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Lava stone/rock - Thoughts?

Zara

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I´ve seen these listed, they are marketed as a product to ¨clean¨ and ¨file¨ beaks, and to place it near the food.
Are they safe? As in, are they not too abrassive etc.
Would my birds benefit from this, even though they already have cement Hagen pedi-perches?
Maybe Adelie might like it as an alternative to the pedi-perch, which I have noticed she doesn´t use as often as everyone else...
Just mulling it over, and would love to know if anyone has one and their experiences!
 

ParrotNuts

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I do not know about solid lava rocks. But if it is still solidifying I think you will need to :rnfrt: :lol:
 

Mizzely

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I know that they are marketed for chinchillas and rats here, who both chew them. I've never seen one in person to know how it feels though, but I think as long as it's not a perch they use for extended lengths of time it's likely fine
 

Macawnutz

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My birds LOVE lava stones! They are sold in the A&E java toy series. I've tried on several occasions to do enough research on them to feel confident adding them to my toys but I have not had as much time as needed. :)
 

Zara

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I was just looking at an old thread, someone mentioned T4W having Lava perches, so I went to look, and it´s a different colour (it´s brown), but both say natural.. and I have no idea what colour it´s supposed to be? Maybe it can be either of the two colours?

It certainly seems a more interesting, less grim, version of a cuttlefish bone for beak grooming :)
 

Macawnutz

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I would expect multiple colors since it's a rock formed by a volcano. I started research by looking at the composition but as I said, I never have enough time.
 

Kiwi & Co.

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so I went to look, and it´s a different colour (it´s brown), but both say natural.. and I have no idea what colour it´s supposed to be? Maybe it can be either of the two colours?
I think it's pumice, which is a rock that forms so quickly that some pieces can float.

Here are some pics of different colors of pumice:
01009-Pumice.jpg
01007-scoria-and-pumice.jpg
pummice.jpg
 

Macawnutz

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I'd ask the company as this is the research that stops me.

Lava rock, also known as volcanic rock or basalt, forms after volcanic eruptions containing high levels of magnesium and iron. Magma reaches extreme heat and then cools, forming this highly porous rock.
 

Feather

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Aquarists have to be careful not to put anything in their tank that will leech toxins into the water, and lava rock is a pretty common choice of decor. There's a lot of variety to different lava rock, though... wouldn't want to go up a volcano and pick something unknown off the ground. :lol:

The lava rock marketed for barbecue use is a good choice, though I've heard some caution against the stuff marketed for landscape. Personally, I would feel fine giving my birds something that's expected to be around food and could be tossed in a fish tank.

My hesitation would really stem from the reason they're beneficial in fish tanks, which is that they're great for harboring bacteria.
 

faislaq

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Buzzard has one with his things when he came to live with us. I wasn't sure what it was for but it had perch-looking hardware so I put it on his door. Every now and then when he climbs past it he almost attacks it with his beak and grinds his bottom beak on it. Just for a moment and then he moves on. It is the light gray pumice like the smaller one that @Zara received.
 

Monaco

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In case it helps... I used to live in a network of lava flows, and worked at a rock mine. Cinder cones are the peaks formed from the minerals that create these porous, rough, lightweight rocks you guys are talking about here. Basalt is commonly found in the same flows, but is very different and extremely hard and very heavy. We had three colors between the two mountains we mined, black, maroon and a brighter brick red which varied some between the veins. I can't imagine any mining company altering it with colorants or anything else. It costs a lot just to get it out, crushed, and screened to sizes then bagged or shipped in bulk. Pumice is similar, but lighter with much finer particulate and typically light gray.

Capulin mountain should have a website, it's a national monument, and was in the next town from us. I bet it will tell you about the mineral makeup and types of rock produced in better detail.
 
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