"Linda Ambrose"  wrote in message
news:irixazul-C0AD08.09464322012005{at}news.videotron.net...
> "David G Fisher"  wrote:
>
> > I wouldn't recommend paper for the fact that many female birds will go
into
> > nesting behavior and start laying eggs. This can be dangerous to their
> > health for a number of reasons (low calcium--egg binding). Not everyone
> > knows what to do when their bird goes into egg laying mode.
>
> Dave:  Sydney III was a bird I "rescued" from my friends' pet store.
> The bird was no longer wanted and dumped at the store.  When I first got
> her, I didn't know her sex, but I was hoping she'd be a male as they're
> usually a little more mild-mannered than the girls.  My friends said she
> loved being at the bottom of the cage hiding under her papers and she
> also had a homemade "happy hut" thing that she hid in.  She was also a
> bitey, nasty little creature and I couldn't handle her without a glove.
> She's come a long way since then, still nippy, but she'll go on my hand
> and run up my arm to sit on my shoulder.  Having noticed how much she
> loves her newspaper, I didn't have the heart to replace it with chips or
> other kinds of bedding.  Since I've had her (just over a year now), she
> has laid a few eggs.  To be honest with you, I always worry about the
> possibility of egg-binding in my female birds, even though I make sure
> they have cuttlebones and calcium supplements.  I also have several
> female budgies who have laid eggs at the bottom of the cage.  I try to
> discourage egg-laying but I suppose nature can be controlled only to a
> certain extent.
>
> Do you have a suggestion as to what I could replace the newspaper with?
> I've heard certain types of chips are dangerous and not advisable to put
> into birds' cages because of the oils &/or scents.  Would corn cob be a
> good alternative?
I'm not Dave but might be able to offer some advice re cage bottom medium.
There are specific products you can buy over there to line the cage bottom
with. It looks like wood chip stuff. Can't remember the name sorry. I
personally use wood shavings. The stuff sold for small animals etc. Over
here in UK it is made from safe wood, has nothing added and not treated in
any way. I buy the horse bales because I use loads of the stuff in all my
cages, hutches and chicken coops. It is absorbant and smells fresh and can
be composted or burned on a bonfire. It is cheap too. (my favourite price)
:0)




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