Grit - Yes or No?

Grit is one of those topics that have different view, gather your information and make an educated decision.

Member Neat View Grit is a grey subject all budgie owners and breeders use it - ..... YES just read on before y'all jump the gun at me. But there are actually two types of grit: soluble and insoluble. Soluble grit include cuttle bone, oyster shell, limestone, and gypsum. 

Soluble grit is dissolved by acids as it passes through the bird's digestive system, therefore there is little danger of it piling up in the digestive system or causing blockages, cause it dissolves.... it does little to aid in the digestion of whole seeds. It does, however, serve as a source of calcium and other minerals.

Insoluble grit is mainly in the form of silica, ranging in size from sand to small pebbles. Insoluble grit remains in the gut / gizzard and is thought to aid in the breakdown of food.  Yep Bet you didn't know that

Birds have a muscular part of the stomach called the gizzard, which grinds and crushes food. The smaller part, are then more easily broken down by digestive enzymes as they go through the digestive tract.

Some wild birds eat grit, which passes to the gizzard where it helps in this grinding process. It aids in removing the outer fibrous shell around some seeds (e.g.; sunflower seeds), if the shell was not removed with the beak prior to the seed being swallowed

So technically we all use Grit by the good grit

Member Kaz View:  dont use standard grit, but I do supply to the breeder cages finger drawers of MURPHY'S MINERALS and F-VITE and whole egg powder...all seperately for them to take as they need it.

F VITE is a combination grit, protein, energy, vitamin and mineral supplement, which is especially beneficial for breeding and young molting birds, but is used all year round. Parents actually look for it when feeding young, because it is rich in the trace elements so vital for growing babies. Babies fed by parents, which are given F-Vite grow quickly, are robust and pink. There is no need for any other kind of grit, cuttlebone or mineral powders during the breeding season.

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