FINCHforum

Hi

I make up a vitamin and mineral supplement from various bird powder supplements plus my own human supplements. They've done well on this, but I want to make absolutely sure that there is nothing toxic or detrimental in there: Are there any vitamins or minerals that are toxic to finches that I should avoid including? I know about zinc wire and birds, but that's the high dose metal that's the problem, not the 'food dose' mineral ... isn't it??

I ask because I had a strange incident. I had two 1 week old Gouldian babies in the nest in Winter at the very end of the breeding season. I supplemented with my latest mix to help keep them healthy. The next day both babies were dead, with crops full of seed. It may be total coincidence because that night was cold, windy and rainy, and the two babies were in a bare wicker nest with no nesting material at all (bad parents!) It could just have been a bad chill, but they'd made it that far so it did make me wonder about my supplement mix, just in case it was my fault

Thanks

What minerals and vitamins do you give on a regular basis ?

The answer to that question is rather long. I'd prefer to stick to the main question - whether there are any minerals that are toxic.

Hi Stephanie,

Yes, there are vitamins and minerals that can be toxic to birds when given in high doses. Vitamin A will accumulate in the liver and can lead to death in high doses. Calcium also accumulates in the liver, and in high doses will cause lesions to form on the liver which will lead to death. Iodine is a necessary mineral that if given in high doses will lead to death over time. So you have to be careful to not overdose your birds creating hypervitaminosis. They need these vitamins and minerals, but in the correct doses.

They way to avoid overdosing your birds is to offer these vitamins in free choice foods, and let them forage for them as they need them. Never put vitamins in their drinking water, as this forces the vitamins on your birds, as they have no choice but to drink the water. The same goes for sprinkling a product like calcium powder in a homemade egg food. Again this forces the calcium into their diet, and can lead to overdosing. Use a free choice mineral grit like oyster shells or egg shells instead, or offer the calcium powder free choice in a treat cup.

The most recent example of forcing vitamins and minerals on birds causing problems that I can think of came from a customer who told me this story: He started using liquid iodine in the drinking water for balding in his Gouldians. He also used the same drinking water with the iodine in it for his doves. After about six weeks, the Gouldians started to show pin feathers, good news. At about the same time, he lost a dove. Then a few days later, another dove died. After a week, more doves had died, so he took the last two that had died to his vet for a necropsy. The finding, iodine poisoning.

The dosage for one bird species is not always appropriate for other bird species, and the way to avoid this is through allowing your birds free choice. For instance, instead of using liquid iodine in the drinking water, offer powdered kelp in a free choice treat cup.

So vitamins and minerals are an essential part of a bird's nutrition, but you need to let them select the levels they consume on a free choice basis through the food they eat.

Hope this helps!

Bill Van Patten
http://www.FabulousFinch.com

Well it sure helped me. Thank you for that information Bill.

Thats about what I thought thanks for the explanation,I really dont think a lot of these pet shop vitamines are good for our birds,If they get a good diet thats more important.Oyster shell charcoal egg shell and powdered kelp I have them free choice as do a lot of members on here