Drinking with newspaper?

[briannamd]

My bcc is about a year old now. She's recently started chatting off pieces of newspaper from her floor, holding it in her mouth, and drinking water with the newspaper in her mouth. Then she spits out the newspaper afterward. Is this normal?

 

[noodles123]

It sounds normal but not healthy---the ink could be ingested along with the water. This is totally something birds like to do (mix various textures with water), but I wouldn't give her newspaper if this is her plan. Instead, I would switch to something without any added ink....

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I'm sorry but when I first saw the title of this thread my immediate thought was picturing a fid drinking a beer and reading the newspaper. lol

 

[LeslieA]

Haha That's a picture that will stick in my head, Skittys Daddy!

I call it stew. I make sure and place 2 bowls of water, one close to the cage bottom and one on the opposite side by her food. Lots of birds do it. Another popular item is pellets.

Newspaper is printed with vegetable ink and is safe for birds. The problem isn't the ink but the compaction potential.

 

[Billdore]

I think some of the colored ink can be a problem.

 

[Sunnyclover]

Yeah I would stear clear of the ink and maybe substitute white paper or make it so she can't reach it.

 

[ChristaNL]

Sunny does this with kitchentowels/ tissue: tear it of, plunk it in my tea and then munch it around in her beak til almost dry/ squeezed empty and then dunk it again.
She is a disgusting creature! But it is soooo cute!


So give your bird safe paper to play with and enjoy
(afaik is newspaper completey safe, it is a matter if she ingests any of it or not )