calcium blocks

[tex]

Anyone bother with the little pink blocks that can be bought, i bought one 3 months ago and my birds have never been near it (well maybe once or twice to take a _ _ _ _ ) they have cuttlebone and i give them egg 2/3 times a week along with regular greens, should i remove the block as it seems an unneccesary addition to the cage?

[Fraza]

tex I would remove it but keep it around because they contain iodine and if a bird ever gets ill it can be used as medication to get them better

[Fraza]

Sometimes if u snap a piece off the block it has abit of cuttlebone inside and the birds decide they want to eat it

Lol crazy

[wildbird]

Some people shave a little of it off and mix it with the mineral grit.

[tex]

Some people shave a little of it off and mix it with the mineral grit.

This is another bone of contention,some people advise against the feeding of grit again saying it is an unneccesary addition to the diet of finches and possibly even harmful

[tex]

Sometimes if u snap a piece off the block it has abit of cuttlebone inside and the birds decide they want to eat it

Lol crazy

Thanks Fraza, i tried some ground cuttlebone recently and again they wont go near it

[Fraza]

tex really it’s so strange I’ve had a few do this but they eventually learnt off the other finches but obviously urs don’t have anyone to copy off

Have u tried making a foraging box and puttin bits in so they pic it up out among Borden

[tex]

tex really it’s so strange I’ve had a few do this but they eventually learnt off the other finches but obviously urs don’t have anyone to copy off

Have u tried making a foraging box and puttin bits in so they pic it up out among Borden

Thanks Fraza, i doubt they are short of calcium as they get a good mixed diet as well as a cuttlebone which they use as an alternative perch.

[Fraza]

tex no I’m not trying to say they have lack of calcium just those idodine blocks prevent illness

[Dave]

There is a vocabulary issue here. There is grit and there are minerals.

Grit: is crushed rock, like granite. It is used for birds like chickens or pigeons, birds that swallow seeds whole and need grit in their crop to help grind up the seed.

Minerals: This is usually a mix, including crushed shells for calcium plus different minerals like copper, iron, magnesium etc. Finches shell their seeds before they eat them, and don't need much grinding action in their crops. Mineral mix really shouldn't be called grit.

This is mineral mix: http://www.abbaseed.com/Seed_Products/M ... neral.html

[wildbird]

I figure the birds are smarter than we are and will pick out what they need.

[CathyCraftz]

They might be more used to cuttlebone for calcium.

[Sally]

There is a vocabulary issue here. There is grit and there are minerals.

Grit: is crushed rock, like granite. It is used for birds like chickens or pigeons, birds that swallow seeds whole and need grit in their crop to help grind up the seed.

Minerals: This is usually a mix, including crushed shells for calcium plus different minerals like copper, iron, magnesium etc. Finches shell their seeds before they eat them, and don't need much grinding action in their crops. Mineral mix really shouldn't be called grit.

This is mineral mix: http://www.abbaseed.com/Seed_Products/M ... neral.html

Exactly! Doves also need grit, as they don't hull their seed. Finches need mineral mix for the calcium and other minerals it provides to their body.