Paper & Poo Nibbling

[mizloco]

I'm sorry if you eating maybe come back to this....
Ernie has started nibbling at the paper on the floor of the cage since yesterday and tonight when I came home from work some of the hard poo's were in little piles of dust. They had food and water and were cleaned out last night and have been done again tonight so I am a little concerned. They are both moulting, but there has been no changes in anything other than a couple of toys changed round in the cage. Though i did have their cage door open saturday and yesterday in the hope they would venture out, but they didn't. They are both happy enough and Ernie is still being a little bossy boots.
What's going on please experts??


Bert & Ernie
Oh and their human friend Nina

[Deleted]

some times budgies grind up there poo.. i dont think its anything to worry about and all budgies do that to paper ...mabe if you put some grit in that might stop the poo thing .. .

[mizloco]

I was putting grit in but then I read on here it's better to put oyster shell so I am getting some this week for them. They are such demanding little monkeys, worse than kids, which I swore I wouldn't have. But they are so worth it!


Bert & Ernie
Oh and their human friend Nina

[skysmum]

Im not an expert mizloco but most budgies love a bit of paper to chew, the poo eating has always puzzled me though, i cant say i have seen my lot doing it but i do remember previous budgies that ive had doing it. They seem to like to pound it up, a bit like a pestle and mortar ;D. I have read it could be a digestive thing, a lack of something, which seed do you feed them on.

[mizloco]

They have Trill, a fruit seed type treat once a week and broccoli once or twice a week too. They have cuttlefish and did have grit until a week ago and I will replace that with oyster shell when I get to the pet shop this week.


Bert & Ernie
Oh and their human friend Nina

[skysmum]

I cant see anything wrong with their diet, the Trill should supply them with the vit's and minerals they need, the only thing i would maybe change is cutting out the fruit seed stick and exchanging it for some millet, some of these treats are a bit like us eating junk food , and as you have said your getting them some grit so i don't think they are lacking in anything, i think they just like a bit of poo now and then a lot of buds do it, try not to worry

[Rachael Kellett]

I'd say give them a wider range of veggies such as carrot, cucumber, celery, sweetcorn, and cress. That isn't why they are eating their poop though, mine do that sometimes, I think its because of certain nutrients in them. If you are worried about it then just change the paper a bit more often than usual

[Hezz]

Rachael beat me to it - a broader range of veggies can only be a good thing, but this isn't the poo eating problem. Both my hens do this at times, none of my cocks have. Give them things they can shred in the cage though, as toys, will help keep them off the floor of the cage and therefore out of the poo.

AS for the moulting, while I don't see any correlation between it and the poo/paper scenario, to help them get through the feather-making process, how about adding a bit of eggfood to their seed, or giving them some hard-boiled egg to give them that extra protein needed.

[mizloco]

Thanks everyone


Bert & Ernie
Oh and their human friend Nina