# cat litter



## Napoleon's Loft (Aug 25, 2008)

hi guys, just need some opinions about this. can I use and is it safe to use cat litter (Maxx Scoop by Purina) as a nesting materials for our pigeons?

thanks in advance for the reply.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Napoleon's Loft said:


> hi guys, just need some opinions about this. can I use and is it safe to use cat litter (Maxx Scoop by Purina) as a nesting materials for our pigeons?
> 
> thanks in advance for the reply.


No, Cat litter is not good for pigeons.
How many birds do you have? Are they in a loft or cages?
I use corn cob bedding for mine. And sometimes pine shavings.
Depends on how many you have to be economical. Corn cob can get expensive.


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## Napoleon's Loft (Aug 25, 2008)

*cat litter as a nesting material*



Msfreebird said:


> No, Cat litter is not good for pigeons.
> How many birds do you have? Are they in a loft or cages?
> I use corn cob bedding for mine. And sometimes pine shavings.
> Depends on how many you have to be economical. Corn cob can get expensive.



My pigeons are in individual breeding cages.  I will use cat litter as a nesting material and not for bedding.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Napoleon's Loft said:


> My pigeons are in individual breeding cages. I will use cat litter as a nesting material and not for bedding.


Most cat litters have "clay" in it. Clay can clog up their system if they eat it. Thats why its not recommended.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

For nesting material you can use shavings, and give them a little dish of twigs and pine needles (the long ones), they enjoy picking out what they want and bring them to the nest.


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

I would highly advise NOT using cat litter at all around pigeons becuase they are always pecking around in the nest moving the nesting material and adding to it.

As Msfreebird stated they are very likely to ingets it and this can lead to all sorts of health problems.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Napoleon's Loft said:


> hi guys, just need some opinions about this. can I use and is it safe to use cat litter (Maxx Scoop by Purina) as a nesting materials for our pigeons?
> 
> thanks in advance for the reply.


the clay cat litter is excellent for nests or sweet pdz or stall dry for horse stall is great too, just about the same as cat litter, diatomaceous earth and clay particles is all it is. would not use the clumping cat litter because of in case of ingesting. I use both natural clay cat litter or the pdz for horse stalls and put some shavings on top and then let them build the nest with some sticks or pineneedles.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

LOL - So there you have it - completely different points of view 
I was told to never use cat litter.

And actually, I would love to know the correct answer to this because cat litter is the least expensive in bulk. And if its OK to use, why don't more people use it?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Msfreebird said:


> LOL - So there you have it - completely different points of view
> I was told to never use cat litter.


good advice if it is the clumping kind... the natural clay litter is fine as well as the sweet pdz for horse stalls, believe me horse people are not going to put anything in with their very valuable horses that is not safe for them,,horse can have allergy problems and eat or nibble on the floor so it is a good product, as well as the natural clay cat litter as it is inert. I use this stuff all the time and my birds are not ill and are not stopped up...lol...


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

spirit wings said:


> good advice if it is the clumping kind... the natural clay litter is fine as well as the sweet pdz for horse stalls, believe me horse people are not going to put anything in with their very valuable horses that is not safe for them,,horse can have allergy problems and eat or nibble on the floor so it is a good product, as well as the natural clay cat litter as it is inert. I use this stuff all the time and my birds are not ill and are not stopped up...lol...


LOL, see why I love this forum. Always learning things contrary to what your taught. I don't doubt your experience in using it. And I'm curious now as to what others have to say about it.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Msfreebird said:


> LOL, see why I love this forum. Always learning things contrary to what your taught. I don't doubt your experience in using it. And I'm curious now as to what others have to say about it.


well I would say if somone does not want to put stock into what I do and know, then they may feel more comfortable just using diatomaceous earth, by itself, even though it is not as absorbant. 


and a side note about sand, it holds moister but does not dry out, so I did not like using it.


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

I have always been told not to use cat litter lol
I personally use tobacco stems.
I also take all of my "junk" mail and shred it up in a paper shredder and toss a handfull in each nest box.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Ed, you use the the stuff for horse stalls if I remember right...it's the same stuff as natural NONCLUMPING clay cat litter..so in a way you are using it, just not in the nest bowl but on the floor.


