# Smell Free Cuttlebones?



## Artic (Aug 4, 2009)

It seems like most brands of cuttlebones I have been ordering online have a lite smell to them and my cockatiel won't touch it. I had to take it out cause of the smell. My question is that I am looking to order some cuttlebones that are "smell free & odor free". 
The one I had in there was free of odor and smell but can't remember where I got them on the internet. 

Can some kind person please help me please.

many thanks and God Bless

Jenny


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## LaurulCat (Jan 4, 2014)

There are different grades of cuttlebone which are determined by how they are processed. Besides being used for supplemental calcium in pets, cuttlebone is also used in Asian food and as an easily carved template for making castings for jewelry production. Cuttlebone is obtained either by simply netting free floating cuttlebone out of the ocean (predators eat the soft bodies and ignore the inner bone) or by netting live cuttlefish and using the soft bodies for human food, animal food, fertilizer or protein powder. The left over cuttlebone is then rinsed with water, steamed and dried and sold.

A cuttlebone that has an odor, usually has not been processed well enough to get all the 'fishy' and decomposition impurities out of the air chambers of the bone. Usually this type of cuttlebone is used for jewelry or fertilizer or ground powder for feed or fertilizer. Well rinsed, steamed and odor free cuttlebone is termed sterile or food grade and that is the kind of cuttlebone we want for our birds. If I order cuttlebone and I get one with an odor, I immediately return it and demand a refund and complain to the company. Years ago I got a shipment of ten extra large cuttlebones from Drs Foster and Smith that stank to high heaven. I sent them back and complained and they upgraded their stock and sent me free replacements. Sometimes the seller does not know they are selling inferior merchandise until someone complains.

Currently I get my cuttlebone from either Drs Foster and Smith or from My Safe Bird Store and it is high quality and never has an odor. One should also test the cuttlebone by touching the porous side to one's own tongue. If it is salty or tastes funny, don't use it.


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## Artic (Aug 4, 2009)

Hi LaurulCat,
Drs Foster and Smith is the place I recieved 2 packs of cuttlebones (Brand name is "Prevue Hendryx"). Do you know of another brand that I can get other than this that is odor free? Many thanks for your response.

Jenny


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## LaurulCat (Jan 4, 2014)

I avoid using any Prevue Hendrix things. They have terrible quality control and some of their toys are so cheaply made they are dangerous. I suggest you try My Safe Bird Store on line. They carry Penn Plax and Pollys Place cuttlebone as well and Prevue. I have never gotten a bad cuttlebone from MSBS.

Email Fosters and Smith and complain. They will respond. They always have for me when I was unhappy with their quality.

http://www.mysafebirdstore.com/


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## sunnysmom (Sep 23, 2011)

My tiel won't touch cuttlebone. I'm not sure why. But he loves his mineral block. So that's an option if you can't find a cuttlebone brand that you like. And there's no odor that I can smell with the mineral block.


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## Artic (Aug 4, 2009)

Thanks everybody for your replies. I am now searching for "Penn Plax and Pollys Place cuttlebones" without a holder as I have a clip. Many thanks again.

Jenny :grey tiel:


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