Vinigar as a deterent to chewing stuff...

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 know birds don't care about capsacin, but I noticed my parrots won't eat hot peppers from a jar with vinegar. If vinegar a deterent to chewing stuff you don't need chewed?
 

wrench13

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It may be, BUT - since they have like 1 taste bud to 100 of ours, to use vinegar as a deterrent you'd need to paint the item with vinegar daily or more often then that ! And don't forget - you'd need to live with it too!
 

DonnaBudgie

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Jan 24, 2023
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Budgies. Lotsa Budgies.
It may be, BUT - since they have like 1 taste bud to 100 of ours, to use vinegar as a deterrent you'd need to paint the item with vinegar daily or more often then that ! And don't forget - you'd need to live with it too!
I can't imagine that soaking things in vinegar to discourage your bird from chewing in them would do any good. I'd love to hear the results of a home experiment!
Most birds (except carrion eaters) have a poorly developed sense of smell so I doubt it would help. It has been observed that English Sparrows in the US go into nest boxes intended for and occupied by Eastern Bluebirds and kill the brooding female and her chicks by pecking them to death and then proceed to build their own nests on top of their decaying bodies! They don't attempt to remove the bodies and the smell of rotting Bluebirds doesn't seem to bother them. This is pretty strong evidence that smell isn't a sense relied on by most songbirds.
 

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