# Do cockatiels need grit ?



## Sophia (Aug 11, 2007)

I have looked up alot of information on cockatiels, but this didn't answer it.
I put in *cockatiel grit* in the search bar and it came up with loads of websites, about 10 said yes they do need grit and about 10 said they don't 

Do you give your cockatiel(s) grit ???? 

~~*Sophia*~~


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

No I don't give my Cockatiel grit or my budgie Icarus. Also my Mom does not give her canaries grit. So I say no grit.


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## Laura (Jul 30, 2007)

I don't give it to mine, Parrots that eat seed whole without shelling it first require grit, but cockatiels shell their seed before eating it so grit should not be provided .


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## birdieness (Jul 28, 2007)

Hook bills of any type do not need it. They shell seeds before eating. Please do not feed. it could only cause more problem. Ad for canaries i belive they are on the list for grit. i do not know as i do not have then and have never really looked anything up on them.


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## Bea (Jul 26, 2007)

You will still find sources saying they do need it, as it's only quite recently that it's been proven that hookbills (tiels, budgies, etc) do not need grit. So no grit, it's unnecessary and can actually cause crop problems.


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## Aly (Jul 30, 2007)

Mine (budgies and tiel) never get it. They are hookbills.


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## flyingfoal (Aug 1, 2007)

We do not feed grit to our budgies or our tiel.


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## Meghanxx4 (Jul 31, 2007)

They only need a little bit of grit every couple so often, which is provided in their cuttlebone. If you don't give them cuttlebone, and use something else for their calcium(ex. Manu, lava rock), then yes a touch of grit ever few months even ever year is fine, is needed. They do not need it everyday or anything since it takes them along time to digest it. And when it builds up, that's when the problems occur. so if you give them cuttlebone then know you don't need it at all. Unless of course your avian vet says otherwise.


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