Is graphite and eraser shavings dangerous for birds?

[Ken Burgess]

I draft building floorplans and other things. This obviously requires pencils and erasers, But my budgie likes to watch me work, while running around my desk and playing with toys. Ocasionaly he will wander across a drawing I am working on and trace the lines with his beak (its the most adorable thing I've ever seen). I was worried what would happen if he were to do this with a fresh drawing with fresh graphite particles, I don't let him near any drawings with fresh graphite particles because I'm worried about if its dangerous or not. Is it dangerous to let him near drawings that have had the excess graphite removed? Or is that also dangerous?

[Bird woman]

The only thing that may contain lead in pencils now days is the laquor and paint they use on them. Graphite is suppose to be non-toxic as far as kids are concerned , parrots ? As for the eraser not a good idea especially if they swallow it. BW

[Ken Burgess]

I know there isn't any lead content, I was more worried about him licking a drawing and getting sick from the graphite.

[Wolf]

Graphite is a form of carbon and as such should be safe for your bird. The eraser should also be non toxic, but could pose a risk if intestinal obstruction so I would not let it chew on them. As far as pencils go, if it is made in the USA, the paint is required to be non toxic the primary risk for poisoning comes from the glue that helps to hold the ferrule in place and the metal of the ferrule itself.

This is the best information that I was able to find about this topic, I hope it helps.

[Pajarita]

Yep, graphite is fine but I would be careful about not leaving any erasers handy because I would think they are precisely the best consistency for budgies to chew on (they LOVE to chew on dry yucca which has a VERY similar degree of 'hardness' as an eraser).