JAMES HARRIS, DVM
Parrots don't need grit
 I've read contradicting information about whether birds need grit. Some Web sites and bird books say it aids in digestion and even that a parrot can die without it. I've heard other people say it's not necessary at all. Does my budgie, Beaky, need grit or not?
--Ada Larock, Pickering, Ontario, Canada
 Parrots do not need grit. They precrush food with their beaks,
making it easier for their gizzards to process it. Chickens,
turkeys, game birds and other ground-dwelling
seed eaters, on the other hand, do need grit because they tend to swallow their food whole. These birds pick up small pieces of rock and sand as they forage.
Technically, grit is clean, washed sand. The type of grit typically sold for birds is
sand with minerals added as a diet supplement. However, if you feed your parrot a well-rounded diet, it won't miss these minerals.
James Harris, DVM is owner and medical director of the Mayfair Veterinary Clinic in Sandy Bay, Tasmania, Australia. He founded Montclair Veterinary Hospital in Oakland, Calif., and has served as medical director and chairman of the board for the International Bird Rescue Research Center in Berkeley. Dr. Harris' numerous professional honors include California and National Bustad Companion Animal DVM Awards.
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