# Does anyone use shredded paper?



## Thelion151589 (Aug 8, 2011)

I was reading that it's ok to use shredded paper as nesting material for cockatiels nest and wanted to know because I Put some on my cockatiels box


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

The shredded paper won't provide enough grip for baby's and may cause splayed leg. I also feel like it would harbor bacteria more than wood substrates.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

LOL....my first and last experience with shredded paper was 2 chicks with splayed legs. So I would advise against it.


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

Please read this thread on nest bedding, http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27688


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## Szafije (Jun 8, 2011)

Shredded paper can be a good thing...as a toy  My female plays with them a lot especially at nesting time but it is not good as a bedding for the nest itself


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## RexiesMuM (Sep 7, 2011)

I wouldn't recommend it , Even tho most paper is biodegradable it can still harbor mold spores and other bacteria. I use aspen bedding myself


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## Thelion151589 (Aug 8, 2011)

i was just planning on using it for now and once the eggs hatch i was going to change it to pine shavings


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## Szafije (Jun 8, 2011)

You can buy pine or aspen shavings in almost all the pet stores it is more comfortable for the parent birds, keeps more warmth etc


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## Thelion151589 (Aug 8, 2011)

in the local pet shop where i would buy it before they ran out and said till Monday they would be receiving some(i buy a really big supply), and since my birds have an egg i decided to add shredded paper with about half inch of pine shavings i had left so that the egg would be more stable instead of moving around


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Thelion151589 said:


> i was just planning on using it for now and once the eggs hatch i was going to change it to pine shavings


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Please try to change it now if you can. You can start by sprinkling aspen or pine bedding in around and under the eggs over several days to build a depth of 2-3" of bedding.

Paper just does not hold the heat that bedding does. It will also and rob moisture from the eggs, which can be very bad close to hatch.

As to splayed leg it can start the very first day but take several days before a person realizes there is a problem. The bones are soft and flexible, and if on the paper it is slicker than being on bedding.


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## Thelion151589 (Aug 8, 2011)

srtiels said:


> -----------------------------------
> 
> Please try to change it now if you can. You can start by sprinkling aspen or pine bedding in around and under the eggs over several days to build a depth of 2-3" of bedding.
> 
> ...


tomorrow ima try and go to another petshop and buy pine bedding ive always used pine, not paper, i want whats best for my birds and their future babies thanks for the info


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Good luck with your hatches 

Given you have been using paper and you are seeing multiple pip marks you might want to candle and monitor the egg every few hours over the next day. if the pip marks stay grouped in the same area by tomorrow it could be an indication that the paper may have robbed some of the moisture from the egg.

Here is something you might want to read. At the bottom is a bunch of pix's used throughout the article: http://justcockatiels.weebly.com/assist-hatches.html


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## RexiesMuM (Sep 7, 2011)

I would recommend aspen if you can find it , Pine tends to have a strong odor to it and it's usually the same price


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## Thelion151589 (Aug 8, 2011)

srtiels said:


> Good luck with your hatches
> 
> Given you have been using paper and you are seeing multiple pip marks you might want to candle and monitor the egg every few hours over the next day. if the pip marks stay grouped in the same area by tomorrow it could be an indication that the paper may have robbed some of the moisture from the egg.
> 
> Here is something you might want to read. At the bottom is a bunch of pix's used throughout the article: http://justcockatiels.weebly.com/assist-hatches.html


no they just laid the egg 2days ago sorry for not mentioning this earlier ive breed cockatiels before successfully, just that this time i didn't have shavings and was asking if paper was ok to use otherwise to change it to shavings once i had the chance on buying some


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Since the egg is newly laid then over the next few days you can keep adding bedding in the nest to either cover over the paper or if your pair will let you just change out the bedding all the better.

Sorry for the mix-up on postings...I was answering back and forth between yours and the one about the chirp before pip....his egg sounds like it does need monitoring.


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## Thelion151589 (Aug 8, 2011)

srtiels said:


> Since the egg is newly laid then over the next few days you can keep adding bedding in the nest to either cover over the paper or if your pair will let you just change out the bedding all the better.
> 
> Sorry for the mix-up on postings...I was answering back and forth between yours and the one about the chirp before pip....his egg sounds like it does need monitoring.


its ok no worries, today my little neighbor that has a hamster gave me some bedding for my cockatiels nest , i told her i would give her back some bedding once i got some for helping me out


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