Cuttle
Bone FAQ
TOPWhat is cuttle bone?:
Cuttle bone quite frankly put is the skeletal remains of the cuttle fish ( related to squid).
It is a ready supply of calcium needed for egg production and bone growth.
Is it more beneficial than the liquid drops I read so much about? :
Cuttle bone is a clean natural source and because it is fed separately from all
other foods unlike liquid calcium drops which are placed in the drinking water of a
particular cage it is safer during breeding/moulting.
The cuttle bone fed loosely allows the birds to eat as much or as little as they want
and does not subject them (especially cockerels) to over calcification because it is
being fed calcium in the water it's body does not need.
Cuttle bone quite frankly put is the skeletal remains of the cuttle fish ( related to squid).
It is a ready supply of calcium needed for egg production and bone growth.
Is it more beneficial than the liquid drops I read so much about? :
Cuttle bone is a clean natural source and because it is fed separately from all
other foods unlike liquid calcium drops which are placed in the drinking water of a
particular cage it is safer during breeding/moulting.
The cuttle bone fed loosely allows the birds to eat as much or as little as they want
and does not subject them (especially cockerels) to over calcification because it is
being fed calcium in the water it's body does not need.
What
is shaved cuttle bone ?:
Shaved Cuttle
Bone is a
hygienic and easy way to offer cuttle bone to your birds
without the worries of disease associated with whole cuttle-bone.
We as breeders have all seen the porta potty cuttle bone caked in drying who
knows what.
Then we witness our birds chewing on this same filthy/unsanitary thing.
Most may just ignore it but some like myself wonder if that is in any respect
safe for our feathered friends.
I feel it is not and urge all pet owners to learn the art of shaving their cuttle-bone.
What methods are used to shave cuttle bone?:
Many methods are used.
The most used is n to grate the cuttle bone into a fine powder using a cheese grater.
The only drawback is not all the cuttle bone can be shaved this way.
This is in-effectual as it leaves so much of the bone not utilized.
Another method is by mallet, place the cuttle bone in a strong plastic bag and beat with mallet
into fine dust.
This is quite messy, un-predictable and can cause injuries if a sharp piece is ingested.
Finally; we have chopping in a food processor.
There i some preparation involved.
The first thing you want to do is to halve and then quarter each half until you have eight
medium sized pieces (figs. 1-2)
This will make processing easier.
Next you want to use your chopping and blade and grind the cuttle bone into a
fine powder. (fig. 3)
Once that is done you want to sieve the powder so that the larger chunks are
separated (fig. 4 - fig. 5) and the finer powder is collected.
You then keep chopping the larger chunks until they too are powdery and able to pass
through the sieve.
( if you want to utilize all of the cuttle bone then you will need a grinder to get the very last
chunks.
After preparing the cuttle bone you want to serve it in the most beneficial and most
hygienic method available.
If you serve it in an egg cup or a small seed cup, the cuttle bone will still be soiled by the
birds as they like to perch and will perch on the cup rim and have a great chance over time to
soil the cup and ruin all your hard work.
The best feeding vessel for the shaved cuttlebone is a finger cup. (fig. 6)
The finger cup can be purchased at most pet stores that carry birds.
The advantage of the finger cup is because of it's thinness the birds must
perch near the finger cup as if they perch on it they soil the food.
There is no 100% safe way to feed the cuttle bone and avoid soiling, but this in my opinion
is the best method for keeping the cuttle bone cleaner and thereby your birds healthier
longer.
Is there anywhere that sells shaved cuttle bone ?
It seems like a lot of work that I am honestly
not prepared to do on my own :
Yes you can find it on our seeds page. We shave it for you from some of the cleanest cuttle
bone anywhere, so all you have to do is open and feed. Thereby giving your birds the optimal
hygienic choice with half the effort expert breeders exert.
without the worries of disease associated with whole cuttle-bone.
We as breeders have all seen the porta potty cuttle bone caked in drying who
knows what.
Then we witness our birds chewing on this same filthy/unsanitary thing.
Most may just ignore it but some like myself wonder if that is in any respect
safe for our feathered friends.
I feel it is not and urge all pet owners to learn the art of shaving their cuttle-bone.
What methods are used to shave cuttle bone?:
Many methods are used.
The most used is n to grate the cuttle bone into a fine powder using a cheese grater.
The only drawback is not all the cuttle bone can be shaved this way.
This is in-effectual as it leaves so much of the bone not utilized.
Another method is by mallet, place the cuttle bone in a strong plastic bag and beat with mallet
into fine dust.
This is quite messy, un-predictable and can cause injuries if a sharp piece is ingested.
Finally; we have chopping in a food processor.
There i some preparation involved.
The first thing you want to do is to halve and then quarter each half until you have eight
medium sized pieces (figs. 1-2)
This will make processing easier.
Next you want to use your chopping and blade and grind the cuttle bone into a
fine powder. (fig. 3)
Once that is done you want to sieve the powder so that the larger chunks are
separated (fig. 4 - fig. 5) and the finer powder is collected.
You then keep chopping the larger chunks until they too are powdery and able to pass
through the sieve.
( if you want to utilize all of the cuttle bone then you will need a grinder to get the very last
chunks.
After preparing the cuttle bone you want to serve it in the most beneficial and most
hygienic method available.
If you serve it in an egg cup or a small seed cup, the cuttle bone will still be soiled by the
birds as they like to perch and will perch on the cup rim and have a great chance over time to
soil the cup and ruin all your hard work.
The best feeding vessel for the shaved cuttlebone is a finger cup. (fig. 6)
The finger cup can be purchased at most pet stores that carry birds.
The advantage of the finger cup is because of it's thinness the birds must
perch near the finger cup as if they perch on it they soil the food.
There is no 100% safe way to feed the cuttle bone and avoid soiling, but this in my opinion
is the best method for keeping the cuttle bone cleaner and thereby your birds healthier
longer.
Is there anywhere that sells shaved cuttle bone ?
It seems like a lot of work that I am honestly
not prepared to do on my own :
Yes you can find it on our seeds page. We shave it for you from some of the cleanest cuttle
bone anywhere, so all you have to do is open and feed. Thereby giving your birds the optimal
hygienic choice with half the effort expert breeders exert.
| If you have any queries on shaved cuttle bone please contact us |