Eating paper?

reeisconfused

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Aug 11, 2018
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rescued IRN Max and Cockatiel Honey
My new ā€˜tiel, Honey, came home to me three days ago. Heā€™s approx 3 - 4 months old. Since his toys havenā€™t arrived yet, I put in some DIY toys using paper, cardboard and straws to keep him entertained. However, he seems to be chewing and eating the paper.
Max, my IRN, has never done this. (He doesnā€™t really play with toys but shreds everything up).
Is paper safe for birds? Should I remove any ā€œpaperā€ toys?
 

texsize

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My first Tiels did this in the beginning but stopped after a year or two.
It never caused a problem.
Itā€™s always best to ask for advice from an expert though.
 

clark_conure

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A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 6 budgies, Scuti Jr. (f), yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f), Machine (m).
he probably isn't eating it....he's just destroying what he can before he figures out what you love that he can destroy. :D
 
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reeisconfused

reeisconfused

New member
Aug 11, 2018
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rescued IRN Max and Cockatiel Honey
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he probably isn't eating it....he's just destroying what he can before he figures out what you love that he can destroy. :D

Oh, but he is! :( Iā€™ve been observing him and heā€™s literally eating it...which is why I ask, is it hazardeous for him?
Same goes for newspaper, tissues etc.
 

clark_conure

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Jul 14, 2017
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A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 6 budgies, Scuti Jr. (f), yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f), Machine (m).
I wouldn't think so so long as he's still eating nutritious food. I looked around and the nets seem passe' about it.
 

ChristaNL

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It all depends on the amount.
(and the type of paper - normal paper breaks down quite easily when wet, but if you gave him waxed/ treated paper that may cause problems; the type they use in paper cups, plates etc.)


My parrots love to chew cardboard, Japie will just keep chewing and chewing, but he never swallows afaik (the lump will be geting smaller and smaller because he compresses it).


Try give him freshly cut (safe) branches?
 

EllenD

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You need to make sure that whatever "paper" you're giving her isn't dyed with anything that isn't natural vegetable dye (no newspaper ink, not if she's actually eating that much)...As long as it's actually paper and not some other type of material or "fancy" paper, lol, meaning it has stuff in it that isn't digestible or toxic, it shouldn't be an issue, but you do have to worry about two issues: #1 is a GI Tract blockage/obstruction forming if it isn't fully digestible, and then #2 is any ink/coloring/dye on the paper being toxic/poisonous to her.

I don't know how much your bird is actually swallowing, but if it's really a bunch of it, I would probably take it out and just wait for her regular toys to arrive, because the last thing you want is a Crop or intestinal obstruction/impaction. Maybe just give her small pieces at a time to shred-up and see just exactly how much of it she's actually swallowing...
 

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