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

Oo I though they were asking about nest boxes only.
yes I use what is called Stall Dry.
I put a small layer down on the loft floor then cover that with corn cob.
It helps deodorize and keeps the moister down.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Ed, they seem quite content there 

We use tobacco stalks too. They look like twigs, feel like twigs, and they help to keep the bugs out (so I've heard). They get very occupied in 'testing' the stems and picking and choosing which ones to use.

John


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

Oh they LOVE the tobacco stems lol
I also found out how much they LOVE using milk crates as nest boxes LOL
I find my pigeons really prefer using cheaper materials then materials that cost me an arm and a leg... which I'm VERY happy about


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Ed...what kind of Pigeon is that in your last picture?


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

Not sure...
hes a new cock bird I got from a guy in my race club.
he paid 500 bucks for it and was going to "cull" it from his breeder team so I asked if I could have it.
I decided to try him out this year and see if him and a Yb hen that did pretty good last year will kick out winners.


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## Brummie (Feb 16, 2009)

Don't want to sound like a smart ass, but theres a reason they call certain things what they are, ie: cat litter, hamster food, Chicken starter.
...The reason's I would not use cat litter are for one there is too much dust. There are far better nesting material's.Go out into your yard and grab some unfertilized grass, pine needles, twig's.
As far as floor dressing, if you need to put something down, sand works great.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Brummie said:


> Don't want to sound like a smart ass, but theres a reason they call certain things what they are, ie: cat litter, hamster food, Chicken starter.
> ...The reason's I would not use cat litter are for one there is too much dust. There are far better nesting material's.Go out into your yard and grab some unfertilized grass, pine needles, twig's.
> As far as floor dressing, if you need to put something down, sand works great.


natural clay cat litter comes with low or no dust... the old time cat litter and the cheap ones that do not mention the "no dust" may have some.... the stall dry or sweet pdz for horse stalls is dust free..we are talking about a product used around horses...they HAVE to be dust free. we are talking about an absorbant base to use in the bottom of the nest bowl not the nesting materials the birds use to make a nest with on top of it... these products are great to use with all the poop a squab produces. these are new ways of using something for the betterment of your birds and cleaner conditions... sand IMO is too moist from the humidity...which is a good enviroment for bacteria. the horse stall dry and or the sweet pdz for horse stalls make one of the best floor dressings around...you should try it before you knock it...and it is alot cheaper than belgium white...and you can buy it local. oh and my birds do get their own sticks and pine needles and make nesties on top of the litter. sometimes I add dust free pine shavings for horse stalls too, there has been alot of improvments from years past for dust free bedding and litter...


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## Brummie (Feb 16, 2009)

spirit wings said:


> natural clay cat litter comes with low or no dust... the old time cat litter and the cheap ones that do not mention the "no dust" may have some.... the stall dry or sweet pdz for horse stalls is dust free..we are talking about a product used around horses...they HAVE to be dust free. we are talking about an absorbant base to use in the bottom of the nest bowl not the nesting materials the birds use to make a nest with on top of it... these products are great to use with all the poop a squab produces. these are new ways of using something for the betterment of your birds and cleaner conditions... sand IMO is too moist from the humidity...which is a good enviroment for bacteria. the horse stall dry and or the sweet pdz for horse stalls make one of the best floor dressings around...you should try it before you knock it...and it is alot cheaper than belgium white...and you can buy it local. oh and my birds do get their own sticks and pine needles and make nesties on top of the litter. sometimes I add dust free pine shavings for horse stalls too, there has been alot of improvments from years past for dust free bedding and litter...


I stand, corrected. But please tell me why my cat would rather do her business next to our pine tree!?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Brummie said:


> I stand, corrected. But please tell me why my cat would rather do her business next to our pine tree!?


because she likes that spot better?....lol... or she has not been litter box trained?.... do not have cat ESP so that is the best I can do..lol..... mine likes my rose bed...


