Improving your birds diet

drab911 · Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 8:20 pm Post subject: Improving your birds diet

Hello, I must admit that I am guilty of not giving my birds hte best possible diet... well I buy the good seeds and pellets but im just not devoted...
However I am not on day shift which makes having a normal life easier so im am ready to start..
My budgies im not conserned as they like to eat veggies
however my 7 and a half month old male parrotlet loves to pick through his seed and just eat the sunflower seeds.... I mix in his food dish pellets with a little bit of cockateil food.. but he just doesnt eat the pellets adn eats just the good seed
when i put veggies in he doesnt look at them at all
should I put the same mixture in when im at work but whenever i am home should I ONLY offer him pellets and veggis?? if he chooses not to eat will the 8 hour access to seed a day be OK?? I just want him to have a proper diet becuase I know how important it is
I just dont want him getting too old before either..

charmedagain · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 2234 Location: uk

Birds can be very stubborn when it comes to diet.
If he is only happy eating seed then aslong as it is good quality then this will be ok.

At 7month old there is still time to get him used to veggies and usually hanging them in the cage is enough to get the to try them out.

One of my pairs will only eat seed which has not done them any harm, I make sure there is cuttlefish bone and mineral block in the cage even for the males that are in the cages on there own.

My peachfaced lovebird will only eat sunflower seeds and will pick them out of her food so i give her mixed seed plus a seperate dish of sunflower seeds i use the black sunflower seeds as they contain less fat so there is less chance of her getting over weight

Mike

drab911 · Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2005 1:19 am Post subject:

so do you think it is a good idea to have mixed seed and pellets while im at work and when I am home only pellets and veggis?? until I see him eating them and then make it all pellets?
this is what I want to do... I would love for him to eat pellets so it is my goal
is this the best route to take??
Thanks

drab911 · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 2:25 am Post subject:

So do you think if you feed them a good quality seed and they enjoy a variety of fruits and veggis that this would be equal to them eating pellets?
Just cause I have confidnence in him eating the veggis just not the pellets... everywhere I read it says they will only live half of their life expectancy if they are fed just seed.. would you agree with this with your experience? You say that one of your pairs only eat seed and you havnt seed any negative effects.. but how old are they?? thanks mike I just want him to have a healthy life! but i dont want him to suffer to reach my goal either...

charmedagain · Moderator Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 2234 Location: uk

I find most birds will never eat pellets so i never bother with them if after 4weeks a bird does not attempt to eat them then i would say dont bother with them.

My pair that are on seed only are 14 and 15 years old and still as strong and healthy as my young birds.

I do not agree that a bird fed only on a good quality seed is going to have a shortened life expectancy.
There is not guarantees (sp) that even a bird on a seed, pellet, fruit and veggie diet is going to live longer than a bird on seed only.

If you feel that he is not going to take to the pellets but will take to the fruit and vegtables then go with that plane.

Watch him and see how he reacts with different foods, I find dark green leafy cabbage is the best veggie to start with as most birds love this wash it thoroughly with warm water but do not dry it just leave it and hang this in the cage see how he reacts to that...

Mike