# Chewing the cage bars



## tasheanne (Dec 31, 2014)

so my female lutino, buttercup, chews the cage bars a lot. It's driving me nuts because the clips I've used to attach veggies and cuttle bones to the sides have taken some of the powde coating off and tiny bits of metal are showing through. The metal bits are so tiny it's hardly worth mentioning, like a few little scratches, and you wouldn't see it unless you really looked but I still worry about heavy metal poisoning and stuff. I thought about replacing the cage because of it but it seems extreme over such tiny areas.. Doesn't it? I don't know..
Anyway, my questions are: is this a regular thing cockatiels do (my other one doesn't do it very much) or is it a behavioural problem caused by stress/boredom/etc? And how should I attempt to stop it? I tried placing toys where she usually chews and moving perches but she'll lean around toys to chew on the bars instead and climb the cage to continue chewing 😒 Its like she's licking it and nibbling on it.


----------



## SilverSage (Oct 19, 2014)

I would put a stop to that immediately even if the cage is expensive. I have had two birds nearly die of heavy metal poisoning, it is no small issue. Please find a different kind of clip as well.

That is a behavior I have usually seen associated with boredom, so I would suggest more mental stimulation.


----------



## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

It might suggest some kind of mineral deficiency, or it might just be a behavior she's decided she enjoys. Do they have any kind of mineral block? The fact that she prefers chewing cage bars over chewing toys makes me think it's not just boredom. 

Depending on how much of the cage has missing powder coating, you might be able to put something over it. For example, in the past I've wrapped small sections of bars in untreated hemp twine. That way if they chew it, it's essentially the same as chewing on a toy.


----------



## tasheanne (Dec 31, 2014)

It's super thin scratches, like you need to get right up close to see them. Right now I've put a perch, one that you screw on to the cage bars, over the worst section. The worst section being the part the stupid clips were on for the majority of the time. They were made specifically for this purpose so it's really annoying that they do that. Obviously I won't be using them anymore. Are plastic clothes pegs ok to use instead for the time being?
No they don't have a mineral block. They get pellets, seeds, cuttlebone and kale, since they aren't very keen on other veggies, but buttercup hardly eats any kale either. She's difficult about things. I have a calcium perch but I took it out because it's pink and was making their poop red and freaking me out because I couldn't tell if they were bleeding or not, is that similar to a mineral block or completely different?

*edit
Just had a Google and I can't find anywhere that sells mineral blocks for birds in pet supply places near me, or on the parrot rescue centre shop? Maybe I'm not looking well enough but everything seems to be for rabbits.

*edit again 
I should specify that she's not really chewing on the scratches, she's usually just chewing any bar that's close to her or any bit that's sticking out (like imperfections in the metal, powder coated imperfections). I've never actually seen her chew the scratches.


----------



## enigma731 (Aug 12, 2011)

Personally I wouldn't worry too much abut the scratches themselves, but I would want to try to redirect or discourage the chewing behavior in general. Do they have a variety of wood/shreddable toys to chew?

(I will try to look up mineral block brands for you later but can't link very well on my phone right now.)


----------



## Phoenix2010 (Sep 15, 2014)

Have you tried your local supermarkets or hardware stores for mineral bells? I get mine from our hardware, but being a rural area they do have a wider variety of stock than metro shops. Also look out for the mineral perches whch mine love and are sold in many pet shops


----------



## tasheanne (Dec 31, 2014)

This is what I found, is it ok? Says ingredients are calcium iodine, vitamin B1, B2 & B6, grit, shell, zinc sulphate, copper sulphate, sodium carbonate, fruit scent and artificial flavours. It's yellow, banana shaped and the brand is unipet.

It's this one http://www.petsplus.com.au/mobile/pet-shop.asp?id=878
But I bought it down the shops


----------



## tasheanne (Dec 31, 2014)

Their cage currently has a few toys in it and 4 natural wood perches along with two dowel ones. Excuse the photo being upside down! One toy is on the side of the cage as she chews there often. I'm yet to put in the mineral banana as I'm not sure it's a good one yet.


