Budgies and Plants
Naomi Clarke
Help!!!
Can anyone tell me if a Fiscus Bengemina (at least I think thats how you
spell it - its a sort of fig plant) is poisonous to Budgies?
Cheeky has taken to eating it... everytime I remove him from the plant
he flies straight back to it.
Do Budgies know whats good and whats bad for them or not..???
--
Naomi Clarke
Leigh R Hidell
Naomi Clarke <Cud...@pigpen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
: Can anyone tell me if a Fiscus Bengemina (at least I think thats how you
: spell it - its a sort of fig plant) is poisonous to Budgies?
Budgies don't always know, but I can tell you
from direct experience that Ficus Benjamina (my spelling
is also questionable!!!) -- weeping fig -- is not
at all poisonous & seems to be a favored snack for birds
from zebra finch to at least conure size. I try to get
my Ficus on sale, since eventually it WILL be consumed....
--Leigh
Larry from Indiana
The Fig plant (ficus species) is safe. I doubt a captive breed bird would
know the difference>
Naomi Clarke <Cud...@pigpen.demon.co.uk> wrote in article
<hxumwEAD$XSz...@pigpen.demon.co.uk>...
> Help!!!
>
> Can anyone tell me if a Fiscus Bengemina (at least I think thats how you
> spell it - its a sort of fig plant) is poisonous to Budgies?
>
Dave
Hi Naomi. The Ficus Bengemina is a toxic plant to birds and small
animals. Do not let your birds chew on it. Small doses will cause
diarrhea. Prolonged eating can cause strokes and/or heart attacks.
Below is a list of other toxic plants for birds especially.
Toxic Plants (Poisonous)
----------------------------
Deadly Nightshade or any Nightshade plant (Atropa belladonna)
Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger)
Thorn-apple (Datura stramonium)
Egg-plant (Solanum melongena)
Cherry Stones
Eucalyptus
Linium
Panicum
Sorghum
Prunus
Tobacco Plant
Hemlock
Boxwood
Oleander
Yew
Azalea
Juniper
Daphne
Privet
Black Locust
Wistaria
Daffodil
Mistletoe
Hyacinth
Nacissus
Primrose
Ficus Benjemina
Wax Plant (Hoya carnosa)
Periwinkle
Dieffenbachia (all)
Good Plants (non-poisonous)
--------------------
Kangaroo vine (cissus)
Hibiscus
Ferns
CommonDandelion
Cow vetch (Vicia cracca leaves and blossoms)
Blue Grass (poa chaixii (seed heads))
Coltsfoot (Tussilaga farfara (flowers & seeds) )
Common Plantain
Common Chickweed
English Daisy
Field Pansy
Shepherds Purse
Dog Rose
Hawthorns
Tree Branches (non-poisonous)
------------------------
Oak, Alder, Poplar, Mountain Ash, Hawthorns (fruit and branches)
ps. Taken from the book 'The New Parakeet Handbook---Barrons
Publication (1986)
Dave
>Help!!!
>
>Can anyone tell me if a Fiscus Bengemina (at least I think thats how you
>spell it - its a sort of fig plant) is poisonous to Budgies?
>
>Cheeky has taken to eating it... everytime I remove him from the plant
>he flies straight back to it.
>
>Do Budgies know whats good and whats bad for them or not..???
>--
>Naomi Clarke
Hamilton & District Budgerigar & Cage Bird Society Inc.
http://www.inforamp.net/~dhansen
Dave
Dave
>Help!!!
>
>Can anyone tell me if a Fiscus Bengemina (at least I think thats how you
>spell it - its a sort of fig plant) is poisonous to Budgies?
>
>Cheeky has taken to eating it... everytime I remove him from the plant
>he flies straight back to it.
>
>Do Budgies know whats good and whats bad for them or not..???
