DO NOT Feed GRIT to Parrots

[birdscomefirst]

Hi All,
I haven't seen anything on this although there mahy have been something pertaining to grit before I signed up to these forums.

A dangerous misconception with parrots, from budgies on up is that they need grit in their diets. It's untrue and it's unsafe to feed parrots grit.

Grit is not required to be given to normal, healthy parrots. Grit is ingested by birds like pigeons and doves as they eat seeds whole.

INSOLUBLE GRIT is used to aid in the digestion of unhulled seeds.

PARROTS HULL THEIR SEEDS and as a result, they do not need grit! Insoluble grits like the fine sandstones and silicates (sand) that is sold cannot be digested and will remain in the birds body until it is expelled.
It is possible for INSOLUBLE GRIT to cause a fatal impaction of the bird's crop or intestines.

The CROP is a sac-like enlargement of a section of a bird's esophagus, with thick muscular walls. The crop stores and softens food so it can be digested.
An IMPACTED CROP is one that is blocked by foreign material such as GRIT, HAIR, PLASTIC FIBER (POLYESTER) etc.

If a parrot has an Impacted Crop, It can not take in the nourishment it needs and it will eventually die unless it receives veterinary attention!
If a parrot's intestines become blocked with grit, the bird will not be able to pass digesting or digested food out of it's system. If this occurs, the death of the bird is a likely outcome.

SOLUBLE GRIT composed of organic materials such as oyster shell or cuttlebone is digested by acids in the birds digestive system and almost never accumulates in the digestive tract. This type of grit does ALMOST NOTHING to aid in digestion but it can be a source of calcium. Calcium, however should come from other sources in the diet such as unsalted almonds. Even Cuttlebone sold as a form of soluble grit and assumed to be safe can be harvested from Cuttlefish that were taken from polluted waters and that cuttlebone if ingested by your bird could be a source of heavy metal poisoning.

HEAVY METAL POISOINING is an accumulation of heavy metals in the system of a bird. Things like MERCURY, LEAD,and ZINC getting into your bird's system from food and other sources is dangerous. It has very negative effect on the nervous system and if left untreated will kill your bird.

If you were told that your parrot needs grit, FORGET ABOUT IT!!


I just thought I would add this thread.

Thanks,
Bill

[homebird]

Good luck with this one ... was reading a British Mag & they were listing Grit as part of the Budgie requirements.
However I do agree with you - having read a lot of logical explinations that are given.

[AmandaB]

Doesn't help when the pet stores sell boxes of grit with cockatiels and other small parrots on them. Folks see it and think its a need. I thwarted countless sales of grit when I worked at a popular pet store, most people had no idea why they were even giving it to their bird.

[birdscomefirst]

Hi,
I know, but hopefully at least the folks who are on the forum who are not aware of this can throw the stuff out.
Bill

[Buteo]

I had grit available to Milkshake & Petey.
Milkshake used it, but Petey never touched it - but then I've noticed Petey drinks very little compared to what Milkshake did too.

[kp_in_scott]

But you can feed grits to a bird. Here's Kiwi eating grits and eggs. lol

[TooLover]

Originally Posted by kp_in_scott

But you can feed grits to a bird. Here's Kiwi eating grits and eggs. lol

Oh yes - mine love grits as well! Great pictures!

[TooLover]

Originally Posted by AmandaB

Doesn't help when the pet stores sell boxes of grit with cockatiels and other small parrots on them. Folks see it and think its a need. I thwarted countless sales of grit when I worked at a popular pet store, most people had no idea why they were even giving it to their bird.

I was going to bring this point up also! Ticks me off when I see it offered in the pet stores as a prerequisite to what is needed. I also get mad when I see the mirrors sold - my hairdresser has a mirror for her little one - I told her to get rid of it!

[jlunn23]

I refuse to sell grit to my customers. I always have to explain why they don't need it. I also have to discourage customers from buing the pelleted bird litter or the sandpaper for the bottom of their cages, it's a wonder my store makes money. I am constantly hearing from customers that this is what the other pet store told them to buy. Oh well. It's a never endng battle. I just hope I can educate one more person to proper bird care.

[birdscomefirst]

Hi,
GRITS is Good , GRIT is Bad :-) Not my best use of the english langusge. That was a great pic of that Amazon getting into some good home cookin' :-)

jlunn23, It's tough to explain some things to some people. Even some of the books that are out there are reprints of books that were really written in the fifties and sixties. There is a lot of old information out there and the more we can do to educate folks the way you try to do, the better for birds!

Have a GREAT WEEKEND,
Bill