Amazon river clay

[Rubytoo]

Hi I just saw the wonderful trip to see the clay licks....
Who Wants to go to Peru to see Macaws at the Clay Licks?

And thii.
Here in the uk we can buy amazon river clay for our parrots made by versele laga ( a dutch company)
Orlux Amazon River Clay Bloc - £1.88 : Junglegold.com, Parrot Food, Bird Seed and Avian Supplies from Junglegold.com
The above link is what the packaging looks like.
Within a clay coloured block
I have bought a couple to see if our cockatoos and cockatiel like it. The price is very reasonable.
It comes in blocks that are fairly stable, but found that breaking chunks off and offering it in dishes is most acceptable. Cockatoos trash it. And the big block is scarey to our cockatiel..lol?

BUT does anyone know if this is taken from the clay licks or is it a " recipe" kind of thing that is made from sustainable sources...does not take from the natural source?
Thank you for any input

[SDavid]

Parrots in the wild eat clay primarily to neutralize the poison in the plants they eat. My question is with pellets which are formulated to contain everything they need why would a captive bird need to eat clay?

[Rubytoo]

lol good point...........you don't know what i feed our birds........
Not a pelleted diet I must say, not against a pellet diet though. What ever works:)
As a parrot carer, I look for new things to try, I look for ways to help and maybe improve our "pet" birds lives.
And bought the above, wishing to give them something that may..
Give them pleasure.
Give them some health benefits.
Some new toy to trash...

With additives that are..added to our water supplies , I also wish that it may neutralize any additives in the water here.
Wild birds have I have read have more acidic water than human supplies.
Hence I do add some apple cider vinegar..
Clay I think ...maybe alkaline...
No science..Just an anthropomorphic carer with hopes..
Is there a ROFLMAO emoticon...Ah well
Our cockatiel has had a dish of oyster shell "grit" for years and loves to dip into it.
Though parrots that shell their seed do not need Grit per say..

[tielfan]

Some studies indicate that they might be eating the clay primarily for the sodium in it, since they ignore other clays that have less sodium and more of the "good" minerals. In the US there's an artificial Manu mineral block containing nine minerals in the same concentration as the clay licks, including the sodium. There's no shortage of sodium in captivity so go easy on this stuff.

Here are some links about the sodium connection:
http://www.macawmonitoring.com/repor...lletal2009.pdf
Wildlife Conservation & Community Projects in Peru, Madagascar, Niger, Colombia and Indonesia

This last one isn't functioning at the moment but maybe it will come back:
http://vtpb-www2.cvm.tamu.edu/bright...ay%20licks.htm

[ROYJOY]

all wild birds eat dirt of varying kinds for minerals and digestion.

[Rubytoo]

Thanks for the input so far all, and also the links tielfan. I will have a proper read soon.
I am aware of the sodium/salt intake.
We do not give out birds much processed "people" food. And human food prepared and shared here is sodium/salt less.
We must remember that though high content is bad for birds, even birds need some salt/sodium to balance the bodys needs and survive.

artificial Manu mineral block,

We have those also "over here" And Manu mineral perches...duly trashed/chewed. lol?
Thank you all