Is niger addictive?

[mattymeischke]

I understand Peter Slade's Aust.-grown niger is very popular; I have run out and haven't been able to find any more.
While trying to find any niger at all, I spoke to a Sydney bird dealer who told me:
- they become used to the niger, and will eat it in preference to everything else, so it must be rationed (eg: by mixing it with sunflower kernels to dilute it, or restricting it to a small daily serve).
- that if they are used to it and it is abruptly stopped, they 'fluff up and look rotten for a few days'.
- the Australian-grown version is more prone to this problem because irradiation at import reduces the potency of imported niger from this point of view.

I was mostly confused by this conversation, especially when he kept mentioning arsenicals in the same breath as 'stuff like morphine' while trying to explain what the problem was with some niger.

Since I had this conversation (a fortnight ago) I have run out of niger and indeed the goldfinches are fluffy and looking unhappy, and have been for several days since I ran out. I tried to taper it off to avoid stopping abruptly, but apparently to no end.

My questions:
(i) Is niger addictive?
(ii) If so, why?
(iii) Has anyone else had this problem?
(iv) Can any harm come of overfeeding niger?

Thanks in advance for replies,
mm.

[VR1Ton]

Think he might have his wires crossed a bit there, morphine is an opiate, so he could have meant Maw seed. Niger is high in protein, & realatively high in fat, so would be very palletable to the birds.

[Tiaris]

Especially favoured by Carduelis & Serinus finches (cup-nesters) & not that keenly eaten by estrildids.

[fishdance]

Adding oil to other dry seed types should increase their fat content quite easily?

[Netsurfer]

Especially favoured by Carduelis & Serinus finches (cup-nesters) & not that keenly eaten by estrildids.

True, but I don't think I'd be able to breed any Goldfinches or Siskins without the Niger and Sunflower seeds. Other birds don't seem to eat it as much, but they all eat soaked seed mix. In Europe and the US cannabis seeds are sold in bird shops they are also considered as being oil seeds and in fact are good for birds but definitely they not addictive just like the Niger nor the Sunflower. Not all Carduelans need them, birds like Singers and all Serins don't seem to eat them at all but Goldfinches and Siskins can't do with out them in captivity.

[Myzomela]

So Matty, do your birds smoke it, snort it or inject it???

This sounds like the argument that sunflower seed is addictive to parrots.
It is only addictive in the same way as lollies and Macdonalds are to kids.
Both sunflower and niger are very high oil seeds.High fat =high palatability, so birds used to eating these products will show some withdrawal symptoms until they adapt to eating other foods and their body's physiology changes.

Have you tried Ellenbee seeds in Seven Hills? They usually stock the Aussie niger.

[mattymeischke]

So Matty, do your birds smoke it, snort it or inject it???

The way the goldies get through it, I think they are probably snorting it.
I found some linseed lying about and this seems to have kicked their monkey for now.

Have you tried Ellenbee seeds in Seven Hills? They usually stock the Aussie niger.

I am lining some up already, thanks to the power of aussie finch forum.
A member is getting some added to a delivery he is expecting (Thanks, Ian. Much appreciated.)

Think he might have his wires crossed a bit there, morphine is an opiate, so he could have meant Maw seed. Niger is high in protein, & realatively high in fat, so would be very palletable to the birds.

They like maw too, but not as much as they like the niger.
I think he did have his wires crossed, hence no names.

not that keenly eaten by estrildids

I have never seen the Estrildids or the Cubans in that aviary touch it.

[finchbreeder]

My cup nesters are "addicted" to canola and fresh picked green seed. Talk about hang on the wire and demand the daily feed.
Don't want the young to only have this in the crop overnight so feed in the morning.
LML