newspaper chewing?

[lilwonder512]

im sorry if this question has come up before (i did a search and was unable to find any posts with a similar topic)... but i wanted to know if it was okay for my lovies to be shredding up the newspaper that lines the bottom of the cage. i dont want them to get sick from the ink! :(

also i was wondering, is it bad to not allow my lovies to breed? does putting a nest in their cage automatically give them access to mate? i would like to put something cozy in their cage without them trying to mate.

lastly, how often should i chage their toys? they dont really play with their toys too often, so i wouldnt really know if their bored of them!

i'm sorry i have so many questions :confused: :confused: :confused: , but you have all been soooo incredibly helpful in the past, and for that...

:grouphug1

[Katy]

As for the newspaper... Well, I had the same thoughts as you. I didn't want them ingesting ink and other chemicals. I don't know if it's a problem for them, so just incase, I don't let mine shred newspaper too often.

If you want to put a cozy/happy hut in their cage, do it. Although leaving it in there during the day may inhibit them to want to breed, as they'd see it sort of as a nest box. So perhaps just put it in there during the night for them to sleep on/in.

I change my toys around every week or so. It's usually part of my 'cleaning the cage' routine. Mainly because I take everything out to clean them and then can't remember where they were before I removed them :rofl:

[butterfly1061]

Newspaper is ok. The ink the companies use is non-toxic. Don't give them the newspapers with "color" ink. This one is not good for birdies nor are magazines (glossy pages). :2cents:

[LauraO]

Newspaper ink is not bad for lovies to chew on but try to keep them from chewing on anything glossy. I would be aware that they are likely pooping on the paper they are chewing, which is not good. You might consider putting the paper under the grate so they don't have access to it.

It is not bad to keep your lovies from breeding, but having anything shreddeable, especially newspaper, does promote nestbuilding and breeding. In fact, one of the ways to keep your hen from laying is to keep all shredeable toys and paper away from them as well as not giving them any boxes, cozies, huts on a regular basis. If you do put a cozy in just remove it during the day and put it in for bedtime. This is something I, and others do with great success.

How often you move the toys around is really up to you. Lovies are individuals and what toys they like has a lot to do with personality. So keep searching around for a variety of toys and switch them out as you rotate the cage around. This is also something that can hinder breeding as lovies breed when their world is safe and secure.

Good Luck:D

[lilwonder512]

thanks guys, great advice - as always! greatly appreicate it! :)