cuttlebone

Cuttlebone is the internal shell of a cuttlefish who are related to squid and octopus.They have two tentacles and eight arms and when in danger they eject a black ink like fluid.You may notice the ink on the hard part of the bone you are serving to your budgies.

Where does our cuttlebone come from you may ask , they are found in oceans all over the world and most set off on a long journey from Asia,especially the Philippines and Taiwan before reaching our retail outlets.

Most countries eat cuttlefish and when they are cleaned in preparation for eating the only bone in their body is discarded,washed and then sun bleached ready for export.

It provides our birds with a source of calcium and other necessary minerals. It is especially important to breeding hens.

The major component of cuttlebone is calcium carbonate (85 percent). This is also the major component in eggshells.

The question remains, does my bird need cuttlebone? The answer is yes. Your bird, especially an egg-laying hen, needs calcium. Cuttlebone provides a natural, inexpensive source of calcium carbonate as well as other trace minerals. Most manmade mineral blocks are made from plaster of paris. They also contain whatever the manufacturer decided to add, whether it be food coloring or seed. On the other hand, cuttlebone is a natural product, containing no toxins or contaminants.

All birds need calcium, and cuttlebone is as good a source as any.

Mineral Block

Why not make your own mineral block for the avairy,this can be used along side your iodine block and cuttlebone.

You need a mould about the size of half a common brick,this could be made out of 12mm ply or we could search the garage or garden shed for a suitable container,i use the bottom 6" of a 2 litre plastic milk bottle.

Mix dry a quantity of cement,oyster shell grit,lime,sharp sand,charcoal,ground eggshell,crushed iodine block,powdered cuttlebone and some dried kelp.Now add water until it is moist and can be pressed into the container,do not have it to dry or it will crumble when removed from the mould.

Iodine blocks

Iodised Condition Blocks

Traditional peck blocks made with iodine, grits, seaweed extract, calcium, yeast vitamins and minerals etc.

Never be without iodine blocks in cages and aviaries.

Oyster shell grit

Oyster shell grit.

When discussing grit, it is important to realize there are actually two types: soluble and insoluble. Soluble forms of grit include cuttlebone, oyster shell, limestone, and gypsum. Soluble grit is dissolved by acids as it passes through the bird's digestive system, therefore there is little danger of it accumulating in the digestive system or causing an obstruction. Because it dissolves, it does little to aid in the digestion of whole seeds. It does, however, serve as a source of calcium and other minerals.

Insoluble grit is generally in the form of silica, and may range in size from sand to small pebbles. Insoluble grit remains in the gizzard and is thought to aid in the mechanical breakdown of food.

Birds have a muscular portion of the stomach called the gizzard, which grinds and crushes food. The smaller particles, then, are more easily broken down by digestive enzymes as they pass through the digestive tract. Some wild birds eat grit, which passes to the gizzard where it helps in this grinding process. It aids in removing the outer fibrous shell around some seeds (e.g.; sunflower seeds), if the shell was not removed with the beak prior to the seed being swallowed.

Calcivet

Calcium Liquid

Concentrated liquid calcium for birds.Vital calcium supplement for the breeding season.Be aware that extra drop can do harm,always follow the makers instructions.

Adequate calcium

Calcium...for Birds

Supplying adequate calcium to caged birds is a challenge as a bird’s calcium requirements vary wildly throughout a season.

Most caged bird feeds are calcium deficient, many of them severely so!

Different species have different needs, small birds lay proportionally larger eggs than larger birds and small eggs contain proportionally more shell. Thus smaller birds have a greater requirement for calcium than larger birds. This is one reason we see more egg bound small species!

For example, a Zebra finch hen will exhaust all the calcium in her skeleton after 5 eggs – she needs to have a constant calcium intake during the laying period to prevent deficiency.

Calcium absorption is controlled by a complex interaction of parathyroid hormone, Vitamin D3, calcium binding protein, dietary calcium level, form of the calcium in the diet, amount of fat in the feed, size of the calcium particles, acidity in the gut and strength of the gizzard.,.. whew, no wonder it is difficult!!!

During eggshell formation, calcium carbonate is produced and goes to create the egg shell. The amount of calcium in the blood is enough for about 15 minutes of shell formation – for the remaining time (15 – 20 hours) calcium needs to be absorbed from the gut or released from the bones.

