Calcium suppliment

[Zoso]

I have been told by several grey owners to offer up a fruit flavored tums tablet to Zazu from time to time. I guess my question is does anyone really do this? Is it safe? How much is enough and how much is too much? (if any that is)

 

[Karen]

I wouldn't give Tums (see quote below) They also contain a lot of sugar.
I have used Calciboost in the past per my Avian Vet.

Does TUMS® contain aluminum?
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare does not add aluminum during the manufacturing process of the TUMS® Tablets but one of the raw materials used in TUMS® does contain negligible amounts of aluminum, measured as parts per million (ppm), ranging approximately from 100 to 500 ppm.
Tums FAQ, Contents of Tums Tablets

 

[jmfleish]

You shouldn't be supplementing with anything your vet doesn't specifically ask you to do so with.

 

[Love My Zons]

Many fresh foods contain calcium such as broccoli. Also, cuttlebones will give calcium as well. I'd go the natural route as well. Natural sunlight also aids in the absorbtion of calcium.

Over supplementation can also be bad unless you specifically know for sure. Pelleted diets also contain calcium.

 

[Marie-France]

I would never give mine Tums, though Tom would be very happy of it I am sure!

What could be really good is nature Yogourt. My grays love it. What is great with yogourt is that the bacterias that transform the milk into yogourt digest the lactose in it, so there is almost no lactose. It is OK for birds, and full of calcium. You can even use probiotic yogourt. The bacterias in it are the same that are used in the probiotic mixes given to birds

Hubby was giving regularily milk to Tom, in quantities that should have given him diarrhea. But no diarrhea at all. It puzzled me a lot, until I understood that the probiotic bacterias colonized his intestines and digested the lactose for him. Cool, huh?