Using Newspaper to Line Cage Bottom-Safe?

[Anny]

Hello,

I read that one should only use black-and-white newspaper to line bird cage bottoms as there may be toxins in the coloured inks. My question is, is it okay to use newspaper that is black-and-white on one side but has colour on the other side (and, of course, I would make sure the black-and-white side is on the top)? Should my cockatiel (to arrive next week) start chewing on the newspaper, then he would be chewing on the coloured ink also. Please advise if I am just being paraonoid. Thanks.

 

[Cynthia & Percy]

you are not being paranoid just a good parront it should be alright I have done that for years with mine just not the slick fliers

 

[BamaBirdMom]

My favorite thing to use to line cage bottoms is white freezer paper. It comes on rolls like aluminum foil, and it's water proof. Works beautifully!

 

[Anny]

Thanks Omai1983 and BamaBirdMom for your quick advice. Much appreciated!

 

[atvchick95]

i use all of the newspaper except the slippery ads like walmart , k mart etc.

Newspaper is made with vegetable ink, so it's safe

my birds - specially in the couple of cages that has no grate Destroy the paper seconds after i put it in .... my lovebirds in those cages use it for nesting material

I also rip strips off, and weave it through cage bars for them to shred, or i'll put shredded pieces inside wiffle balls for their toys

the only "worry" is if your cage does not have a grate, and your bird goes to the bottom the ink will rub off on them and make their tail stained up and dirty

of course with out the grate they'll have a bigger chance of walking through their poop and stuff too but if you have a grate in the cage that isn't a problem

 

[ncGreyBirdLady]

I also have used newspaper for Years! Like others-just not the slick ad papers!

 

[Welshanne]

I also have always used newspapers with my neighbours saving theirs for our birds. Not done them any harm and they cannot reach them anyway.

 

[vikistevens]

Thanks for your information. I am a new bird owner and I appreciate this kind of info.

 

[Billie Faye]

Viki, keep those "?"'s coming!
We are more than eager to help you learn and be calm when your new faby arrives!

 

[waterfaller1]

I also have always used newspapers with my neighbours saving theirs for our birds. .

LOL..me too...had a friend the other day say " I have something for you" and proceed to hand me a huge stack of papers. Guess I haven't been collecting in awhile.. I notice a neighbor down the street on recycling day, puts out what looks to be papers in their original stacked and bound state{Like from the newspaper itself} I was thinking of stopping and asking if it's ok if I take them. You know you have it bad when you start looking in people's recycle bins for extra paper.

 

[atvchick95]

LOL..me too...had a friend the other day say " I have something for you" and proceed to hand me a huge stack of papers. Guess I haven't been collecting in awhile.. I notice a neighbor down the street on recycling day, puts out what looks to be papers in their original stacked and bound state{Like from the newspaper itself} I was thinking of stopping and asking if it's ok if I take them. You know you have it bad when you start looking in people's recycle bins for extra paper.

that neighbor probably delivers papers, when we used to do it for a friend when he couldn't ( we worked at the paper factory we put the ads in the papers and got them ready to be bundled and sent out with the delivery ppl) what ever was left over he just tossed in his back seat and once a week or so he'd throw it all in the trash

my b/fs mom used to save the papers for me then her daughter got 2 too's off us and bought one, so now they go to her - and my pile is getting thin going to have to pipe up on thanksgiving and mention something about getting low on newspaper LOL

she used to bring me 30 gallon sized trash bags full about every other month and i had a good stash for a while lol

 

[Beatriz Cazeneuve]

Newspaper ink is perfectly safe. And, if you use the part you haven't read, it's even safer because they come out practically sterile off the machines.

 

[birdergirl]

I believe with most newspapers these days you don't need to worry about colored ink. About 20 years ago I worked for our local paper, and it was at that time that they switched to vegetable-based inks. So I have no problem using that paper, because I know they use non-toxic ink.

If you have a question, just call your local paper and ask what kind of ink they use.

 

[southernbirds]

People have been using the inside clean papers to wrap food in for years. I have no problem using newspapers as long as the birds don't eat it. My friend's husband uses his medical journals for bird paper after he reads them.

 

[birdlady]

Same here...newspaper...it is cheap or free and does a great job! I only use the slick papers on cages that have grates.

 

[Saemma]

I use black and white and coloured paper. My parrot don't really go below the grate.

 

[Babybreau]

I always use newspaper too. I use the fliers (not the shiny ones) to crumple into balls, weave strips through the bars, and make paper trees with. My birds LOVE to shred paper!

 

[Brigidt36]

I use newspapers in all the cages, and since I use the grates in their cages and they can't get to the newspapers, I even use the shiny fliers. People at work are always collecting newspapers for me and it's free.

 

[RAC]

mines packing paper from the u haul store

 

[LuvMyBirds]

I use newspaper too. Mine seem to enjoy the Wall Street Journal over the local paper