Cuttlebone, that strange white canoe-shaped object found in bird cages all across the country and available at nearly every pet store, can often be found sitting idly inside them. But what exactly is its purpose, and do pet birds really require one as part of their daily needs?
What Is A Cuttlebone for Birds? Cuttlebones are commonly placed in pet bird enclosures for exercise, beneficial nutrients and grooming purposes. When your bird playfully pecks at its cuttlebone it helps polish its beak by removing outer layers while simultaneously serving as a source of calcium when digested.
Cuttlebones, not actual bones, are found inside cuttlefishes which belong to the cephalopod family of sea creatures. Cuttlefishes are related to octopi, squid, and nautilus; its internal shell contains gas-filled chambers to help buoy it while swimming through water. A cuttlebone’s primary purpose is buoyancy regulation for easy movement through fluid environments like ocean waters.Cuttlefish innards have been used in medicine and other applications for many centuries. Early applications included treating wounds caused by cuttlefish.
Pulverized cuttlebone was often employed as a polishing agent by jewelers.
Jewelers utilized cuttlebone as an economical shaping material to craft molds for casting metal jewelry and decorative metal objects, such as earrings. Jewelers cut bones in half, rubbed their halves together until they were perfectly flush, then carved mold shapes directly into them using tools made from cuttlebone which could withstand high temperatures while still producing quality casting molds for metal pourings.
Cuttlebone powder was an effective polishing agent in toothpaste. Naturally high in calcium content, pulverized cuttlebone can also serve as an antacid supplement and nutritional support.
Cuttlebone Serves Multiple Purposes for Pet Birds
Cuttlebone offers many purposes to pet birds as well as other pets. From reptiles and hermit crabs, to hermit crabs, chinchillas, turtles, reptiles and hermit crabs; cuttlebone provides extra dietary calcium without fouling up their environment like other supplements can. Plus it helps increase egg density for those laying them; cuttlebone contains about the same volume of calcium as eggshell. Plus it’s much simpler and convenient offering cuttlebone over feeding eggshells which need reprocessed prior to feeding to avoid bacteria contamination.
Cuttlebone can bring multiple benefits for birds. When consumed as food, birds benefit from its calcium-rich content; playing and nibbling at it helps remove build-up in their beak, polishing its edges as you go and helping eliminate scaly layers that build up over time. Finally, cuttlebone provides another source of stimulation and exercise; not all birds use cuttlebone, but those that enjoy them can use them as interactive objects in their cage or play gym; adding another object and texture for enrichment purposes – ensuring their own health and happiness!
Assembling Cuttlebone for Your Bird
There are various methods you can use to offer cuttlebone to your bird. Most cuttlebone comes equipped with clips, making it easy to clip it to the side of their cage; or use plastic ties to secure it to its bars of cage; some people even find that throwing in sideways through bars encourages playing more often – or simply placing it at the bottom of their cage, where pushing and tossing provides exercise while your bird polishes its beak and consumes additional calcium sources!
If your bird doesn’t enjoy actively playing with a cuttlebone, another solution could be to break off bits and sprinkle it onto its food. Some families use a mortar and pestle to grind up the cuttlebone; whatever works for your family is acceptable as long as your bird receives adequate calcium intake.