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## Guest (Dec 21, 2009)

Many pick pots and pick stones made for pigeons to consume have clay in them so I would guess it's not bad for them. Clay litter for cats sometimes has additives like deodorizers that may be harmful if ingested so I'd be careful which one is used around birds. 

Ed! That's a great idea! Shred the junk mail and use for bedding. I'll have to try that.


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

Ed said:


> Oo I though they were asking about nest boxes only.
> yes I use what is called Stall Dry.
> I put a small layer down on the loft floor then cover that with corn cob.
> It helps deodorize and keeps the moister down.



Ed how often do you have to clean the loft using the stall dry & corn cob? 
Sometimes in the winter when we get -0 wind chills I can't clean the loft as much as I'd like or put the birds out to clean, so dry stall might work for us.


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

I take all of the corn cob from the floor out twice a year , replace with a fresh bag and lay down some more stall dry.
About every 6 months give or take depending on my budget lol
I rake the corn cob and remove the big clumps of poop out every other day.


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## Brummie (Feb 16, 2009)

spirit wings said:


> because she likes that spot better?....lol... or she has not been litter box trained?.... do not have cat ESP so that is the best I can do..lol..... mine likes my rose bed...


Glad you took it in the nature it was intentedl.lol. Cat's have a nature of there own, "come" means go, "sit" means run for the hill's.
She's half Maine ****, right now she's loving the snow...She look's at the birds, but that's it...She's my wife's cat, I repeat shes my wifes cat!


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

*corn cob?*

You have me beat - is this just a name of some kind of special product ... or .... corn ... um 

(we just have wood shavings or wood chip)

John


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

Here is what it looks like










corn cob bedding absorbs from the bottom up, so the surface of the bedding that touches your pet remains dry.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Ah, I see ... thanks Ed 

John


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

Ed said:


> I take all of the corn cob from the floor out twice a year , replace with a fresh bag and lay down some more stall dry.
> About every 6 months give or take depending on my budget lol
> I rake the corn cob and remove the big clumps of poop out every other day.



Thanks for the information Ed Spot cleaning would be a heck of alot easier in the winter.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Ed said:


> Here is what it looks like
> 
> 
> 
> ...


you know that stuff would problably be great for nest bowls too..... I remember a pet store I worked at as a younger person..(long time ago)...lol... they used that under the parrot pit where the parrots hung out open in the store..worked great.


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## Brummie (Feb 16, 2009)

John_D said:


> You have me beat - is this just a name of some kind of special product ... or .... corn ... um
> 
> (we just have wood shavings or wood chip)
> 
> John


...A Brit in Chicago, let me translate. You know corn on the husk? Well after all the corn has been taken off, they grind it up for bedding and the like.


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## Guest (Dec 22, 2009)

you have to be careful with the corn cob bedding cuz if it gets too wet it tends to grow mold easily.. so Im guessing maybe with the stall dry its a better combination .


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## dogging_99 (Apr 21, 2009)

*Pigeon Litter*

This is what I've settled on and it works well.
I use felt pad in the nest bowl and I spread a mixture of sand around the nest box to dry up what sqweeker shoots out of the nest around the bowl.
I put out tobacco stems for the birds to build the nest on top of the felt pad with. 

droppings that are inside the nest dries quickly but for the most part the little sqweekers are pretty clean. I had to laugh the first time I witnessed the sqweeker backing up to the edge and poping out of the bowl.

75% Sand, 25% Sweet PDZ, 5% Diatomaceous earth.
Cleans easy, not dusty, stays put, Birds can eat it. smells good in loft.
dries the droppings up quickly.

I clean regularly with a cat litter strainer that has 1/8 inch screen wired in to it. I just paddle the sand and droppings into it with a 3" trowel that I use for scraping the perches and sift.

I use the sand mixture under the perches 1 1/2" deep in a frame, 1/2" deep on the shelf, 1/4" deep in the nest boxes, and in the Sputnik. 

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/album.php?albumid=972&pictureid=11482


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Brummie said:


> ...A Brit in Chicago, let me translate. You know corn on the husk? Well after all the corn has been taken off, they grind it up for bedding and the like.


Hey, waste not want not, and all that 

Cheers, Brummie

John


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