Measure the amount fed in the morning and then 24 hours later blow off the husks and measure how much is left. Measure how many teaspoons of seed your bird eats in a 24-hour period. To switch a bird from an all-seed diet, the first step is to work out how much seed they eat. We have to teach many birds, just as their parents would have done, what is safe to eat, even if it may take longer than we realize. It’s easier to start with a baby bird than an adult, but as with cats, it can be done. Birds are like cats in that they get used to what they first ate as youngsters, and many dislike trying new foods. The likely reason is not because of the taste, but because the bird doesn’t recognise pellets as food. Many people say that their bird will not eat pellets. Birds on a pelleted diet live longer, have fewer health problems and look better than birds on a seed diet.Ī diet of 100% pellets is rarely healthy either, as there is no ‘one diet’ recommended for parrots that have evolved in a wide range of geographical and climatic conditions, e.g., arid zone birds (budgies and cockatiels) vs rainforest birds (macaws and Eclectus). While birds can have some seeds without problems – given as a treat – their diet should be 60% formulated pellets and 40% vegetables, with seeds and fruit used only as treats. The first formulated diets for birds were created in the 1970s and have kept improving. While not enough research has been done about the healthiest diet for birds for anyone to know absolute specifics, we can say safely say that pellets are formulated to meet the best guesses for nutritional requirements based on the information available. Captive birds also eat what’s available, whether it’s good for them or not. New seasons bring new types of foods, and they eat what is available. Wild birds eat a vast variety of foods such as nuts, grasses, flowers, fruits, insects, seeds, and the list goes on. Not only that, but also a good diet keeps a bird in good spirits, keeps their feathers in great condition, and improves life overall. In general, avian veterinarians see more clinical problems, such as obesity and metabolic bone disease, in birds using fresh-food diets than with an appropriate diet.Ī good diet boosts the immune system and helps the bird ward off illness. A bird’s body cannot absorb enough calcium if there is more phosphorus in the diet than calcium. Balanced means that the right nutrients are given in adequate amounts that won't interfere with other nutrients or be toxic. Fresh doesn't necessarily mean balanced, and this diet usually lacks sufficient calcium. It tends to lack the correct variety of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. It generally consists of a variety of cooked foods, such as beans, grains, pasta, with a variety of fresh vegetables and a bit of fresh fruit.
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