Should Cuttlebone Be Kept in a Budgie Cage?

Cuttlebone is mostly made up of calcium carbonate, so obviously it is an ideal source for budgies' calcium, along with some other minerals, including magnesium, potassium, zinc and iron. Cuttlebone is necessary for all budgies, but especially for females -- and particularly for egg-laying budgies.

The notion that birds use cuttlebone to sharpen their beaks isn't quite accurate. Budgies, like all hook-bills, are nibblers and gnawers who enjoy chewing on any item. They especially enjoy chewing away at hard objects, like cuttlebones, which serve as grinding stones, not sharpeners. Cuttlebone wears down budgies' little beaks, keeping them from growing too long.

Budgies like to chew, but there's always a chance one of yours won't take to cuttlebone. Or maybe the converse is true, and he is such a chewer that he works a cuttlebone twice his size into a pile of powder in less than a day. Either could be a reason for you to look for alternatives to cuttlebone. Natural mineral blocks such as limestone rock, ground oyster shell or even crushed egg shell -- washed, of course -- are effective substitutes for cuttlebone that will supply calcium and minerals for your budgies. If you opt for a mineral block, make sure it isn't man-made. BirdChannel.com's Dick Schroeder says man-made blocks are made from plaster of paris and could contain artificial colors and anything else the manufacturer added in.

Cuttlebones usually come with a wire so you can attach them to your budgies' cage. You'll find, however, that unless you attach it somewhere convenient for them, they might not make the effort to go to it for a grinding session. Affix your budgies' cuttlebone inside the cage next to a perch so they have easy access to it. Next to the food dish is another option. Move it around until you find a place where they'll access it.