!

Do you cockatiels need gravel paper? The pet store said that Nelly would need it to digest her food, so we got her some, do they need it?

Do cockatiels molt during a certain time of the year? I have been noticed extra feathers in the bottom of Nelly's cage, could she possibly be molting?

How about those sandpaper perch covers? Do those help for anything?

Thanks!

**GoldenRetrLuver** · 12-04-2003, 07:36 PM

Piper has sandpaper perch covers, they help wear down his nails. That "gravel" that they eat is called grit. Piper eats it, as it helps them to digest their food.

Sorry I'm not much help, I'm sure PCB will have good advice.

**popcornbird** · 12-04-2003, 10:13 PM

Originally posted by Dogz
I have a couple questions... so birdie experts, give me some advice!

Do you cockatiels need gravel paper? The pet store said that Nelly would need it to digest her food, so we got her some, do they need it?

Do cockatiels molt during a certain time of the year? I have been noticed extra feathers in the bottom of Nelly's cage, could she possibly be molting?

How about those sandpaper perch covers? Do those help for anything?

Thanks!

No, cockatiels do NOT *need* gravel paper/grit. Its completely unnecessary, from what I know. Some websites actually say it can be dangerous.....but I'm not completely sure of that.

Cockatiels molt minor molts several times a year, but that's only very very few feathers that you'd barely notice. Once a year they go through a major molt when they pretty much shed all their feathers........big, small, crest, everything, and get new feathers. They should NOT look bald anywhere during molting though, because new feathers grow in as they molt. Popcorn and Muffin are currently going through their yearly molt as well........so we have a feathered blizzard in the house!

Sandpaper perches keep their nails trim, but can be very painful for a bird's feet and can cause sores. Most books and websites I have read discourage their use. I bought them once, but returned them when I found out they aren't good for their feet.

Hope this helps!

**tikeyas_mom** · 12-04-2003, 10:29 PM

i have read that no bird actually needs grit in their diet.

**Dogz** · 12-10-2003, 10:04 PM

Originally posted by GoldenRetrLuver
Piper has sandpaper perch covers, they help wear down his nails. That "gravel" that they eat is called grit. Piper eats it, as it helps them to digest their food.

Sorry I'm not much help, I'm sure PCB will have good advice.

That's what I meant.

*blonde moment*

Thank you so much everyone!

**stacwase** · 12-10-2003, 10:18 PM

Kind of off the subject, but I had some bird questions of my own! I was driving home from work the other morning, after working all night. I was trying to stay awake during the long drive and my mind kept wondering.

I found myself thinking "Do people housetrain parrots?" They must, since they usually don't keep the parrots in a cage. I can't imagine they have parrot poop all over their houses.

Silly thing to wonder - but what's the answer?!?!

**captain** · 12-10-2003, 10:36 PM

Being a learner Birdie Mum still, I can offer advice as I have discovered with Jo.

Shell grit - she doesn't mind it, had abit but generally just biffs it all over the floor

. I put it in a separate bowl from her food.

Perches - I too have heard that the sandpaper ones are not good for birdies. I have natural branches along with one normal wooden perch, AND I have bought ones made from crushed shell, grit. Jo LOVES those and they come in different sizes so her feet do not cramp up on the little perches ........

As for house training a birdie. I believe you can do that, but Jo is not having a go at that at all! I am her slave ........

**Twisterdog** · 12-10-2003, 10:38 PM

i have read that no bird actually needs grit in their diet.

That's not true. There are species of birds that DO need grit to digest. The difference being in how the eat their seed. If you see the bird removing the hull - the thin, hard covering - from the seed, then they don't need grit. If you see them eating the seed whole, hull and all, they need grit to grind off the hulls of the seeds in their crops. A parakeet, cockatiel, canary or finch hulls its seed before eating, so they don't need grit. A little bit won't hurt them, but they don't have to have it. A chicken or a dove eats its seed whole, so it MUST have grit.

I agree with PCB, sandpaper perch covers look like a good idea at first glance, but they are really hard on birds' feet, and can contribute to a disease called Bumble Foot. Don't use them.

Yes, it is possible to housetrain a parrot, to some degree.

**popcornbird** · 12-10-2003, 10:49 PM

Housetraining? Well, I have taught both my birds to poop on command, and they are pretty good at it. I have a little waste basket under my desk, and they sit on the desk with me all the time while I'm on the computer. Every 20 minutes or so, I will hold them over the bin, and tell them *go*, and they will poop in the bin. I am not strict with them on this at all. If they have an occasional accident, its no big deal, because they are cockatiels, and well their droppings are just tiny and require no hard work to clean, BUT they do understand when I tell them to poop on command, so when I don't feel like getting up to get a napkin and clean after them, I will have them poop on command and they understand and listen. They do NOT poop all over the house though, and they are almost *never* in their cage. They've somehow trained themselves to go only in their cage or in their basket (where they play all day) OR wherever they are sitting/playing, but they also go on command. They have their *spots* where they go and play, and they are the same places every day, so if I know they are going to play in a certain area for long periods of time, I put a piece of paper under them, and throw it away later on. I've heard being too strict with birds on this can be bad for them, in the sense that birds need to relieve themselves often, so if they think they can ONLY poop when they get permission, they may hold it for too long while their *humans* are not at home, and it can be hard on their system.

My friend's conure rarely has accidents and tells them when he needs to *go*, by screaming *POOPIE POOPIE!!!* at the top of his lungs. LOL! Its hilarious, but he always says it at the right time, and then they will put him on his cage or over a waste bin, and he will go. He he. So yes it is possible to housetrain parrots. They are very intelligent animals.

**Nibbles** · 12-11-2003, 08:53 AM

I found myself thinking "Do people housetrain parrots?" They must, since they usually don't keep the parrots in a cage. I can't imagine they have parrot poop all over their houses.

They make birdie diapers.
Nibbles is getting one for Christmas.

Oyster shell makes a good grit and is good for egg laying and calcium. Just a sprinkle on the for everyday like salting your food.
Birds who go outside pick up enough sand and dirt for their grit needs.

**lute** · 12-11-2003, 03:55 PM

i used to give my budgie gravel perches and they helped with her nails,but they are uncofortable and can rub their feet raw.

**Kfamr** · 12-11-2003, 04:18 PM

My neighbors down the street jave had birds for years and years. They know lots about birds. The has one cockatiel and one that looks like Liana's birds.

There's poop all over the house and in their car (the lady takes them when she goes places sometimes.) I remember I used to go over there sometimes and had to always wipe bird poop off the couch.