Grit

JessCheekyMia

Regular Member
I have been using Soluble grit ever since I got Cheeky (my first bird) nearly 8 years ago. He has had no health problems, eats plenty of fresh fruit and veg and a happy little bird. This is the grit I use:
https://www.scarlettsparrotessentials.co.uk/gold-wings-bird-sand-grit-350g

Recently I recommended this to lovely Zoe, and Michael Reynolds gave me this reply "@JessCheekyMia sorry to be late with my reply on a early post you made. Grit should not ne given to tiels or any parrots you can give crushed oyster shell. please stop using grit. there is a post on this sight regarding the findings of autopsy after the death of parrots and the fact that the grit can stay in the stomach and is not digested. I felt I had to post this to inform new comers reading the posts."

So I would like to reply to this, I think I finally found this post on this sight regarding the findings of autopsy after the death of the parrot. However as I was trying to find this I came across lots of posts that was written after and there have been people saying they are using grit, and they never got a reply like I did. In my personal opinion I have done nothing wrong as I am using and have always been using Soluble grit. At least I don't allow my birds head to go in my mouth and my cages are always clean. A couple of people have said your reply was harsh and it was. If your going to be critical of other bird owners about the health and well being of their parrots then practice what you preach.

Roy went into a pet shop when we ran out of the soluble grit and the shop assistant tried to sell him insoluble grit. Roy had the knowledge to know that you can't use this.

I like what Roy said
"I've also read on line about parrot deaths due to ingesting grit, further research shows that these were rare cases and it was possible that the birds were under fed due to the fact that the owners were not aware the bowls were full of empty seed cases and failed to change the seeds, so the birds then got hungry and eat the grit in large quantity as the bird was hungry. Bird grit deaths is very rare.
I only put a small amount of grit in a separate bowl. I've never had any problems with using grit over the years.

I believe if you do add grit, offer very little to your parrot.

However I would like to hear everyone's points of views with this please.
 
JessCheekyMia, I’ve been reading your posts and your way of thinking and I believe u r a very kind and sweet person. I also believe that you shouldn’t get worry or annoyed though :(

grit is a potential threat though and even if we take the very best care for our feathered ones we should not use it. I don’t use it. Nor newspapers. Even the branches I peel them off and cook them
Before I insert them into the cage. But I’m a freak...in the past I’ve lost birdies and maybe I’ve become one :(. I missed the post you are referring into, though and gets me sad that I did :(


e.
 
Your lovely @JessCheekyMia if i lived closer to you id be inviting you round for a coffee chin up an keep doing what your doing. What You and roy do is amazing lots of respect for both of you always friendly and not critical.
 
Hi Jess the reason I had to do that post is to point out to any new keepers of parrots the dangers of using grit (now a new person may purchase grit and not ask for a Soluble type.) Unfortunately parrot keepers are in the habit of saying Grit and not defining the actual additive they are giving or making available. Oyster shell that is crushed is too often just referred too as grit and a person not knowing the difference of a grit can cause many a mistake as I have found out by new owners after they have just asked for grit at pet shops. I even come across one Lady that used Bird sand in a pot that she called it Grit. I know my post has concerned you and may of made you worry but that was not my intention. Crushed Oyster shell is a form of access to calcium for any parrot and being it is digested is not harmful and can only help. Do I allow my flock soluble grit? yes it is available and I use it for my female tiels lovebirds and budgies at times before they breed. I do not add it to there feed but have a separate pot I also have a pot of oyster shell grit available in both the front room and the bird room for any birds that are out of there cages. I prefer giving a powdered form of calcium (Vita-calc or similar product) sprinkled over there feed than a type that is added to water. Cuttle fish is a must for the smaller birds in there cages but even give one to my Macaws to chew and crush. Captive pigeons and doves should have the non soluble grit available as it help them with there digestion and by the way if you have a captive ostrich amongst your flock in doors stones should be made available for the same reason as the pigeons with there grit. You have not been doing wrong bye giving Oyster shells and I hope this post has eased your mind. Basically I just discourage the use of the word Grit for soluble additives.
 
Grit is a term used my manufacturers too...so I don’t see how we can avoid use of the term, otherwise that will be even more confusing for new or less experienced keepers.

I have one of the Versele Laga Mineral Blocks
http://www.northernparrots.com/loro-parque-mineral-block-for-parrots-400g-prod57551/
Which even has an amazon parrot on the packaging...and the description of it uses the term grit.

You are not doing anything wrong Jess; and you and Roy are very knowledgeable and take great care of your birds and always spend time trying to be helpful and supportive to other forum members, which is greatly appreciated.

Different keepers do things differently, and as you have remarked, Michael’s routine is different in a lot of ways to how others operate.
I’m sorry that you feel you have been singled out about this grit issue. It seems that Michael has gone from a post saying grit should not be given, to one that says he does use soluble grit with his tiels and budgies.

It would be good if everyone could take the time to read through their posts before hitting the post button, to ensure that their post makes sense, is clear and concise and explains the point they are trying to make with clarity, and not just say something is wrong or that someone should not do x,y,z without a proper explanation of the issue.

