Why does my tiel eat so much sand?

Question

I provide brown soil baught in bags for my birds. My female tiel just loves it. Every morning and night she'll wait around the soil bowl for me to add fresh soil. I use the soil to get closer to her now. It' like a treat for her. I don't see the male eating soil though. Why? She laid eggs which were infertile and I'll remove them now after a month. They are mating again. I hope the eggs will be fertile this time. It's brown soil with white pieces inbetween. Do you think it's ok for them. They also only eat certain green vegetables and they don't eat any kinds of fruit I provide. Why?

Answer 1

There are some conflicting responses among the answers you've received so far, and I don't mean to add to the confusion, but one aspect of bird behaviour hasn't been touched on so far. First, though, I'd have to contradict one answer by stating that while it's true that "seeds" (though what type of seed isn't stated) don't need added grit for digestion, many birds do, in fact, consume grit regularly. The fact that your two birds behave differently is another puzzle altogether, but the phenomenon of eating grit is behaviourally akin to eating clay, which large parrots do in certain places. The kaolin in clay is thought to bind with toxins in fruit pits, thus reducing bio-availability or uptake. In other words, eating dirt enables the bird to eat what would be an otherwise poisonous part of a mean he likes.

My inclination is to say that I wouldn't worry about it if it is unaccompanied by any other behavioural symptom that would indicate illness or social discomfort.

Answer 2

I raised tiels for a while. Sand and soil is not good for them. Eating soil is a sign of a mineral deficiency. She is not seeing it as a treat she is looking at it as a nessecity for her survival, that is not the way to tame them. Pelleted food and fresh stuff should make up most of their diet. Use seeds as a treat only, as they are full of sugar and are
just like feeding kids candy. Mine would go through a cuttle bone in less than a month while they were laying eggs. Dont let them nest constantly as it will wear out the female and she will get thin and sick. They are picky birds and do not take to new foods easily. Mine loved to chew on apple branch and ate cooked rice and fresh lettuce leaves. Hard boiled eggs and chicken are also good sources of protein for them. Its also not good to let them sit on infertile eggs for that long as they begin to rot and can cause disease. If you are going to breed teils search the internet there is alot of great info out there. That's what I did when I first started with mine.

Answer 3

Maybe you should read some books on your birds or find some proper websites that explain the eating habits of your birds. The infertile eggs may be infertile for different reasons which don't regard her eating habits. Some birds should eat certain foods when they are mating. For example, some finches need lots of protein to avoid getting egg bound and they eat meal worms. Like i said, read more about your birds and don't go by what you think or guess they need.

Answer 4

I have bean breeding cockatiels for years now and have never fed them soil. Your bird is most likely eating it because she is lacking in some vitamins and minerals. They don't need it to break up their food because they shell their seed before they eat it. Cockateils need to have fruit and vegies in their diet, seed alone is never enough. Start with a piece of frozen corn cob (defrosted) most of them love it.
Try a slice of green apple, a small leaf of spinach, then try other fruit and veg, it will take time for your bird to recognise these as food. My birds will usually eat anything they see me eating.
NEVER feed them Avocado its poison to birds, and lettuce gives them the runs. There's a good web site for beginners at www.cockatielcottage.net

Answer 5

My birds don't eat dirt. Do you have mineral blocks in the cage for them, or a cuttle bone?
My birds won't eat fruits either, and are persnickety with veggies. They will eat sugar pea pods, corn, shredded potatoes, cilantro, & parsley. They enjoy cracking open the shells of peanuts and sunflowers. Just purchase small portions of items and let the birds try them.

Answer 6

I don't know about the sand..

BUT the fruits and veggies are GREAT for them.

Cocktaiels are fussy, it takes time for them to try something new. You have to give them the fruits and veggies regularly before they will taste it. It could take a couple of weeks/months.

Try broccoli and shredded carrots. Mine goes nuts for broccoli. We give him a bit of every fruit/veggie we eat in a separate bowl (his very own salad bowl) some things he devours, others he picks out and throws on the floor.

He likes apples, skinned grapes, broccoli, green peppers, the inside of beans (the beans), shredded carrots, cucumber, raisins...

You have to be patient and persistent with them.

Answer 7

DO NOT GIVE COCKATIELS SAND OR GRIT!!!

It is a myth that they need it. It can accually cause their crop to become impacted and they can die!

Throw it all away! Only feed fresh fruits and veggies, pellets, seed treats (occasionally), and other healthy human foods.

Do not feed chocolate, avacado, caffiene, or sugary foods.

Please do research on breeding before you allow them to lay any more eggs.

Answer 8

You should not be allowing your tiel to eat sand, the seed today doesn't require any grit, the bird doesn't need sand and or grit.

Answer 9

likely your chook isn't eating the newspaper, only shredding it. Parrots like to shred stuff. you would possibly want to even make "toys" and dangle newspaper from her cage. There are also parrot pinatas you should purchase to indulge your chook's damaging desires. Many parrot toy internet website have "destructible" toy sections that are exciting!

Answer 10

Sand helps them digest thier food, its good for them.