>--
>Naomi Clarke
Hi Naomi. I cannot find anything related to the Ficus Bengemina as a
toxic plant to birds in any of our books, but below is a list of other
toxic plants and some good plants for birds from the book
'The New Parakeet Handbook'----Barrons Publication (1986)
I would be careful until you find out for shure.
Wax Plant (Hoya carnosa)
Periwinkle
Dieffenbachia (all)
Good Plants (non-poisonous)
--------------------
Kangaroo vine (cissus)
Hibiscus
Ferns
CommonDandelion
Cow vetch (Vicia cracca leaves and blossoms)
Blue Grass (poa chaixii (seed heads))
Coltsfoot (Tussilaga farfara (flowers & seeds) )
Common Plantain
Common Chickweed
English Daisy
Field Pansy
Shepherds Purse
Dog Rose
Hawthorns
Tree Branches (non-poisonous)
------------------------
Oak, Alder, Poplar, Mountain Ash, Hawthorns (fruit and branches)
Hamilton & District Budgerigar & Cage Bird Society Inc.
http://www.inforamp.net/~dhansen
Dave
ellen beth kessler
In <hxumwEAD$XSz...@pigpen.demon.co.uk> Naomi Clarke
<Cud...@pigpen.demon.co.uk> writes:
>
>Help!!!
>
>Can anyone tell me if a Fiscus Bengemina (at least I think thats how
you
>spell it - its a sort of fig plant) is poisonous to Budgies?
>
>Cheeky has taken to eating it... everytime I remove him from the plant
>he flies straight back to it.
>
>Do Budgies know whats good and whats bad for them or not..???
>--
>Naomi Clarke
The ficus benjamina is not toxic to budgies, but don't expect the
plant/tree to last long around any birds!
No, budgies (and other birds) do not know what's bad for them. You have
to be the one to decide what they can get into and what you must keep
away from them. Just like human children.
Ellen K
Naomi Clarke
In article <5ic579$o...@junkie.gnofn.org>, Leigh R Hidell
<lr...@gnofn.org> writes
>: Can anyone tell me if a Fiscus Bengemina (at least I think thats how you
>: spell it - its a sort of fig plant) is poisonous to Budgies?
>Budgies don't always know, but I can tell you
>from direct experience that Ficus Benjamina (my spelling
>is also questionable!!!) -- weeping fig -- is not
>at all poisonous & seems to be a favored snack for birds
>from zebra finch to at least conure size. I try to get
>my Ficus on sale, since eventually it WILL be consumed....
> --Leigh
Thank's very much for that info Leigh. I can relax a little bit qbout
the plant now. I would have thought that Budgies in fact all animals
would have an instinct about whats good for them and whats bad.
--
Naomi Clarke
Naomi Clarke
In article <5ica95$m...@news.istar.ca>, Dave <dha...@inforamp.net>
writes
Hello Dave,
>Hi Naomi. I cannot find anything related to the Ficus Bengemina as a
>toxic plant to birds in any of our books,
Quite a few people replied and said it wasn't Toxic so I can relax a
little bit about it, alough I don't want him to eat too much of the
plant as its one of my best house plants.
> but below is a list of other
>toxic plants and some good plants for birds from the book
>'The New Parakeet Handbook'----Barrons Publication (1986)
>I would be careful until you find out for shure.
I shall look out for that book.
>Toxic Plants (Poisonous)
>----------------------------
>Deadly Nightshade or any Nightshade plant (Atropa belladonna)
>Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger)
>Good Plants (non-poisonous)
>--------------------
>Ferns
>CommonDandelion
Mmmmm I am a bit worried that I may give him the wrong plant, as i am
not all that good at identifing them, a dandelion and a daisy I know so
I could give him them, I read in a book somewhere that you can grow the
Budgie seed and feed them sprouted seeds, I have put a few seeds in a
dish and am waiting to see if they will grow.
I also tried him on apple and lettuce, he liked the apple but ignored
the lettuce.
