Aussie Finch Forum

Hey guys,

Just after some charcoal to mix in with my gouldians mix that contains egg shells, cuttlefish bone iodine blocks crushed and a dry egg and biscuit mix. I am after some quality charcoal that other breeders where happy with and would recommend. Also do any of you use bee pollen? If so where did you get it from and would you recommend it?

I appreciate the help. Thanks guys!

I just get my charcoal from the bush after NSW Forests does hazard reduction burns in our area. Any hardwood charcoal from the bush should be fine. Wash it & crush it if you wish, but I usually just crush it in my hand as I put it in a large plastic pot base on the aviary floor into which I also put larger pieces of eggshell & cuttlebone + a jar feeder of fine grit/mineral mix. Different species prefer different sized pieces. I find its mostly used as a nest additive rather than eaten. Species such as Maskeds, Pictorellas & Painteds are the main users.

Pollen I get from ebay .
Charcoal I make myself , just have a small pit fire and few ciders and presto charcoal .

We had a guest speaker from Belguim at one of our Waxbill Finch Society meetings last year who told us we should never provide charcoal for our birds as it is likely to cause more harm than good, i did use charcoal myself some years back but stopped giving it as i determined it was just as good at absorbing all the vitamins as it was any toxins.
Bob

Tiaris wrote:I just get my charcoal from the bush after NSW Forests does hazard reduction burns in our area. Any hardwood charcoal from the bush should be fine. Wash it & crush it if you wish, but I usually just crush it in my hand as I put it in a large plastic pot base on the aviary floor into which I also put larger pieces of eggshell & cuttlebone + a jar feeder of fine grit/mineral mix. Different species prefer different sized pieces. I find its mostly used as a nest additive rather than eaten. Species such as Maskeds, Pictorellas & Painteds are the main users.

Bob as Tiaris said,"i find it mostly used as a nest additive rather than eaten" This is in my experience as well especially with species mentioned. Craig

I feed my finches Piminex looks like charcoal made by the Aussie Pigeon company.But has vitamins and minerals in it.

painteds and Scarlet Chested Parrots use it in the nest here .
My quarrion will eat it until they have black faces and poop pure black charcoal .....might omit it from the quarrion for now if its not so good for them.

Thanks for the heads up. I was going to get it and mix it in with my egg shell mix. I have read that it helps with digestion however if it does worse that in does good then I won't be using it.


Thanks

I'm sure I read somewhere that charcoal indested is bad - inhibits uptake of Calcium or similar I think. Vets????? Help !!!!

I know with aquariums you have to take out the charcoal pad before you administer any medication because the charcoal will absorb it. So if the birds are continually eating it it would inhibit their intake of vital nutrients.