pellet brand

[Vera]

Clawnz: do you believe that the diet i posted in my other post,without pellets or any other supplementation, with only the limited variety as posted, is as good as, or even better than a diet with some pellets in it? A diet with that little variety i don't trust to provide all the needed nutrients. That is why i think adding pellets is a good addition.
Top doesn't have added vitamins and minerals but contains lots of veggies.dehydrated, so more nutrient dence. Harrison is a pellet without menadione. Looks like a clean pellet to me, with the added vitamins: a safety net.
I am here to learn.would love to read your and other opinions about this.

 

[Peachfaced]

I am not comfortable with any of both camps.not with the "no pellet" camp and not with the "most pellet" camp.
That is why i think i stick to a varied diet:the veggies she will eat with sprouted grains and legumes and cooked grains and legumes, a dry seedmix and some pellets. Best of both worlds.

This is what I do as well. A variety of veggies every day, sprouts, a little bit of fruit (for Rupert... Sherbie doesn't care for it), and pellets are always available if they need them. They both get a bit of Avicake or other dry seed for training and foraging.

 

[Love My Zons]

Please stop lying. There is absolutely no scientific evidence that shows that healthy birds fed a pelleted diet suffer from long-term malnutrition or liver/kidney problems. You're not doing anyone any favors by spreading this blatant misinformation.

In fact real fact that our Cockatoo has been on Harrison's HP course for 4 plus years. She had elevated liver enzymes back when she went into rescue. Her liver values are normal and we just re-tested prior to coming to live with me the end of June. Complete workup, and she's fine. The HP is supposed to help with birds that may have liver or kidney issues. I know some bash it due to the peanuts used in it. But I will say it's a world wide available food and I do not believe it's mis-labeled if anything it's one of the few that is labeled non GMO.

She also eats sweet potato and other vegetables in smaller amounts. I have to say that I think Harrison's is one of the best pellets out there. There are others that are good too. I have offer many and give my birds a variety of pellets. They pick and choose what they like.

I am going to also toss this out there about my Parrotlet that was 3 mos shy of turning 16 and was on Harrison's more than half his lifetime until the later part where I just cooked foods for him due to a beak issue.

He was never a seed junky bird, ate whole foods. Never had any liver or kidney issues.

 

[painesgrey]

There is no "one size fits all" diet for any animal - be it parrot, cat, or dog. The best that we can do is feed foods that are formulated to meet nutritional requirements and to make adjustments on an as-needed basis.

Unfortunately, no two animals are alike and certainly there can be individuals can have genetic predispositions to liver/kidney issues that are exacerbated by certain diets. That doesn't mean that certain diets are the cause of these diseases, but that doesn't stop people from blaming them. It's far easier to blame "big pet food" than to understand the nuances of animal nutrition and how some birds can be exceptions to the rule.

 

[Peachfaced]

There is no "one size fits all" diet for any animal - be it parrot, cat, or dog. The best that we can do is feed foods that are formulated to meet nutritional requirements and to make adjustments on an as-needed basis.

Unfortunately, no two animals are alike and certainly there can be individuals can have genetic predispositions to liver/kidney issues that are exacerbated by certain diets. That doesn't mean that certain diets are the cause of these diseases, but that doesn't stop people from blaming them. It's far easier to blame "big pet food" than to understand the nuances of animal nutrition and how some birds can be exceptions to the rule.

This is good food for thought, for sure. It can take some trial and error before you find the right mix or balance for each bird, too. Not to mention as they age, you may have to increase or decrease certain parts. Keeping a diary/logbook would be extremely helpful in terms of diet as well.

 

[MahaSarah]

I have Lovebirds and an Amazon parrot and I personally feed 35% veggies, 35% pellets, 10% fruit, 10% seeds 5% grains & 5% beans for my Lovebirds and 40% veggies, 40% pellets, 10% fruit and 5% grains and 5% beans to my Amazon Parrot. No one food group should be a parrot's main diet. They need a varied diet consisting of veggies, pellets, fruit, grains, and beans along with some seeds and nuts. Pellets should not make 100% of the diet especially for the smaller birds because there is such a high amount of protein that is just too much for the small bodies of the smaller birds. Variety is key