>Tree Branches (non-poisonous)
>------------------------
>Oak, Alder, Poplar, Mountain Ash, Hawthorns (fruit and branches)
I really don't know one tree from another, but I read that Budgies like
to chew the bark off of things, so I would like to get him something to
chew, any sujestions?
He likes chewing up empty ciggerate packets, will that do him any harm?
--
Naomi Clarke
Naomi Clarke
In article <5icead$p...@dfw-ixnews7.ix.netcom.com>, ellen beth kessler
<ebk...@ix.netcom.com> writes
>The ficus benjamina is not toxic to budgies, but don't expect the
>plant/tree to last long around any birds!
I don't mind, at least I have found something Green that I can easily
identify and that Cheeky likes.
>No, budgies (and other birds) do not know what's bad for them. You have
>to be the one to decide what they can get into and what you must keep
>away from them. Just like human children.
I would have thought that it would be instinct for the bird to know what
was good and what was bad.
--
Naomi Clarke
Naomi Clarke
In article <01bc43ba$48d49280$f3a733cf@larryeng>, Larry from Indiana
<la...@kconline.com> writes
>The Fig plant (ficus species) is safe. I doubt a captive breed bird would
>know the difference>
>> Can anyone tell me if a Fiscus Bengemina (at least I think thats how you
>> spell it - its a sort of fig plant) is poisonous to Budgies?
Thanks a lot for the info Larry, I shall let Cheeky eat a little bit of
it now and then, NOT too much as its about the only decent house plant I
have at the moment.
--
Naomi Clarke
Barbara
Hi Naomi
I wouldn't give the little guy empty cigarette packs to chew as I have read
nicotine is toxic to birds and there may be some residue left in the empty
packs- why don't you try some plain, brown paper bags (like the ones from
the deli) My budgies love to punch holes in them and hide in them and then
run out and "scare" me!
--
Barbara
Naomi Clarke <Cud...@pigpen.demon.co.uk> wrote in article
<rVGk5KAi...@pigpen.demon.co.uk>...
Sue Miller
Hi Naomi
> I also tried him on apple and lettuce, he liked the apple but ignored
> the lettuce.
Be very careful with lettuce. The residue from pesticides can kill
birds. If you want to feed lettuce, I would either grow it myself, or
be absolutly certain that pesticeds were not used durring growing.
> I really don't know one tree from another, but I read that Budgies like
> to chew the bark off of things, so I would like to get him something to
> chew, any sujestions?
>
> He likes chewing up empty ciggerate packets, will that do him any harm?
Tobacco is toxic to birds also. If it's a "box" pack, I would wipe it
out with a wet cloth to make sure there isn't any tobacco left inside.
I'm an ex-smoker so I will try not to preech, but second hand smoke is
very dangerous for birds also. If possible, try not to smoke around the
birds, or in the same room that the bird lives in.
Sue Miller
Mommy Birdy
Barbara wrote:
>
> Hi Naomi
> I wouldn't give the little guy empty cigarette packs to chew as I have read
> nicotine is toxic to birds and there may be some residue left in the empty
> packs- why don't you try some plain, brown paper bags (like the ones from
> the deli) My budgies love to punch holes in them and hide in them and then
> run out and "scare" me!
> --
> Barbara
>
> Naomi Clarke <Cud...@pigpen.demon.co.uk> wrote in article
> <rVGk5KAi...@pigpen.demon.co.uk>...
> >
> > Naomi Clarke
> >
Naomi, hi again, (saw u on Budgie List). Also, paper bathroom cups are
a nice toy. I put them by the budgies ladder with kitty jingle bell
balls in them. She climbs down and RIPS the ball out and chews up the
cup. Wonderful fun.
Mommy Birdy
Hunter Clark
Naomi Clarke <Cud...@pigpen.demon.co.uk> wrote in article
<aoS42nAw...@pigpen.demon.co.uk>...
