Some people still think grit is necessary in their birdīs diet, but others say it can actually cause problems and should definitely not be used.
The short answer to this question in my opinion would be NO pet birds do not need grit.
It used to be thought that birds needed the grit to grind up the seeds that were swallowed whole and this grit was usually made available continuously. Unfortunately some birds became ill or died from eating too much grit when it became impacted. Many people however have had no problem and continue to make grit available to their birds at all times.
Most pet birds from finches & canaries to parrots shell their seeds before eating them or eat a pelleted diet and grit is not necessary under those circumstances. These birds are also eating fruits and vegetables, which does not need to be ground up by grit.
Birds such as chickens, doves & pigeons eat their seeds whole & may in fact need grit, although I had 2 doves in the flight with my parakeets and cockatiels and they did not receive any grit in their diet for the seven years they lived here. Of course my doves ate the same diet as the other birds in the flight.
There are soluble grits on the market, that will dissolve and in doing so provide some calcium to your bird. If you feel that you must use grit, then this type would certainly be the best choice to use, but even then I do not believe that it should be available on a continuous basis.
Since there does not seem to be any reason to use grit at all for pet birds I have not used it for any of my birds in the last 12 years. They eat a healthy diet consisting of pellets/seeds/fruits/vegetables and have no need for grit.
After many years of pet bird ownership, I have written e-books about the care of some of these wonderful birds.
