Eating paper

[gerrypony]

I need some opinions on my new baby Grey, who's been devouring paper wherever it's encountered. His playgym is lined with newspaper, which he chews, shreds, and swallows! Whenever I see him in action, I take the paper away, but because he's out of the cage a lot, he eventually finds another piece paper (magazine, supermarket receipt, etc) and munches away. He's got lots of toys, so he's not bored. He's not hungry either, as I make sure there's always something in his bowl.

I am not sure how bad this habit is for his health. He's fine, happy, and lively, but I'm concerned about long-term effects. Surely paper can't be good for him? What do you think?

Duaa

[JillyBeanz]

Hi there and welcome to our family. Are you sure that he's actually eating the paper? Harvey will chew and shred paper, but doesn't actually swallow it.

If you think that he is eating the paper, then you need to put a grate between the paper and your grey to stop him doing this.

Like you say - they are focused, they will find another mission involving the paper - but you'll just have to hide it all until he forgets that this was his favourite past time.

[judygram]

Do you actually see him swallowing the paper because I doubt it very seriously? My grey will shred and chew up paper but sometimes she is wallowing a wad of it around in her beak before she drops it, she is not ingesting it, lots of greys will do that with paper, kind of like us chewing gum.

Pay close attention the next time your grey does this and observe what actually happens and let us know.

I see this is your first post, why don't you introduce yourself in the welcome room and tell us some more about you and your grey.

[gerrypony]

I'm pretty sure he's swallowing paper. I've observed him chew a sheet of photocopy paper on a clean surface, and not a shred was in sight after a few minutes -- only a corner of the sheet was missing.

I've also watched him roll bits of paper in his beak, swallow, then munch off another bit. My brother says his cockatiels have been doing the same for years, despite his frequent intervention.