As mentioned there are published cases of mortality due to insoluble grit being fed to birds which remains undigested and blocks the crop.
 
in my original post I did say oyster shells now I try not to call it grit as this can lead to mistakes that can be wrongly interpreted by people with out knowledge. you . I , and Jess plus most parrot keepers know the different types of GRIT. new people to birds do not. I cannot help what others call it but these posts are often read by people whom are just thinking of getting a parrot and have no knowledge. Even the first time I asked for Grit I was given the non soluble type. I have helped many a person with there birds and you may be surprised just how many times I have come across the wrong grit being made available for budgies and tiels and even found it in finches cages. Nothing was aimed at any one individual and defiantly not Jess. My original post I was just trying to stop a easy mistake from happening that can cause harm to a parrot. Simply how we can stop confusion is to call it Crushed Oyster shells and not call it grit its that simple.
 
Jess quoted you Michael...and this is what upset her -

Quote
“Grit should not ne given to tiels or any parrots you can give crushed oyster shell. please stop using grit.”

You said stop using grit, do not give grit to tiels and parrots, implying that what she was doing was wrong, and what she was doing could cause her birds harm.

Since that you seem to have tried to clarify by saying that you think it is wrong to use the term grit...because there are different types and newer keepers might get confused, and that to avoid this you recommend oyster shell.

That’s fine, but that doesn’t solve the issue, as I said previously, manufacturers use the term grit widely, sometimes without clarification - so we need to guide people towards the correct sort of products depending on bird type.
 
I admit it is not worded the best well I am sorry it was interpreted the wrong way. I should of put the word grit in hyphens or added "the word" to make it clearer. Grit to me is used too often as there are so many types of grit. if the word soluble had been used by jess before the word grit I would not of needed to post the post I did. this post clearly shows the problem of the word grit and how people can get things wrong. Now I tried to stop the confusion by saying you can give your birds crushed Oyster shells and this is what Jess was giving her bird and what I expected her to mean. I clearly said the post was made too inform new people whom are reading the post and that was what I was aiming at. Jess is a lovely and knowledgeable person whom I admire and at no time wish to offend or make her fill that she is doing things wrongly and her concerns for animals and there well being cannot be questioned. yet again @JessCheekyMia I am sorry that my post has caused you worry and thought it was aimed at you. I can assure you, you have been doing the correct thing . Now I know I am not the best in wording things and my mind is more mathematical than English that was always a subject that I hated in school. but it has happened many times that my words have been taken wrongly even when a stated that avian light is used to help calcium in birds I was corrected stating it gives birds vit d. I should of used the words that it helps the body be able to absorb calcium. It may be easy for educated people to put things in to words that are clearly understood but to me I have always had difficulty and often cannot spell the words I want to use so I will be lost without the spell checker. but this may mean I put it in a different way than what I had intended so people can interpret the way I intended. it can be easy for you to say we should read our post carefully before posting and I believe I do but in my mind it reads correctly even if it is not. I lost out on a lot of education through illness as a child and as many know this includes problems though being paralysed and not having full access to the school. I never ever wish to offend any one and only have the welfare of parrots on my mind.
 
Thank you @Michael Reynolds.
I am so passionate about all types of animals and if I feel I have done something wrong to them I get really upset with myself. Roy always has to explain all the technical terms as I don't understand them. I missed a lot of time at primary and also secondary school due to no fault of my own.
When Amelia was ill my vet had to speak to Roy then he would explain it to me. I then got help and advice on here and with all that help I hopefully made my Amelia comfortable until she went to sleep for the last time.
I need people to explain things to me, I am so sorry. When I am at the zoo I ask questions and I am always going "Why" like a child would do lol. That's just me.
This grit issue had got me confused and I spent a day reading into it.

This is a link Roy sent me and he explained it to me. I think have a good read if you can.
http://littlefeatheredbuddies.com/info/nutrition-grit.html

I am sorry for everything xxxx
 
So i went an bought these items today is all this appropriate or is some of it not needed and is the crushed oyster shell right?
 

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So i went an bought these items today is all this appropriate or is some of it not needed and is the crushed oyster shell right?

I wouldn't use the extra vitamins especially if he is given the proper diet of seeds, fresh fruit and veg.
Iodine block a yes, use them with my birds. Crushed oyster shell again yes I would. In my recent research they say Australian breed birds can have insoluble grit too as this is what they have in the wild. But you need to go with what you feel is ok. But oyster shells is definitely a good idea and I would give him those.
 
I wouldn't use the extra vitamins especially if he is given the proper diet of seeds, fresh fruit and veg.
Iodine block a yes, use them with my birds. Crushed oyster shell again yes I would. In my recent research they say Australian breed birds can have insoluble grit too as this is what they have in the wild. But you need to go with what you feel is ok. But oyster shells is definitely a good idea and I would give him those.
Great so use everything but the water vitamins
 
Just to point out I will carry on using Soluble grit and advice to use it too. Instead of the insoluble.

@Zoe220615 Roy said he puts in a very small spoonful in a bowl.
 
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