Grit Poll

[Alec's Finches]

Please answer the grit poll. thanks

[Sally]

I will vote yes, and that is because GRIT, as in oystershell grit, is soluble and can be used for our finches and is good for them. GRAVEL, as is often sold in pet shops, is bad for them. They do not need gravel to grind up the seeds they eat, as they dehusk them before eating them. There is so much confusion over this subject, and I think much of it comes from the two terms being used interchangeably.

[L in Ontario]

I did vote yes for the same reasons Sally stated above. Oyster shell grit is what I provide for my finches and I add crushed charcoal to it as well.

[lovemyfinch]

Oops, I voted no, not realizing that the oyster shell and charcoal I give my finches was considered grit.

Janine

[nixity]

I agree - I feel like the question should be re-worded (depending on the question you really have) as either:

Is Insoluble Grit Necessary for Finches?


Or


Is Soluble Grit Necessary for Finches?

Though they have found INSOLUBLE grit in many wild birds, and have witnessed birds actively eating bits of dirt and stone. There is still a lot of degree of controversy over the subject. But I think the issue is that I don't think the wild birds consume it all the time.
Impaction can occur with soluble grit as well - especially if the bird goes from a place where it was never offered, to a place where it is freely available, they will sometimes (particularly hens) gorge themselves on it.

[dfcauley]

Grit is a great debate..... I give my birds F-vite which is a combination of grit, minerals and etc..... I leave a dish of it out and available at all times for my birds. I am constantly seeing one at the dish and it is usually after they have eaten seeds....

I would say yes.... but you have to be careful of the kind you use.

[Sally]

Oops, I voted no, not realizing that the oyster shell and charcoal I give my finches was considered grit.

Janine

This is my point exactly, the confusion comes from what each of us considers grit. Grit is not gravel, but gravel can be grit.

[Alec's Finches]

thanks for helping me decide if i should buy grit , but if i dont feed grit is it bad?

[Alec's Finches]

and also, what is grit paper good for? and is it a good buy or is it a waste?and it looks like you need to frequintly need to chage it.

[Sally]

Well, oystershell grit supplies a lot of soluble calcium. My birds visit the mineral cup a lot, and I believe for the most part, they eat what they need, unlike humans, who love cheeseburgers, even though they have a gazillion fat grams! So if they are eating the grit, they probably need it.

[Alec's Finches]

so you think they cant get too much grit? I read a few fourms and they said not to leave grit avaible at all time. But i dont know to much so ill go with what you said

[franny]

I use a combination of oystershell "grit" and charcoal. Leave it available all the time. But I'm not sure I'd leave out the "gravel" all the time (non-soluble grit). That's usually what's in the paper grit you buy in the pet stores meant to go either on the perches or on the floor of the cage. I wouldn't bother with that. Too many people on here have been keeping finches for years without it, for me to think it's necessary.

I imagine that in small amounts it might be safe, but necesary? I don't think so. But the oystershell or calcium grit, we know they need. However, they can also get calcium from cuttlebone, or crushed eggshells. So it's really what's easiest for you I guess. I would think that eggs and eggshells would be the ideal food for them. What better to help them make more eggs? But the oystershell which comes pre-crushed is convenient, so many use it. There are a couple of online stores that sell pre-crushed eggshells and I've been considering that, as I don't eat many eggs, so this would be another convenient way to make sure they get their "grit" and calcium at the same time.

[trljr14]

I just use the crushed oyster shell and charcoal,tom.

[mickp]

my birds have it available all year. a mix of crushed egg shells, charcoal, crushed cuttlefish. they are always picking at it

[CandoAviary]

There does seem to be some confusing terms.
I have always used the term grit to mean gravel. The original Hartz Mountain cardboard boxes offered gravel/grit. This product was chrushed quartz... ie sand. Many companies still offer this product and still package it in cardboard boxes.
Years late with all the controversy over grit, companies started producing ground/crushed mollusk shells.. ie oyster, mussels, clams
They called this mineral grit. This product does contain minerals good for the finch diet where as quartz has no minerals that can be digested.
The debate is whether these sand particle are nescesary for the gizzard to grind seed/bugs. The gizzard grinds seeds by muscles that push the seed from one side of the organ to the other. Gravel may aid in this action but if too much gravel/sand is ingested then the organ may be impaired/blocked and cause the bird distress.
So depending on what product you buy depends on what it is called. Also what it contains. Also depending on the bird and it's habits and dietary needs will dictate as to what to offer the bird.
I personnaly offer a mix of 10 parts mollusk shell
3 parts charcoal
2 part sand/gravel
1 part trace mineral powder
1 part powder kelp
.5 part garlic
.5 part powdered bee pollen

I feed approximately 1 rounded tablespoon per pair of breeders.
I fill weekly and usually what is left in the bottom of the grit cup is the sand/gravel and a little dust. So the sand I guess is just not that important to them. I also have cuttle bone available at all times.