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Colored newspaper: is it okay or not?

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Colored newspaper: is it okay or not?

Postby Kathleen » Wed Sep 30, 2009 11:38 pm

I've seen a mixed batch of opinions on this issue. Is colored newspaper okay to use on the bottom of cage bins or is it toxic? It seems there are a lot of people saying it is toxic, but what is the evidence for this?

I use newspaper on the bottom of my budgie's cage. It's cheap and efficient but also a little dirty. I avoid using the colored sections of newspaper in case, but is that the best course of action? Is it better to just avoid it completely in case of a risk of the toxicity of this paper or does it really matter?
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Re: Colored newspaper: is it okay or not?

Postby Natacha » Sun Oct 04, 2009 10:04 am

I think it's the ink on the glossy prints that you have to worry about.

I use play newspapers and some of it sometimes has some coloured ink. My birds won't really chew on it so I don't tend to worry too much and I changed the papers daily.

But if I remember right, it's mostly the inks in the glossy adds that you really have to worry about.
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Re: Colored newspaper: is it okay or not?

Postby Michael » Sun Oct 04, 2009 4:51 pm

It's not just the glossy magazines or newspapers but the colored inks in old style newspapers. I'm not certain how dangerous they really are so it's all based on rumors (I'd like to see a definitive answer) but I try to avoid them as best I can. From one source I heard that using newspapers with colored dyes underneath the grate can even be dangerous because as poop/water falls on the colored ink, it evaporates some fumes from the ink with the water and could create a toxic odor in the air. Once again, not sure about the merits of this but that's why I try to stick to black and white newspapers only. Watch out, some black and white papers will have a color ad here and there on the flip side or some place you don't notice.
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Re: Colored newspaper: is it okay or not?

Postby Natacha » Sun Oct 04, 2009 5:59 pm

Oddly enough, I keep hearing that even colored ink in newspapers, normal newspapers, aren't bad. They once were, yes, but not so much anymore.
Again, not 100% certain.

Maybe there is a difference with each regulations for each country?
My blog http://poiworld.blogspot.com/
Videos of my birds http://www.youtube.com/user/poicephaluslady
Piper ~ Lovebird
Shade ~ Senegal
Joey & Pixel ~ Red-bellied parrots
Petey & Zuri ~ Meyer's parrots
Léa ~ Cape parrot
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Natacha
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Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Re: Colored newspaper: is it okay or not?

Postby Kathleen » Thu Oct 08, 2009 9:28 pm

I guess it's better to be safe than sorry. I'll just avoid using the colored sections as much as possible. I don't see much concrete evidence for either side, but I think it's better to avoid risk if you don't know which view is the right one.
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