FINCHforum

Has anyone tried this clay?
I know people that have parrots swear by it!
Also I read about it in National Geographic that parrots eat clay after they eat toxic nuts, to clean out their gut.

I am trying to give my birds natural supplements as much as possible.


As they say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

Just bringing it up to the top?
Anybody?

i have not used this. But I have been using Orlux clay, which is a reddish brown color. Orlux has a pick bloc and a mini clay. I buy these because they're for finches, canaries, and "small birds", not the Orlux Amazon clay for parrots. I don't know what my bird needs so I just offer what I can find. He does pick at it.

I have recently started using this, on the advice of a friend who has both parrots and finches. I haven't been using it long enough to know if it is making a difference. I mix it in with homemade eggfood. I think I might try to just add some to my mineral mix, which is offered free choice in a cup. Many of the Hagen products aren't readily available everywhere, but luckily I am in a seed co-op that orders from Hagen, so we have all their products available to us.

Paradise Aviary wrote:Where did you buy it ??

I bought it at PetSmart,
but have seen it at Petland
and a private shop called Pisces here in Calgary.
It's about $12 for the jar.
I gave it to everyone today on some greens and egg food.

http://www.hari.ca/introducing-new-livi ... -clay-cal/

Here is a link to the product.

I had a dish of the bentonite clay in the aviary for over a year and the birds did very well with it. This year I mixed it in my "grit" mix of charcoal, oyster shells and eggshells. It's available to them at all times, never thought about mixing it in their food. I was told when they need it they will go get it so I didn't think it was something I should add to their food.

First question Jerry, is how many toxic nuts do you feed your birds
This looks a lot like Snack Attach Mineral Grit which I offer in a treat cup. Mine also contains calcium carbonate .... makes me wonder: does this help them to burp ? ?
I will look in PetSmart to see if they have this; our PetSmarts seem to take FOREVER to get a new product on the shelves.

Jerry, are your birds eating this clay? Do you mix it in their food or offer separately? I offer mine free choice.
I too read about birds eating clay to neutralize toxins they may have consumed when certain fruits or plants are not in season, as these have defensive chemicals to deter birds. For example tannins and cyanides in small amounts.

I have been mixing in with the egg food, but not every time.
Today I didn't, but tommorow I will.
My worry is that birds like to go to the bottom of the cage and look for food, they get some poop too!
An ounce of prevention eh?

Paradise Aviary wrote:

BigBear0007 wrote:

Paradise Aviary wrote:Where did you buy it ??

I bought it at PetSmart,
but have seen it at Petland
and a private shop called Pisces here in Calgary.
It's about $12 for the jar.
I gave it to everyone today on some greens and egg food.

I'll go check hopefully they have it so I can try it out.

We're you able to find some Rancel?

BigBear0007 wrote: My worry is that birds like to go to the bottom of the cage and look for food, they get some poop too!
An ounce of prevention eh?

Do you mean candida? The clay is popular with old timer finch keepers, it seems. Perhaps trace mineral powder didn't used to be so readily available, or is it something else in the clay? Anyway I bought the Orlux cos it was there and will now try the Hagen Clay Cal, which I found on Amazon, by the way.

Been trying to get a red clay brick from Africa as cage furnishing for my GS. I thought he might appreciate something from his home continent, if he was wild caught.

I think I will start adding this to my mineral mix instead of the eggfood. Of course, I already use Morning Bird's trace minerals, so it may be overkill, but at least it will be free choice.

Sally,
I use the morning bird trace minerals also...
Cuttle bones
ABBA Minerals
Mineral Grit
Sterilized Oyster Shell, Mollusk Shell, Sterilized Egg Shell, Sea Sand, Charcoal, Refined Bone Meal, Calcium Propionate, Salt, Potassium Iodide, Iron Oxide, Ferrous Carbonate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Oxide, Nickel Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Magnesium Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Periodate, Colbalt Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, VITAMIN D3

Manu blocks http://www.mybirdstore.com/MANU_MINERAL ... TURAL.html

Macaws on the Manu cliffs
http://www.manuwildlifecenter.com/macaw ... center.htm

I don't think their is an overkill when you feed it free choice... I have found the birds know what they need. I have never used this clay-cal but I am sure it is worth adding