Can I Use Organic Cane Sugar for Hummingbird Food

• #1

Hi all, I take been researching sugar all twenty-four hours and I came across this article by Joybilee Farm, which posits that the anti-orgianic-sugar sentiment is based on a myth. It says that both organic white sugar and organic raw carbohydrate are in fact good to utilise as they contain little iron and comprise no pesticide residue.

Was curious what others consensus was on this article? Would you employ organic white sugar or organic raw sugar?

Cheers, Steve

Last edited: Jan 13, 2020

• #2

I tin can't see why organic white saccharide should exist a trouble. Information technology is just white sugar produced from organic stock.

I would avoid raw sugar, organic or otherwise, due to the iron content. Better safe than distressing in my stance.

• #4

Cheers for your input! She makes the point though, that the zoo who did the study responsible for the fe scare was successful in caring for birds for a number of decades with a food that contained 40mg/1kg of iron. It was a change of the recipe that resulted in 800mg/1kg of iron that led to the poisoning.

She says the iron content of raw sugar is in fact very low and very condom (containing three.7mg/1kg of atomic number 26, only 10% of the zoo's successful supplement). It seems to me organic raw saccharide would be better for the birds and the surround.

Am I wrong here? Thank you o

Raw sugar will be no amend for the birds, simply could potentially be worse.

All the experts recommend white carbohydrate, preferable cane sugar. I would take their advice over the advice of one person.

If you are still confronting using white pikestaff sugar, and want to provide an environmentally friendly meal for the hummingbirds, I would suggest planting a bloom garden.

• #five

Raw sugar will be no improve for the birds, but could potentially be worse.

All the experts recommend white sugar, preferable pikestaff sugar. I would have their advice over the communication of i person.

If y'all are still against using white cane sugar, and want to provide an environmentally friendly repast for the hummingbirds, I would suggest planting a flower garden.

Which experts? What'south the argument confronting raw sugar, and where is the data to back up it?

Cheers

Last edited: January 14, 2020

• #8

I accept been feeding organic sugar for ages and the hummers love it! Afterwards all, it is more natural.

• #11

I'm very much an organics fan, but very much dubiety the garden variety carbohydrate is any threat.
Afaik, in commercial processing, the raw sugar is dissolved in water and passed over activated charcoal, which adsorbs pretty much all foreign substances..
Practice note that hummers live fast and die young, five years is quite mature for a hummer, iii or four years is the norm.
Hard to tiresome toxicant something that lives so fast.

• #12

I'm very much an organics fan, but very much doubt the garden multifariousness carbohydrate is whatsoever threat.
Afaik, in commercial processing, the raw sugar is dissolved in water and passed over activated charcoal, which adsorbs pretty much all foreign substances..
Practice note that hummers alive fast and die young, v years is quite mature for a hummer, three or four years is the norm.
Hard to slow poison something that lives so fast.

You lot need to exist aware that hummingbird eat a lot. They eat between i.five and 3 times their body weight in nectar every day. If I ate as much equally a hummingbird I would be consuming virtually a railroad tank auto full of nectar every twelvemonth. This is why fifty-fifty seemingly low levels of certain chemicals in hummingbird nectar can apace build to toxic levels.

I cannot fathom why some people insist on using types of sugar that may be unsafe when we are certain that white cane sugar is safe. To say that information technology's better because it's natural, and that the hummingbirds dearest information technology, is sticking your head in the sand. I am sure that the 25 dead hummingbirds at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum hummingbird aviary loved the nectar that they were getting, right up to the point where they died from iron toxicosis. Since most of us aren't feeding hummingbirds in an aviary nosotros would have no thought if the nectar that we are using is leading to premature decease of the birds. Ignorance is elation.

You can read an expert opinion on the various types of sugar here.

• #13

I utilize only organics white cane sugar with bottled bound water. I mix the 1/2 cup of sugar with two cups of room temp bottle spring water and mix until i deceit see whatsoever more granules of sugar. Then i make clean out my feeder with hot water and wipe information technology downwardly well earlier filling with my carbohydrate/water mixture. I go visitors of hummingbirds multiple X a day. I change the feeder every 4-5 days. I clean it throughly again earlier putting a fresh batch of sugar water mix to make sure no mold bugs etc abound. I as well put it where the sun does not hitting so information technology stays cool and prevents mold growth. I read a lot online near the feeders before taking it upon myself to feed the little guys because I dont want to exist responsible for killing the most beautiful creatures God has made. Delight be responsible if its as well much work for you just abound some red flowers that hummingbirds like to feed on for nectar. Detect out which ones by looking them up online. Goodluck♥️

• #14

The recommendation for the type of water to utilise is filtered water or natural leap h2o. The REcommendation for the type of carbohydrate is regular cane sugar preferably organic. But make certain it isn't raw or brown/beige-colored cane sugar because information technology can incorporate iron and can hurt the birds over fourth dimension while eventually killing them.

• #15

I stick with those that use normal cane sugar.

raspthereld1970.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.birdforum.net/threads/can-i-feed-organic-sugar-to-hummingbirds.385481/

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