----------



## Phoenix2010 (Sep 15, 2014)

This company are competitivly priced and have a retail outlet in Osborne Park. I Have ordered online from them and they were very efficient.


----------



## tasheanne (Dec 31, 2014)

Cool, thanks! Do you think the one I have now is ok for the time being?


----------



## Phoenix2010 (Sep 15, 2014)

Yes it looks fine, they love destroying cuttlefish too lol


----------



## tasheanne (Dec 31, 2014)

I went out and got the one you posted a photo of from the place in Osbourne park but it has no info on it about ingredients and looks like it's make up of purely shells, do you know what's in it? Is it ok for them to eat it considering it's like 100% shell and they don't really need grit per say


----------



## Phoenix2010 (Sep 15, 2014)

Honestly I didnt realise it was all shell, but it has added minerals according to the info I could find. As I understand it grit is not essential for cockatiels but does them no harm. If your bird started gorging on it I would remove it. Maybe put all the products you have in and your tiel can amuse herself, get some minerals and hopefully leave the bars alone.


----------



## tasheanne (Dec 31, 2014)

I put the banana one in.. I'm iffy about the shell one. I googled and some say grit can cause health problems in cockatiels. I don't know

Edit: I'm actually nervous bout the banana too simply because I'm paranoid and it looks so much like a rabbit one. It had birds all over the packet but I hope they don't just repackage the same product for both birds and rabbits..


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

That mineral supplement will be fine. My tiels like orange-flavored mineral blocks and plain ones too. I can't find a description of what the "grit buttons" are made of but it's likely that those would be OK too. If they're made of shell, the material will dissolve in the digestive tract and will help provide calcium. Even if they're made of insoluble stone they aren't likely to cause problems either. Cockatiels are grit eaters in the wild and IMO the fear of grit on the internet is vastly exaggerated. If anybody wants to read a long, long article explaining why, I've got one here: http://www.littlefeatheredbuddies.com/info/nutrition-grit.html I've also got some new material to add to it that reinforces the information considerably, but I haven't updated it yet. 

There's nothing wrong with using a product made for rabbits. Minerals are minerals regardless of who's eating them, and all vertebrates have similarities in their nutritional needs. Just make sure it's a mineral block not a salt block, although there's nothing wrong with offering those to cockatiels either. 

I wonder though if this is really related to minerals or if it's the natural instinct to chew on thin plant material that's been displaced to whatever is available. If you have access to chemical-free lawn grass or bird-safe trees, I'd suggest giving her some blades of grass or small branches to chew on, preferably with seed heads or leaves still attached. You could also offer vegetables with thin stems like cilantro. 

I like to use these plastic clips to attach things to the cage. They might not work in all situations, but they don't harm the finish of the cage. They're not sturdy enough to stand up to a larger bird but there are no safety issues with using them around cockatiels. The clips fall apart eventually because they're fairly flimsy, but at 5 for $1 it's a good deal. 

https://www.dollartree.com/househol...ks/500c512c512p341887/index.pro?method=search


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

What kind of toys is she ignoring in favor of chewing on the bars? Cockatiels aren't the most toy-driven bird in the world, and their favorite activity is destroying stuff.


----------



## tasheanne (Dec 31, 2014)

Thank you tielfan. She is bypassing natural wooden "wheels" that I've threaded onto leather and other chewing toys. It's time for another order of toy parts so I'll try to get some seagrass mats to hang on the sides of the cage. 
Are plastic pegs (no metal in them, completely plastic) not good for hanging things? The site you linked doesn't ship internationally and I'm not sure where to get those here.


----------



## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

If you look around you might be able to find similar clips in your local area. Clips like this are commonly found in the kitchen utensils section of stores that sell ordinary household goods. Most of them are too thick to use with a cage but sometimes you can find a thinner brand like this one.

Basically anything that's made of nontoxic materials and doesn't present some other kind of hazard is safe for hanging stuff. Some people use clothespins (aka clothes pegs) but the kitchen clips that I use have more holding capacity. The metal springs are generally not a hazard. If you have something that clamps down really hard it could be a pinching hazard, but these are pretty weak.


----------