> In article <334B36...@worldnet.att.net>, Mommy Birdy
> <cgoe...@worldnet.att.net> writes
> I bought loads of sand coz it said Budgies like to dig in the sand and
> scrape around in it, but not cheeky.
>
--
> Naomi Clarke
>
Hi Naomi,
I use newspaper in the bottom of my cages. You can see any change in their
droppings and you can clean it easily. Maybe that's why your's does not go
to the bottom of his cage. I also have a grate so he doesn't get right on
the paper. (I've never heard of putting sand in the bottom : }
Shirley
Naomi Clarke
In article <01bc4450$973d9840$eb1a2399@sal>, Barbara
<cockat...@msn.com> writes
>I wouldn't give the little guy empty cigarette packs to chew as I have read
>nicotine is toxic to birds and there may be some residue left in the empty
>packs- why don't you try some plain, brown paper bags (like the ones from
>the deli) My budgies love to punch holes in them and hide in them and then
>run out and "scare" me!
Right I will do that, so far it seems to be the only thing he likes to
play with, he just ignores all the other toys I have given him, ohh the
other thing he quite likes to do is eat the settee but my Husband isn't
at all keen on that idea. (grin)
--
Naomi Clarke
Naomi Clarke
Hello,
>Naomi, hi again, (saw u on Budgie List). Also, paper bathroom cups are
>a nice toy. I put them by the budgies ladder with kitty jingle bell
>balls in them. She climbs down and RIPS the ball out and chews up the
>cup. Wonderful fun.
Mmmmm, Cheeky doesn't seem to be at all interested in toys at the
moment. I got him a plastic ball with a bell in it, a penguin on wheels
that rocks if you touch it or runs on its wheels, a little cart with a
stand in the middle of it, a bird bath and a swing with a hollow bit
that you can put millet sprays in, He ignores all of them and my
husband's moaning about the money I spend on a miserable bird that don't
appreciate anything.
The other problem is Cheeky dosen't seem to realize that there is such a
thing as down. he never goes to the bottom of his cage, His water is at
the bottom because I bought the wrong water thing and it won't fit on
the bars so its sitting on the floor. Cheeky will climb down the bars
and then hang on the bars, very awkward looking and drink like that,
anything but put is feet on the ground of the cage.
I bought loads of sand coz it said Budgies like to dig in the sand and
scrape around in it, but not cheeky.
The only toy he's got that he likes is a feathery rope thing with a bell
on it, the shop called it a comforter and I think thats just what Cheeky
thinks it is, He pulls at it and cheeps to it loves to nibble away at it
and at night cuddles up against it.
--
Naomi Clarke
ange...@sympatico.ca
Hunter Clark wrote:
>
> Naomi Clarke <Cud...@pigpen.demon.co.uk> wrote in article
> <aoS42nAw...@pigpen.demon.co.uk>...
> > Hi Naomi,
> I use newspaper in the bottom of my cages. You can see any change in their
> droppings and you can clean it easily. Maybe that's why your's does not go
> to the bottom of his cage. I also have a grate so he doesn't get right on
> the paper. (I've never heard of putting sand in the bottom : }
>
> Shirley
Shirley , Should I be using the grates at the bottom of the cages cause
my babies are only 3-4 mths old? I've read different opinions on this.
How young is too young and doesn't it hurt their feet?
Rosanne
Naomi Clarke
In article <01bc44fb$6b2b2140$6c44...@hclark.intrepid.net>, Hunter
Clark <hcl...@intrepid.net> writes
> I use newspaper in the bottom of my cages. You can see any change in
> their droppings and you can clean it easily. Maybe that's why your's
> does not go to the bottom of his cage. I also have a grate so he
> doesn't get right on the paper. (I've never heard of putting sand in
> the bottom : }
Thats what all the books said and the pet shop when I bought him. I was
also told I needed sand paper on the floor and a tube of it for one of
the perches to keep his nails filed down, so of course I got the sand
paper and the sand and the contrary so-&-so never goes down to the
bottom of his cage.