Apart from Calcium, many feeds we give birds are deficient in various vitamins. D Nutrical (Vetafarm) is a readily absorbed form of calcium in a powder with added vitamins and minerals. This formula has proven very successful in large breeding facilities and Zoos as it is easily given and very concentrated.

Calcium constitutes more than a third of the total mineral content of an adult bird.

The most prevalent mineral in the body is calcium; it is required in the diet in greater amounts than any other mineral.

In the egg laying female, most dietary calcium is used for shell formation.

Many foods are deficient in calcium, and requirements are highly variable so supplying adequate calcium is very challenging.

Calcium absorption is tightly controlled and several mechanisms exist in the body to regulate calcium uptake.

Factors interacting to control calcium absorption include – parathyroid hormone, Vitamin D, calcium binding protein, dietary calcium level, form of the calcium in the diet, amount of fat in the diet, size of the calcium particles, acidity in the gut and strength of the gizzard! No wonder it is difficult!

Calcium in plants (often the calcium is bound to oxalate or phytate) is poorly digested. So even though the analysis may show a reasonable calcium level it may not be absorbed. Furthermore, the phytate in the plant may reduce the calcium absorbed from other sources.

During egg shell formation calcium carbonate is produced and goes to create the egg shell. The amount of calcium in the blood of the bird is enough for about 15 minutes of shell formation – for the remaining time (15 – 20 hours) calcium needs to be absorbed from the gut or released form the bones.

Small birds lay proportionally larger eggs than large birds, and small eggs have proportionally more shell. Thus the calcium requirement of small birds is greater than that of larger birds.

Calcium for Breeding

Every bird keeper knows they must supply calcium to their birds because seed diets are deficient. There are no arguments that birds don’t require some form of supplementation of their diet. Where the differences of opinion occur is in what supplement to use- is it cuttlefish bone, shell grit, oyster shell, calcium carbonate or liquid calcium sources.

Calcium was first recognised as a critical mineral for birds back in 1842. We have had 165 years to work out what is the best way to prevent calcium deficiencies in our birds, yet we still can’t agree!

In our vet clinics we still see many birds presented with symptoms of calcium deficiency that are related to their diet. The most commonly seen condition is fledglings with deformed or fractured legs, wings or skulls. These young are the proof that the diet available to their parents is calcium deficient – why do we do this?

Egg bound hens are another sign that the calcium supply may be a problem.

There is a great variation in the requirement for calcium throughout the life of a bird. Beginning as a chick where they need about 1% of their diet, dropping to around 0.3% of the diet as a non breeding adult and then skyrocketing through the egg laying cycle of a hen. To accurately deliver the day by day requirement is impossible, so what do we do?

Luckily nature has an answer – and that is “some”.

The bird has evolved to take calcium on board when available, to store it in the bones for future use and to prevent uptake when the diet is in excess. But it all relies on there being “some” calcium in the diet.

To ensure a constant source of calcium it is best to give the bird access to a range of things that supply calcium:

D-Nutrical – used as a powder that is dusted over soaked seed, fruits and vegetables. The unique mixture of types of calcium allows for much better absorption than just calcium carbonate. Simply put the powder in a flour shaker and lightly dust any damp foods. It is not suitable to add to seed or put in the water.

Calcivet – a formulation of liquid calcium where the calcium is bound to a type of sugar. The liquid will mix in water and can also be given via a crop needle if necessary.

True Grit – contains crushed oyster shell that is coated with a vitamin and mineral supplement. The easily utilised oyster shell and the extra vitamins in True Grit are another way of adding nutrients to the diet. True Grit is put in a grit container for the birds to eat as they choose.

Cuttlefish bone is a traditional calcium source used widely. Birds love to chew the cuttlefish but how much they actually consume is questionable. In line with the concept of “some”, you can supply cuttlefish when it is available.

Remember that it is the small birds that require the most calcium in relation to their body weight. Small hens (budgies, finches, canaries) have proportionally larger eggs than large birds (cockatoos), so require a greater calcium intake. A finch hen, for example, will completely exhaust all the calcium in her skeleton in laying only 5 eggs – therefore she must have a constant calcium intake during egg laying.

Don’t rely on one source of calcium – give the birds access to a number of sources and don’t get too concerned about actual dose rates – “some” is good!

many thanks to Vetafarm Australia for this paragraph.

Budgerigars by Barrie Shutt