• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Exactly What is Cuttlebone?

faislaq

I have macaws and don't post enough pictures
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
10/25/16
Messages
16,507
Location
Texas
Real Name
Karen
I knew it was good stuff, but I really enjoyed the breakdown at the end.
 

Mizzely

Lil Monsters Bird Toys
Super Moderator
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
8/9/11
Messages
39,969
Location
Northern Mitten Michigan
Real Name
Shawna [she/her]
My vet has never once recommended a cuttlebone, but my birds are on pellet diet and eat dark leafy greens. I don't think they are at all required for our birds. As mentioned, they are primarily calcium carbonate, which is not easily absorbed or utilized by the body.

"In a four-way crossover study, either a placebo or 1200 mg of calcium as calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, or calcium formate were administered orally to 14 healthy adult female volunteers who had fasted overnight. After calcium carbonate, the maximum rise in serum calcium (∼4%) and the fall in serum intact parathyroid hormone 1–84 (iPTH) (∼20–40%) did not differ significantly from placebo. "

Relative Bioavailability of Calcium from Calcium Formate, Calcium Citrate, and Calcium Carbonate | Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics



Fun fact: cuttlefish, (along with their relatives octopus and squid) are also really intelligent animals, and considered to be the most intelligent class of invertebrates.
 

Begone

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Avenue Spotlight Award
Shutterbugs' Best
Joined
11/29/12
Messages
15,651
and eat dark leafy greens.
That is the best and natural calcium source for them.
I give mine all from green veggies to wild herbs. (incl dandelions, ground elder and chickweed)
And if you want to be really sure that they get their calcium you can add an almond to their food.
 

Begone

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Avenue Spotlight Award
Shutterbugs' Best
Joined
11/29/12
Messages
15,651
And if you have a Amazonas parrot it's better to add clay. That is what they normally eat in the wild to get minerals.
I have clay blocks to my girls.


 

Serin

Sprinting down the street
Joined
3/18/18
Messages
459
Location
Indiana
I provide cups of dried crumbled chicken eggshell. This is preferred by all of the birds.

Only my female budgie chews cuttlebone, and I think more to destroy than eat any of it. The finches and canaries, and the male budgies, don't really touch the cuttlebones.
 

lyx

Sprinting down the street
Joined
9/6/17
Messages
504
Location
England
Wow, safe to say before I read this article I had NO IDEA what cuttlebone actually was :wideyed: I knew it was mainly a calcium thing but I had no idea it comes from the cuttlefish! I thought it was similar to a mineral block. Interesting article definitely!
 

Lady Jane

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
8/25/12
Messages
26,573
Location
Maryland
Real Name
Dianne
I used to give my birds egg shells but the shells themselves, unless ground, pose a risk from the sharp edges. Egg shells are sold that are ground and sterilized on Amazon.
 

rocky'smom

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/14/14
Messages
17,447
Location
minnesota
Real Name
laurie
May sure to santize chicken egg shells by baking them in the oven @ 250degrees for 20plus minutes. There should be a slight tan coloring to shell edges, according to my vet. Grind them in the blender. No sharp edges
 
Top