Bird Nutrition
Author: Amanda Date Posted:10 January 2016
BIRD NUTRITION
As a bird owner for the past 10 years I, myself know what great pets they can be.
In this blog I will mainly be focusing on parrots of which there are roughly 393 species. Parrots come in such a wide variety of sizes, colours and behaviours and are the most common pet kept in Australia. Active, inquisitive and social, its no wonder they are so popular.
Being a bird owner requires that you have an understanding of their unique needs to keep them happy and healthy.
One of the most basic needs to keep you bird healthy is a complete and nutritious diet. This can have a direct effect on the lifespan of your bird.
BIRDS - WHAT SHOULD I FEED MY BIRD?
Because they are so many species of birds, no one diet alone can be used. However feeding your bird a complete and balanced diet is essential to their wellbeing, happiness and longevity.
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies and health problems are very common in birds fed inadequate diets. Everyone wants to have a companion bird that is healthy, content and a valuable member of the family.
SEED DIETS
A seed based diet is not a balanced diet. These mixes contain a lot of fat (such as sunflower seeds) and carbohydrates (eg. Millet) and most birds will pick out the items they like the best. A seed based diet means your bird will be deficient in essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids that are so important to their health. It can also lead to obesity, fatty liver, malnutrition, overgrown beaks and nails and a range of other health ailments.
In the wild, birds can compensate for certain deficiencies by eating a variety of foods. Companion birds rely solely on their owners to provide them with their nutritional requirements, so it is essential you are feeding your bird the right diet.
Although you may not see the effects of feeding a seed based diet immediately, as your bird ages you will start to see the outcome of this type of diet.
PELLETED DIETS
SO…. A pelleted diet is a much preferred diet for your pet bird. This should make up approximately 80% of their diet (this can vary depending on the type of bird you have)
Pelleted diets are complete and balanced and contain all the essential vitamins and minerals your bird needs. It also means that your bird cannot be selective in picking out their favourite items of food.
There are many different pelleted diets on the market which have been formulated by avian veterinarians and backed by scientific research into the specific nutritional needs of birds.
The Pelleted diets that we carry are Roudybush and Vetafarm. Both these companies produce a range of diets based around specific nutritional requirements of birds, different species of birds and also the different stages of a bird’s life.
LIFESTAGES & SPECIFIC NUTRITION
- Breeding birds
- Chicks and hand rearing
- Adult
- Overweight parrots
- Species specific requirements
What about Lorikeets and nectar eating birds?
In the wild both lorikeets and their cousins, Loris, eat nectar, pollen and fruits rather than seeds. Pet lories and lorikeets have similar requirements. They need a specialised diet of a nectar mix, fruit and vegetables.
Lorikeets are NOT seed eaters and feeding them this diet is unhealthy. There are a range of suitable commercially available lorikeet diets that can be fed wet or dry. These birds can be particularly messy eaters and also squirt their droppings so these diets can help to reduce such mess to some extent.
Such diets available include:
- Joy Lorikeet Wet & Dry
- Roudybush Lori Nectar Diet
- Vetafarm Nectar Pellets & Golden Lori Rice Formula
- Vetafarm Blossom Nectar
- Wombaroo Honeyeater
- Attraction Pollen & Nectar & LoriTreat
FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
Both Seed and Nectar eating birds should be offered a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables daily. Most pelleted diets are recommended to be fed as 80% of a bird’s diet (though budgies and cockatiels are not to be fed more than 50% of a pelleted diet).
Remember that fruit contains sugar, so more vegetables should be offered rather than fruit. In general the darker the vegetable the more nutritious it is.
10% of a birds diet should be made up of vegetables.
5% of a birds diet should be made up of fruits
Try to avoid excessively watery fruits and vegetables, as they are too dilute to provide nutritional benefit.
Nuts and seeds can be offered in small quantities and these are good to be reserved for use in training sessions with your bird rather than offered freely.
A range of treats available:
- Deli-Treats
- Best of both worlds Deli Stix
- Small Parrot Deli Stix
- Joy Cockatiel Treats
- Tutti Fruiti Treats
FOODS TO AVOID
NEVER FEED YOUR BIRD AVOCADO, ONION, RHUBARB, GARLIC OR CHOCOLATE (THESE CAN ALL BE TOXIC TO BIRDS).
If you currently have your bird on a nutritionally incomplete diet at present it is important that the conversion to a pelleted diet is done in the right way. Seek advice from your avian veterinarian . We have also provided links to videos and information sheets regarding how to best undertake this.
Making the switch to a Roudybush diet
WATER
Clean, fresh water is absolutely essential for all birds. Some birds such as Eclectus Parrots love to make a ‘soup’ and drop food into their water bowls, so it’s important to make sure your bird always has access to clean water. Have more than one water bowl and ensure the bowls are not placed under perches where droppings can fall into the water. Using stainless steel coop cups or the Clean Cup water holders or the Silo Waterers
Check their bowls regularly throughout the day.
A healthy diet is essential for your companion bird's health, wellbeing and longevity.
