Grate or No Grate for my Cockatiel Zoey

[Tara81]

I use newspaper or paper towels on the grates , but I clean it daily. The first couple of months I cleaned it twice a day as she spent more time on the bottom of the cage playing and learning to climb perches and the cage, so I had her food and perches much lower. The best way to stop them from eating poop is to nab that poop as soon as possible. My tiel used to eat her poop when she was really young, but she ate very healthy, so I knew it was because she was just curious. So I was more vigiliant about grabbing that poop as soon as it dropped while she was outside of the cage. Now she doesnt eat it at all, she isn't curious about it no more.

 

[DoubleTake]

I use newspaper or paper towels on the grates , but I clean it daily. The first couple of months I cleaned it twice a day as she spent more time on the bottom of the cage playing and learning to climb perches and the cage, so I had her food and perches much lower. The best way to stop them from eating poop is to nab that poop as soon as possible. My tiel used to eat her poop when she was really young, but she ate very healthy, so I knew it was because she was just curious. So I was more vigiliant about grabbing that poop as soon as it dropped while she was outside of the cage. Now she doesnt eat it at all, she isn't curious about it no more.

Eating healthy poop is not a terrible thing, at least when it comes to lovebirds. Some breeders use to let them eat it to promote good gut bacteria. I would maybe try adding a small amount of Bragg's apple cider vinegar.

 

[ZoeythePorg]

Okay so should I leave Zoey on the Grate or not? I read eating poop wasn't healthy for them I give her probiotics for birds is that okay?

 

[DoubleTake]

Okay so should I leave Zoey on the Grate or not? I read eating poop wasn't healthy for them I give her probiotics for birds is that okay?

I wouldnt let her eat it all the time, especially really old poop. The apple cider vinegar in the water should help with that. I may have missed this but how old is her?

 

[ZoeythePorg]

DoubleTake Zoey turned a year old in March will be 2 next year her pellet food I feed her has probiotics

 

[ZoeythePorg]

And what does the apple cider vinegar help with? Does it hurt them and what kind of ACV?

 

[DoubleTake]

Here is a post on the forum.

Apple Cider Vinegar | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[Tara81]

I use diluted apple cider with mother on my birds sprouts .