Calcium Question

[Mela]

OK here goes. I have a TAG Named Max and was just courious only becaues I know they need calcium---I do have an otti lamp for him but (Outlaw if your there) I read in one of the posts that you give yours a calcium supplement. Is it strictly an animal calcium or can you crush one human calcium pill and if so how often. I feed him a wide variety of seed/pellets/and plenty of fresh fruit and veggies plus what ever else i am eating. His feathers are beautiful and perfect. so should I or shouldn't I?? Thanks for any help. I have been very courious about this. Thanks Mela

[The Outlaw]

Mela:

I feed all 10 of my birds from the same bowl. I mix up soaked beans, bag of frozed mixed veggies, box of frozen collards, chopped fresh broccoli, bag of cranberries or chopped fresh fruit such as apples, pears, peaches, and about and some form of protein. I usually offer chopped hard boiled eggs, shell and all or some other protein source (such as chicken, beef, fish) including cracked bones from chicken or ribs and about once a week I add 3 pulverized oyster calcium tablets mixed well into this whole shebang. Then I add either cooked brown rice, barley, cous cous or some form of pasta (cooked al dente). This will usually feed my 10 birds one meal for about 3 days.

I also offer Swiss chard, turnip greens, kale, spinach, mustard greens and broccolini in season, steamed or just chopped fresh. I'll substitute blueberries, blackberries or bosenberries for cranberries when they are in season. I only offer strawberries that I grow, for they are heavily sprayed with insecticides in the supermarkets and I don't think you can really get all of it off from normal cleaning. That's another problem with bananas, but my birds love them so I relent. I split one banana between 4 BG macaws, and another between my other 6 birds.

I feed a lot of stuff and constantly experiment.I feed either sweet potato or squash at least once a day, usually mashed, with the juice from one orange and a little peanut butter. This is a warm morning breakfast for the fids of **********.

I could go on and on. I'll stop here however, cause I'm tired of typing.

[Mela]

Thanks for the information. I'm glad I asked what kind of calcium to use. I didn't know it was the oyster calcium. I usually do alot of cooking and experimenting like you do because I usually steam veggies for my dogs and they also share all the fruit with the birds. Now for my final question... Should I start giving it to max and sushi 1x a week or do you think they really don't need it. Thanks Mela
Oh and finally I'm starting to get the hang of it here

[art]

Originally Posted by Mela

OK here goes. I have a TAG Named Max and was just courious only becaues I know they need calcium---I do have an otti lamp for him but (Outlaw if your there) I read in one of the posts that you give yours a calcium supplement. Is it strictly an animal calcium or can you crush one human calcium pill and if so how often. I feed him a wide variety of seed/pellets/and plenty of fresh fruit and veggies plus what ever else i am eating. His feathers are beautiful and perfect. so should I or shouldn't I?? Thanks for any help. I have been very courious about this. Thanks Mela

Agrican Greys can not assimulate calcium as well as other parrots. IN either case I like to have a calsium source in their cage. Cuttle bone is a good source but normally ends up in the bottom of their cage. A mineral block is another good source. some time it will go for a long time before the birds dives in. you can also take the egg shells from the eggs you use and grind them up. ( I do not believe in feeding egg shells unlsee you have baked them for at leadt 30 minutes to kill the bacteria if any. Add to a corn bread with other things he will not eat and they normally dive into the corn bread with relish. ( freeze what you don't need. I personally don't like to put anything in their water but do feel a calcium source is a good thing. if the cuddle bone ends up on the cage floor then grind it up and put some in the scramble eggs?
but do have a source at all times.. good luck. art