Parakeet Cage Liner - Gravel or Newspaper?

User Question
Hi! I just purchased a parakeet. I bought those grit liners to put in the bottom of the cage but I read that those were not good for them. I also read that newspapers were not good for them either. Could you please tell me what if anything to put in the bottom of the cage? Thanks!

Lisa's Answer
Well most definitely grit liners are BAD for parakeets. They tear up the soft feet of the birds, they don't do any good for the bird at all, and they're expensive too! So there's no reason at all to ever use a grit lining.

On newspaper, I know lots of people who use newspaper. If you're going to say that newspaper is dangerous because of the ink having lead in it or something, how about all those kids who read newspapers every day? Aren't they being poisoned? The truth is that newspaper ink does NOT have lead - and in fact "lead" pencils are now made from graphite, not lead. So anyone who feels that newspapers could harm birds is living back in the 1600s :)

I would use newspaper, that is fine. Birds don't spend their lives hopping around on the bottom of their cage in any case. The paper is really there just to collect poop easily. To be honest, I have a house full of colored paper because it was all bought for a project and never got all used up. So I am currently putting bright orange colored paper in the bottom of the parakeet cage, so at least it's used for something :)

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