Eating Plant Soil

[Guest fwona]

My budgie eats my plant soil. Is this safe? He loves it and so far as shown no illness. Just wanted to check!

[Bea 0]

I would move the soil away, i doubt it would be healthy. Better to be safe than sorry.

[Featheredpets 0]

welcome to the forum fwona. Is the soil from a houseplant or it it from outside. If it's from outside then it's a definate no no as there would be a great risk of disease and other factors. If it's from a houseplant then there could be risks, like chemicals that may by on the plant or in the soil or poisonous bits from the plants. Perhaps someone else may have some more ideas.

[Guest pixie25]

also there will probably be little bits of microscopic fungi in the soil too, aswell as possible chemicals. i would cover it or move it away from where he can get it.

[Guest fwona]

Thank you all for your help and advise. unfortunetely little Val passed away earlier today. The vet thought that it was lead poisoning from the mirror in my bathroom. Ironic how things turn out. He was fine yesterday and then suddenly.... I guess that's what survival is for birds. They need to hide sickness. Poor little guy. We took tests so will find out exactly what it is. I'll keep in mind the soil though for the future.

thanks again.

[Guest Lin]

Oh how awful, poor little tyke. Please let us know what the results of the tests are, that way we can better advise people in the future,

[Guest fwona]

Thanks Lin, will keep you posted about the results on Monday. :angel1:

[Guest Cindy]

Sorry to hear about your little birdie, fwona. Please keep us posted

Cindy

[Bea 0]

Sorry to here about your little birdy.

[Featheredpets 0]

Oh that's so sad, sorry to hear your news. Perhaps your budgie was trying to get some minerals from the soil to counteract the lead?

[Guest Julie]

Aw I've only just caught up with this topic so I am really sorry to hear about Val. FP may have a very good point there. Please let us know if you find anything out. Take Care.

Julie

[Guest fwona]

I hadn't thought about the soil. That is a very good point. The vet said she would call on Monday to talk about the results. I'll ask her it and post what happens.

Thank you all for your support. It's soo quiet without him. Even my cats notice he's gone. Believe it or not he used to terrorise the cats. When they were sleeping he would fly onto the sofa and walk up to them chatting away and annoy them!! Cheeky thing!

[Guest fwona]

Little Val died of lead poisoning. The vet thought that it was the mirror in the bathroom that he loved to sit on. He must have eaten some of the flecks of paint around it. It's hard not to feel guilty but I just didn't think at the time.

 

Thanks for your support.

[Guest Julie]

My goodness-that is quite frightening,certainly something I never would have thought of.