Ummm.. Jelena is eating poo and feathers at the bottom of the cage.. is this normal? Should I stop her? (she might not be eating it, but she's definitely tasting it by putting it in her mouth)

Budgies do this and even chicks in the nestbox do it. I have seen parents who are feeding chicks doing it too just before going in to feed their babies. My observations are they get something from it that is required. However if a budgie is sick, best to keep the cage scrupulously clean so they are not reinfecting themselves with something harmful.

My budgies do this sometimes, especially the babies in the nursery cages. I keep my cages as clean as possible to prevent this. I take the newspaper from the cage daily if the news paper is above the grate, if the newspaper is under the grate the droppings fall straight through and out of the birds reach.

Budgies do this and even chicks in the nestbox do it. I have seen parents who are feeding chicks doing it too just before going in to feed their babies. My observations are they get something from it that is required. However if a budgie is sick, best to keep the cage scrupulously clean so they are not reinfecting themselves with something harmful.

 

Agree with KAZ :rofl:

The newspaper is below the grate, but some of the poo sticks to the grate. But she's not sick so she should be fine I guess.

You can get a paint scraper or a chisel and get rid of the droppings that stick to the grate. I use a paint scraper on a pole to clean my avairy floors. Fast and effective.

You can get a paint scraper or a chisel and get rid of the droppings that stick to the grate. I use a paint scraper on a pole to clean my avairy floors. Fast and effective.

 

 

i do the same as you pearce

Budgies do this and even chicks in the nestbox do it. I have seen parents who are feeding chicks doing it too just before going in to feed their babies. My observations are they get something from it that is required. However if a budgie is sick, best to keep the cage scrupulously clean so they are not reinfecting themselves with something harmful.

 

 

Ha ha Kaz,

 

since I told Nigel Tonkin of the forum he came here and took a look! He says that budgerigars eating their own Faeces provides them with B12 supposedly. Now I wonder if he'll sign up?

 

 

He sent me the following message:

 

Hi Trish

I just noticed this on the forum thingo in relation to budgerigars eating their faeces - supposed to be a form of vitamin B12 FYI

"Budgies do this and even chicks in the nestbox do it. I have seen parents who are feeding chicks doing it too just before going in to feed their babies. My observations are they get something from it that is required. However if a budgie is sick, best to keep the cage scrupulously clean so they are not reinfecting themselves with something harmful".

Cheers,

Nigel T

Edited January 31, 200916 yr by Trish

Ummm.. Jelena is eating poo and feathers at the bottom of the cage.. is this normal? Should I stop her? (she might not be eating it, but she's definitely tasting it by putting it in her mouth)

 

I noticed this with my birds, and went a different direction -- I figured it was because their natural instinct is to forage from the ground for scattered seeds, rather than eat out of a full seed basket. So I covered the grate with newspaper and scattered some seed on the ground. Since they mostly sit in one place, they can eat in the other parts of the bottom of the cage.

 

They've spent some time down there picking at the scattered seed, and haven't gone after their droppings again. I don't know if that's consistent with other birds or not, it's just my experience.