--
Naomi Clarke
Hunter Clark
> Hi Naomi,
> > I use newspaper in the bottom of my cages. You can see any change in
their
> > droppings and you can clean it easily. Maybe that's why your's does
not go
> > to the bottom of his cage. I also have a grate so he doesn't get right
on
> > the paper. (I've never heard of putting sand in the bottom : }
> >
> > Shirley
>
> Shirley , Should I be using the grates at the bottom of the cages cause
> my babies are only 3-4 mths old? I've read different opinions on this.
> How young is too young and doesn't it hurt their feet?
> Rosanne
>
I have always had grates in the bottom of my cages. It keeps them out of
any mess in the bottom of their cage. No, it doesn't hurt their feet, they
just hold on like they do the rest of the cage and they also keep their
toes straight sometimes and walk across the grate that way.
Once your bird can hold on to a perch, and they don't fall (some birds are
clumsy and fall sometimes when they are young), I'd use a grate.
I don't think 3-4 month old's are too young. Mine was 6-7 weeks when I got
him and he's always had a grate.
Shirley
Hunter Clark
Naomi Clarke <Cud...@pigpen.demon.co.uk> wrote in article
<JltsFMAK...@pigpen.demon.co.uk>...
> In article <01bc44fb$6b2b2140$6c44...@hclark.intrepid.net>, Hunter
> Clark <hcl...@intrepid.net> writes
>
> >
> Thats what all the books said and the pet shop when I bought him. I was
> also told I needed sand paper on the floor and a tube of it for one of
> the perches to keep his nails filed down, so of course I got the sand
> paper and the sand and the contrary so-&-so never goes down to the
> bottom of his cage.
>
> --
> Naomi Clarke
>
The sand perches are the "old" way of thinking, now they know that sand
perches hurt their feet when used all the time and that it is best NOT to
have them.
If you want to keep his nails filed without having to clip them, I
recommend the concrete perches. I've had great luck with them in all my
bird's cages, and never have to clip anymore!
Shirley
Naomi Clarke
In article <01bc45c9$39fa9dc0$7f44...@hclark.intrepid.net>, Hunter
Clark <hcl...@intrepid.net> writes
Hello.
>The sand perches are the "old" way of thinking, now they know that sand
>perches hurt their feet when used all the time and that it is best NOT to
>have them.
I don't have them on all the perches just on one, and then it only
covers a bit of the perch, I also have a spare one that I get him to
stand on sometines when he is out of the cage.
>If you want to keep his nails filed without having to clip them, I
>recommend the concrete perches. I've had great luck with them in all my
>bird's cages, and never have to clip anymore!
I have never seen them, we just have horrible plastic perches, I got
Oliver to make me perches out of wooden dowling, but our cage is home
made and none of the stuff in the shops fits it.
--
Naomi Clarke
Naomi Clarke
In article <334AD4...@fix.net>, Sue Miller <suem...@fix.net>
writes
>Be very careful with lettuce. The residue from pesticides can kill
>birds. If you want to feed lettuce, I would either grow it myself, or
>be absolutly certain that pesticeds were not used durring growing.
Are the dangerous even if you wash them?
>Tobacco is toxic to birds also. If it's a "box" pack, I would wipe it
>out with a wet cloth to make sure there isn't any tobacco left inside.
>I'm an ex-smoker so I will try not to preech, but second hand smoke is
>very dangerous for birds also. If possible, try not to smoke around the
>birds, or in the same room that the bird lives in.
He's stoped doing that now, I now have given him the cardbord bit of a
loo paper, he also likes to chew up peices of paper, errmmm he was sat
on the desk the other day while I was messaging, I got involved in a
message and didn't keep my eye on him for a few mins, when I did look at
him, he had been very busy chewing up the corners of a snail mail letter
I was going to post, it looks like mice have been at it.
