Clay with birds?

MLaRue · Post by **MLaRue** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 10:23 pm

Has anyone use either of these clays with their birds or one like it?

https://www.realsalt.com/shop/redmond-c ... -clay.html

http://www.sunclaytherapy.com/clay_montmo1.html

Curious to know if others have any experience to share? Good or bad?

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 10:58 pm

Nope, can't say I've used it for my fids nor myself. Actually, I've never heard of using clay except for the clay pits that parrots frequent, in South America, I think.

cindy · Post by **cindy** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 1:25 am

Certain wild Macaws require clay in their diet, not sure about any finches or other parrots.

debbie276 · Post by **debbie276** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 6:33 am

I have a dish of bentonite clay in with the finches (goulds) now for a out 6 months. An old time breeder was talking about the wonders of it so I thought I would try. Honestly can't tell a difference though I have to say my birds were in excellent health, maybe it would would be beneficial if your birds were lacking something. Figured I'd offer it for another 6 months and then stop if I still dont' see a change.
Only thing I can say for sure is it didn't hurt.

MLaRue · Post by **MLaRue** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 12:06 pm

Deb,

Are you talking about Lester or Joe - they both speak highly of it. I just wonder why more of us haven't heard more about it.

I'm going to offer a free choice bowl of it when I have only four flights to feed - too many cages right now! I already have to change the food bowels more often because of poop in the dishes. I have enough perches for 10 birds and mine always seem to perch on the food bowels

So, now I put a dish at the bottom of the cage and no poop in the food.

debbie276 · Post by **debbie276** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 12:54 pm

I heard several older folk talk about the benefits of clay. Got curious enough to finally give it a try when Lester talked about it this summer, but honestly I see no difference. Now, maybe if your birds were lacking a mineral then it very well may help. In my opinion it's not worth the money from what I'm seeing here. If you do try it let us know what you think.
By the way, had no trouble getting the birds to try it, they love rooting around in dishes. lol

CandoAviary · Post by **CandoAviary** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 4:36 pm

I have been offering my birds the morning bird product Trace mineral dust. It is a montmorillonite powdered clay. Claims to have 63 minerals. I mix it with the oyster shell grit and egg shell in a seperate seed cup.

(Montmorillonite is a very soft phyllosilicate group of minerals that typically form in microscopic crystals, forming a clay).
http://www.just4birds.com/trace-minerals_powder.html
Also the Manu Clay mineral stones. I have these hung in the aviaries.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... atid=18004
Are these the types of clay you are referring to? What is the difference between these and the theraputic ones in the sites you listed. I am interested in adding to my birds diet if it is different.

nixity · Post by **nixity** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 4:05 am

Misty, didn't Richard say that Montmorillonite was the same as the Bentonite?

MLaRue · Post by **MLaRue** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 8:38 pm

nixity wrote:Misty, didn't Richard say that Montmorillonite was the same as the Bentonite?

Yes - he did. And, what Candace said makes it even more interesting about the clay in the Morning Bird Product... but mine won't touch that stuff

nixity · Post by **nixity** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 11:34 pm

I've never tried offering it on its own before.. I use it in the grit mix that I made based off of yours.. and all of my birds go crazy over that stuff

Post by **Sally** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 12:54 am

My grit mix is the Abba grit (blue stuff), plus I add Morning Bird Trace Minerals, a bit of crushed charcoal, crushed eggshells, plus powdered cuttlebone in the breeding cages. They all seem to like it, so I guess they are getting some of the montmorillonite clay.

MLaRue · Post by **MLaRue** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 11:47 am

I was just thinking about this last night. I mix several things together too and will start mixing the mineral/clay mix that I have from MB in the mix too. I actually put out a dish to my free flyers just to see if they would eat it sitting alone. Curious to see if they eat it and wonder if they don't because they just don't need it...

nixity · Post by **nixity** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 12:02 pm

When I have it in their cages 24/7 they don't seem as excited about it as if, say, I've removed it for some reason (like when we moved) and they haven't had access to it in a few days, then they dive on it.

I usually top it off about once a month or so. My birds seem to prefer the eggshell over the oyster and abba mineral grit, so that diminishes faster than anything else.

MLaRue · Post by **MLaRue** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 12:05 pm

I usually keep stuff like this in a "treat" cup and find the birds practice pooping in it

They love to do that!

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