Iodine for zebras?

[Diana]

I have a question that's been bothering me for a while. When I bought my zebras I bought a lot of other 'rubbish' that the shop-assistant was trying to sell, including an iodine cube. I vaguely remember that I read once that iodine is good for parrots and budgies' diet but I don't know about zebras.
When Bonnie, my zebra, lost some feathers around her beak after incubating eggs I was advised here to get some algae and feed her that because it helps with re-feathering... I read about the algae and saw that it had a high content of iodine and iron so I fed the zebras spinach leaves (which was a great success!!!) and grated some iodine from the cube I bought into their grit/eggshell dish. Now Bonnie's feathers have begun to regrow but I wonder now: is iodine something that should be part of a finch diet? And if so how often are they supposed to have it? I don't want to overdo it with it...

[debbie276]

I'd be careful with added iodine as too much is just as bad if not worse then too little.
Here's a nice area in the Finch Information Center about nutrition and their sources:
http://www.finchinfo.com/diet/index.php

[Diana]

I'd be careful with added iodine as too much is just as bad if not worse then too little.
Here's a nice area in the Finch Information Center about nutrition and their sources:
http://www.finchinfo.com/diet/index.php

Thank you, Debbie. I only grated a small amount once. I agree with you on the added stuff to the natural diets.

[TheWhiteFinchAviary]

Hey Diana!

Yes, Iodine is great for your Finches! Of course as long as it is regulated VERY carefully and is only served to supplement the nutrients they receive in their regular diet. It helps them with their molt and any other feather-production issues while it also increases their fertility. I use an Iodine-rich vitamin supplement in my Finches' drinking water that also contains other nutrients such as iron to improve their coloring, stress level and baby development.

As far as a dosage, I have no idea for cubes. Morning bird offers a liquid Iodine product that has the following dosage directions for Finches here that reads:

Add two drops of LIQUID IODINE to one quart of clean drinking water

I use Ioford from LGF and you can find more info about it here. This is part of the product description that warns against the dangers of feeding your Finches too much Iodine:

Iodine is the most important trace element for a good moult and for successful breeding, but in overdose retards the thyroid gland and therefore depresses breeding performance and retards the moult. Many breeders use iodine and iron but very few if any know the exact requirements for their birds.

[30 Seconds to Bob]

I also give the liquid iodine to ALL my birds during the moult and very sparingly throughout the year. Have been doing this for years. Bob

[Diana]

Thank you both for the advice. I guess I will offer it sparingly to my tweeties.

[TheWhiteFinchAviary]

No problem, any time! I wish I knew more about the cubes. I have had a couple of people who came to adopt from me ask me about them, but I always gave them samples of Ioford or Liquid Iodine to use instead since I was unsure about the correct cube dosage as I said. It just seems too risky for it to be an "eat as you need it" item to leave in a cage.

[Diana]

My zebras would not touch any of the 'cubes', not even the cuttlefish bone- they pooped on it and I threw it away. I give them eggshell instead. I only grated a bit of iodine for them now when Bonnie lost her feathers and I was worried they will not grow back (I had a canary hen once who was half naked, she had lost feathers after laying about 10 eggs in a row and she also developed a hernia- her feathers never grew back.).
I live in UK and there is no liquid iodine here in the pet shops, no liquid calcium either. I found some on Amazon.

[TheWhiteFinchAviary]

I always have some Liquid Iodine and Calcium plus around to be able to pass out samples. I wouldn't mind sending you a bottle of each! I imagine not being able to have access to that would be incredibly frustrating.

I wonder if it would be in good taste to sell products such as that on Amazon for people who strictly are outside the USA and who cannot otherwise buy it. Not much money in it but if it covers shipping costs and gets the much-needed products to bird lovers then I would start doing it myself. I always have it around in small bulk amounts anyway.

[Diana]

Oh thank you so much for the offer but I have already ordered on Amazon. It is Amazon UK and funnily enough it was a pet supply. Cannot understand why any of the pet shops don't have them, and I have been to many.

[TheWhiteFinchAviary]

You're very welcome. I'm glad you found some! That is very strange indeed but I know what you mean. Most of the pet stores I've been to don't offer much more than your standard cuttle bone and seed mix. I've almost always had to buy the right supplies online.

[gsjohnson]

I use this...
http://www.friskyfinches.com/frisky_fin ... r_glow.htm

[Diana]

I use this...
http://www.friskyfinches.com/frisky_fin ... r_glow.htm

Thank you!