|
|
|
sveta
Flutterer
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Posts: 171
Location: Canada, British Columbia |
| linning cage with gravel |
 |
|
The birddy stench is starting to drive my mom crazy! (To be honest, I'm not so fond of it eatheir.)
My pet store uses gravel in bird cages. It really helps reduce the "birdy stench". The thing is that I don't know wheather or not it is completly safe if eaten. It is used to be placed in pet cages should it shouldn't be toxic. But I wanted to make sure, do any of you use gravel in your pets cages? If so, does it work for you, do your fids tend to eat it? |
Friday August 10, 2007 9:58 pm |
|
|
cystanley
Flutterer
Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Posts: 159
Location: north carolina |
are you talking about real aquarium gravel, or corncob/walnut bedding, or what? I am not really sure but if it is paper based it might be safe? have you ever heard of carefresh bedding? it is paper based, so it absorbs "messes" I know a few breeders that use it in the nest box so I am guessing it is safe. I am not sure if parrots would eat it sorry  I just know it absorbs gunea pig stench fairly well. anyway hope I helped, and good luck! |
|
Friday August 10, 2007 11:37 pm |
|
|
shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7399
Location: Canada, Toronto |
 what "birdy stench"? Bird poop doesn't smell at all (except maybe the morning poop that has been held in all night). Do you change the paper daily?
Here's a list of beddings and the dangers of them: http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww12eiii.htm
Paper is always the safest.
I'm not sure what you mean by gravel, if like cystanley said, you mean aquarium gravel then I don't recomend it. How will you clean it?
Have you had a wellness check done at your vets? By that I don't just mean the vet examining your bird, but actual blood and fecal tests. Smelly poop could be a sign of illness, otherwise the poop should not smell. |
|
Saturday August 11, 2007 1:00 am |
|
|
|
|
Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7952
Location: Australia |
yeah as a rule of thumb, birds don't smell too much at all unless you don't clean their poop everyday...
I don't recommend using gravel either. If you are thinking of using kitty litter, like I've seen some pet stores do, I would strongly recommend against it! that's very dangerous for the birds if they happy to ingest some. all you need to do is clean the paper everyday if your baby have access to the paper, or if there's grate, you need to clean the grate thoroughly once every week or so to get all the poop off the grate. |
|
Saturday August 11, 2007 2:33 am |
|
|
sveta
Flutterer
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Posts: 171
Location: Canada, British Columbia |
I clean the papers EVERY DAY! I guess it's the morning poop thats REALLY SMEALLY. And NO I am NOT talking about kitty litter. this type of gravel looks like drie porage! It is meant gor birds and hamsters. It works like kitty litter, but it isn't kitty litter. It is pretty large, slightly smaller than a sunflower seed. |
|
Saturday August 11, 2007 7:32 pm |
|
|
shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7399
Location: Canada, Toronto |
quote:
Originally posted by sveta
I clean the papers EVERY DAY! I guess it's the morning poop thats REALLY SMEALLY. And NO I am NOT talking about kitty litter. this type of gravel looks like drie porage! It is meant gor birds and hamsters. It works like kitty litter, but it isn't kitty litter. It is pretty large, slightly smaller than a sunflower seed.
Does it say on the packaging what it's made of? Because there are a lot beddings that are made for birds and other small animals that are toxic as you can see in the link I provided. So just because it's made for birds, or the petstore uses it, it doesn't necessarily mean it's safe.
If it's the morning poop that bothers you, why don't you just change the paper immediately after he poops when you first wake him up in the morning. After that none of the poops should smell. |
|
Saturday August 11, 2007 8:07 pm |
|
|
|
|
Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7952
Location: Australia |
I'm just wondering because I know that my parents rainbow lories poops are liquidy and projectile!! and yes they do smell a bit, but not as much as say other parrots that doesn't have wet liquid poop. Is Dobby poop (being a sun conure, is it a liquidy poop?? |
|
Monday August 13, 2007 5:19 am |
|
|
sveta
Flutterer
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Posts: 171
Location: Canada, British Columbia |
If he reacently had a bath, then it is, otherwise it is in large clupms |
|
Monday August 20, 2007 1:08 am |
|
|
|
|
jletaz
Experienced flier
Joined: 28 Feb 2007
Posts: 1282
Location: CA, USA |
Instead of finding ways to mask the odor, I'd make it a priority to take Dobby to an avian vet for 1) tests for pbfd and polyoma 2) poop culture to see why it smells. Bird poop shouldn't have a smell... at least not so strong that you'd be able to detect it. There is something going on there... Good luck  |
|
Saturday August 25, 2007 9:00 pm |
|
|
sveta
Flutterer
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Posts: 171
Location: Canada, British Columbia |
OK I see that I should take Dobby to the vet, but I found this website that sells "gravel" made from nut shells, it is designed for birds specificly. Do you think it is safe????????? |
|
Wednesday August 29, 2007 5:35 pm |
|
|
jletaz
Experienced flier
Joined: 28 Feb 2007
Posts: 1282
Location: CA, USA |
With any litter that is made up of little pieces there is always a risk of them ingesting some of it, and it should pass out, yet some of it could stay in the digestive tract too. Also the fact that it will get messy all over the floor very easily is bad in my opinion... also, it can grow mold without you noticing. Just use newspaper. Does the cage have a grate that sits above the tray?
Also, please take Dobby to the vet soon... I am concerned about the recent abnormal feather loss and strange poops. |
|
Thursday August 30, 2007 3:56 am |
|
|
|
|
sveta
Flutterer
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Posts: 171
Location: Canada, British Columbia |
Dobby's cage doesn't have a grate, and you think this is an emergency? SHould I make an appointment with my vet?? |
|
Thursday August 30, 2007 7:15 pm |
|
|
jletaz
Experienced flier
Joined: 28 Feb 2007
Posts: 1282
Location: CA, USA |
|
|
|
I don't know about the word "emergency" but YES, it is very important to get him checked out soon as possible from what you tell us is/was going on with him. I really hope there is no serious disease, but I can tell you, what was happening with his feathers and the poop is NOT normal, so there is something going on that can't be left unchecked long term. Not only for Dobby's sake, but God forbid if it is something contagious, your other bird or any bird that comes near him could potentially get a disease. Sveta, not to scare you, but there ARE deadly and contagious bird diseases out there that threaten our pets in every country of the world, and it shouldn't be taken lightly. Not many people talk about "diseases" until it is too late, or until it happens to them personally. Like I said, I hope it is nothing big, or just an infection or something easily curable like that, but you want to be sure that he doesn't have anything serious and contagious, especially if you have another bird, or are around other people's birds. PLEASE take Dobby to a qualified avian vet soon!  |
|
Thursday August 30, 2007 8:07 pm |
|
|
sveta
Flutterer
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Posts: 171
Location: Canada, British Columbia |
OK, we've called our vet and we are trying to make an appointment for next Friday, I would have preffered to go earlier but I can't drive ( I'm 12) and the vet was booked. |
|
Friday August 31, 2007 6:04 pm |
|
|
|
|
All times are GMT. The time now is Wednesday July 9, 2008 10:14 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