--
Naomi Clarke
ellen beth kessler
>Thats what all the books said and the pet shop when I bought him. I
was
>also told I needed sand paper on the floor and a tube of it for one of
>the perches to keep his nails filed down, so of course I got the sand
>paper and the sand and the contrary so-&-so never goes down to the
>bottom of his cage.
>
>--
>Naomi Clarke
It's important to be very careful with any books because some of them
are practically obsolete as soon as they're published. Always check the
copyright date and if it's more than, say, five years old, read the
book for pleasure but not for solid information.
Also be careful about the advice you get from petstores....well anyone,
really. They may not have the bird's best interest at heart and may
care more about selling something and meeting their monthly quota.
Those sandpaper perches must go! Just think about this: how would you
feel if you had to stand barefooted on sandpaper all day? The so-called
benefits of keeping the nails trim pale in comparison to the dangers
those things can cause. I can't understand why they're still made!
Same with putting grit/gravel on the bottom of the cage. That may have
been an acceptable practice 30 years ago, but we've hopefully learned
since then. The grit/gravel mixes with their poops and other debris and
that's what the bird can ingest when eating the grit/gravel. Besides,
there may be a great deal of toxic lead in those products, depending on
where the grit/gravel was harvested.
Read everything you can get your hands on and talk with as many people
as you can. Then use your own judgement to decide what is right for
your bird. But it's important that what information you read be as
current as possible. Personally, that's why I prefer the monthly
magazines and club newsletters but even then, you have to be careful.
Ellen K
Naomi Clarke
In article <5irrmj$l...@dfw-ixnews7.ix.netcom.com>, ellen beth kessler
<ebk...@ix.netcom.com> writes
>It's important to be very careful with any books because some of them
>are practically obsolete as soon as they're published. Always check the
>copyright date and if it's more than, say, five years old, read the
>book for pleasure but not for solid information.
I have been serching the Web for as much information as I can get as
well, and of course messaging here and in the Budgie list.
>Also be careful about the advice you get from petstores....well anyone,
>really. They may not have the bird's best interest at heart and may
>care more about selling something and meeting their monthly quota.
The girl at this shop seemed quite nice, I'm not too sure how much she
knew about birds, but she was quite caring. It was one of those shops
that sold a bit of everything, its actually attached to a garden center.
>Those sandpaper perches must go! Just think about this: how would you
>feel if you had to stand barefooted on sandpaper all day?
I realized that, and have only put them on one perch, he has 4 perches
altogether in his cage and I have put the sand paper on one of the
middle ones. I left the top one bare because thats where he goes to
sleep and I didn't like the thought of him sleeping all night on
sandpaper.
> The so-called
>benefits of keeping the nails trim pale in comparison to the dangers
>those things can cause. I can't understand why they're still made!
If it helps to keep his nails from getting too long, I don't mind it on
one perch, after all he has got 3 others to move to if he wants.
>Same with putting grit/gravel on the bottom of the cage. That may have
>been an acceptable practice 30 years ago, but we've hopefully learned
>since then. The grit/gravel mixes with their poops and other debris and
>that's what the bird can ingest when eating the grit/gravel. Besides,
>there may be a great deal of toxic lead in those products, depending on
>where the grit/gravel was harvested.
He has grit in a small bowl on the floor well away from where his poop
will drop from a perch. I check it daily and change it every 2nd day or
so, but I have never seen him go anywhere near it. Again, some say yes
and others say no. I just thought if I included it but kept it away from
where he would poop then if he wants it, its there, and if he doesn't
then its up to him.
>your bird. But it's important that what information you read be as
>current as possible. Personally, that's why I prefer the monthly
>magazines and club newsletters but even then, you have to be careful.
I have looked in our newsagents for bird magazines and we don't seem to
have any. I will ask Oliver to have a look in the Manchester shops they
might have more stuff than our local village shop.
--
Naomi Clarke
The Cuddle Monster
WWW http://www.pigpen.demon.co.uk/