Birds

Choosing the Right Bird Feed

Domestic birds have a lot in common with humans — at least when it comes to diet. Give them nutritious food, and they’ll want more . Give them junk food, and they’ll crave more junk food. The result: malnutrition, immune deficiency, and possibly a reduced life span. Unfortunately, many bird owners don’t even realize they are feeding their avian pals sub-par diets — they’ve been led to believe that all birds need is a tasty bird seed mix and fresh water. And while birds love to munch on the seeds, too many = a high fat diet, void of necessary vitamins and minerals. The truth is seeds should be labeled as treats, not lunch. Instead, give pet birds a variety of foods with pellets as the focal point.

Pellets are mixtures of those beloved seeds, along with whole grains, vegetables and protein (such as corn and beans), all processed into one “chunk” — think of it as the equivalent of a smoothie or protein bar for birds. They can also have tiny servings of fresh fruit, veggies, bread (could this be where we get the phrase “Polly want a cracker?”), and even other “people food” on occasion. Under no circumstances, however, should birds have chocolate, avocado, alcohol, caffeine or dairy products.  . And be cautious about dietary supplements. Most birds get all the nutrition they need from a proper diet, so before adding extra vitamins and minerals, speak to a vet.

As for buying bird food, no one pellet mix reigns supreme over another. Most are made with similar ingredients and processed in a similar manner, so just find one the bird in question will eat day after day after day with no complaints. Also, make sure the pellets are the appropriate size (parrots can handle larger pellets, while canaries need small ones).

Most importantly, never skimp on water — dehydration is very dangerous to birds. Every bird should have his or her water dish changed daily (if not more) and unlike humans, they should not eat last-nights leftovers. If food is left in the dish, throw it out. Even domesticated animals stop eating when they are full, so this will provide an idea of how much to offer each day.