Michael Eats My Tobacco!

[Brightside1]

I roll my own cigs with a tube loading machine. Most of the time there is a little tobacco left over so I leave it in the tray. Michael will sneak and eat some and it doesn’t seem to hurt him any. But he insists on it at times and stares at me until he see I’m not watching and goes under the bed or wherever it’s sitting and nabs some.
He used to grab a Complete cig, run off, then sling it until the tobacco came out. He also will go into the ash tray and sling every filter out of it but I haven’t caught him doing it or what he does after that. I know it has to be him and ugh boy does he sling them like waaay far away.
I clean up pretty well on the ash tray now.
What I’m getting at is do you think that he knows it kills worms? Or has he got a small nicotine addiction like I do? Maybe he likes the taste? I know that man that raised him from a chick smoked.
emclosed is a pic of him in November whe I got him and he nabbed a tube.

 

[LizzzyJo]

There’s a lot to unpack here. I’m just...I’m just not going to peel back these layers. I’m just going to answer your question.

I think the tobacco probably tastes good.

 

[Sapphire Sebright]

Handsome rooster!
Sometimes chickens just eat things for the heck of it -- health reasons have nothing to do with it. He probably likes the taste of it and finds it a treat.
My hens go crazy for hosta leaves, probably for the same reason.

 

[Painted Calls]

I would agree that he likes the taste. That being said, my horses will steal a can of snuff right out of your pocket because they love the taste. I don't let them eat it though.

You really should squash Michael's habit.

 

[Isaac 0]

I'm not sure, but I would suggest isolating all possible cigarette buds so he can't eat anymore.

"Make sure you dispose of all cigarette butts far away from where a curious beak can get at them. Even a small butt can contain up to 25% of the nicotine in a whole cigarette, and birds that swallow nicotine often die rapidly, within 15 to 30 minutes. Signs of nicotine poisoning include twitching, excitability, salivating, vomiting, seizures, collapse, and death."

https://lafeber.com/pet-birds/playing-with-fire-tobacco-pet-birds/