Cuttlefish Bone:
Call me old fashioned, but I still like to offer my Java's cuttlefish bone
for their main source of calcium intake. I constantly have a piece hanging
up in the main flight and indoor flight, most importantly is to have cuttlefish
on each breeding cage. If you cannot get hold of cuttlefish, try chicken eggshells
instead. Dry the shells out in an oven or nuke them in the microwave, let
them cool down and crush them with the rolling pin, keep crushing them until
most of the fragments are
about 1/8"x 1/8" I find this size OK for Java's
On the market these days you can get calcium liquid which you add to their
drinking water. It's a product I have never tried or likely to try, the old
bone has been around for a long time (like me) I have never been let down
in the past using cuttlefish so I will continue to use it in the future. Second
are the chicken eggshells for me. A lot of people will disagree with this,
but it is only my opinion.
Why calcium:
Calcium is the main part of egg building and bone structure in a bird. Lack
of calcium in the diet, results in weak and poor eggs from the hen, also when
the hen is feeding young her body will demand more and more calcium not only
to build her own body back up after producing several eggs or more but for
the young chicks as well. The chicks need the calcium for their growing bones;
it will help to make a stronger bird later in life. Again another vital part
of a Java's diet.
Cuttlefish On The Beach:
I have often seen cuttlefish bones washed up on our beaches here in Devon.
And have been tempted to use theses for the birds. But I don't know whether
they are safe to use or not! Do they need treating with something first to
make them safe to use. If you have the answer, e-mail me (click
here). To be on the safe side I always buy my cuttlefish bones from the
pet shop. Better to be safe than sorry.