IndianRingNeck.com

I have well water. The calcium content is so high in it that you can actually see tiny particles in the water.
My cat has some bladder issues because of it and so I give all the animals bottled spring water or purified water.

I was told recently that whereas the high calcium content may not be good for me or the cat it is really good for the bird

Can we confirm or deny this?.. or even theorize?

I use a water based Calcium additive for Billie beacuse she does has gone off cuttlefish bone.
AJPeter

Mine ignores them and mineral blocks completely so i'm wondering if I can make up for it with high calcium water

i would buy some off you if you offered free shipping?
AJPeter

i would say the opposite.. pay the shipping and i'll send it for free

I have to confirm it is calcium. The water treatment guy said my water was heavy calcium based on a someone's water a half mile from me.

I described the water and he said calcium then when i said where i lived a light bulb went off and he told me about someone in my area who he confirmed had high calcium,.. so all evidence points towards high calcium but it's not actually -proven- yet in my book.. not until they test -my- water

Please note, I am not any kind of expert on bird health, so don't take my word on anything with out researching further/ talking to vet.
Calcium requires D3 to be absorbed. Donovans bird, if I remember correctly, spends time in an aviary, so would be receiving suffiencent d3 over the summer months.

The calcium requirement for a male bird is very different from that of a hen in breeding season.
I believe it can be detrimental to give too much calcium.

This article may be helpful http://www.multiscope.com/hotspot/health1.htm I haven't read the whole thing, but the bit about calcium follows what I have read elsewhere.

he hasn't been outside in a month but his indoor cage provides plenty of sunlight for a significant portion of the day.. he can also escape the light if he doesn't like it

i'll read the article later, and thank you for posting it

We gave our breeding dogs and puppies Calcium with D3 added, in tablet form,to prevent acquired hip dysplasia, so yes, calcium needs D3 to be effective. sanjays water is filtered, there is a lot of lime scale in the water here.

Thank you Claire for the link I HAVE read it and subscribed to Hotspots for birds news letter. I shall discontiune putting water based calcium in Billie's drinking water because it losed its potency quickly, she will ber pleased as she does not like the taste, l noticed she has been chipping the cuttle bone l put in her cage.
AJPeter

Aj: I have very little knowledge or understanding of dietary requirements.
I created a thread for you:
http://www.indianringneck.com/forum/vie ... =2&t=18480 as a good place to discuss everything to do with breeding behaviour. Ellie and Melissa would have a better idea about supplements than I do! Try posting on the new thread.

The type of calcium would also be a factor. Not all types of calcium will be used by the body.

Too much calcium in a birds diet can cause kidney problems. Especially if they are not exposed to enough sunlight. Liquid calcium supplements are no good in my opinion either. Some birds will eat cuttle fish or you can have birds like mine that ignore it. I use finely ground oyster shell added to their veggies and seed dish.

I was giving a small piece of cuttle fish bone to Billie in the morning than l started to forget and by the time l remembered she had gone off cuttle fish bone, she was not eating any where l had put it in her cage. So l added liquid calcium into her water but she did not like the taste now she is nibbling the cuttlefish bone so l now do not add liquid calcium other water.
Feel the need to tidy up replies off that thread Claire.
AJPeter