Best pellets for cockatiels and budgies!

[Alex92]

Hello everyone! Having gotten a new job I am in the process of trying to find the best pellets that I can afford for my birds. All of them have only eaten seed and treats up to this point and I was wondering what pellets everyone else has used. I have two tiels who are pretty dang picky, and two budgies who are afraid of anything that doesn't look like millet or the round white seeds in seed mix. Thanks in advance for


(Also I am aware that an all seed diet is bad for budgies and cockatiels)

 

[Anne & Gang]

actually pellets are not necessary for the littles...I recommend a really good seed mix like Golden Feast or Volkman and lot sof fresh veggies etc to supplement. Even if you get a pellet you have to supplement what they mean by an all seed diet being bad is just that..an all seed diet with no fresh veggies etc to supplement. you would have to supplement even if they eat pellets.

 

[Mizzely]

My mother in law feeds the budgie sized Zupreem to hers!

 

[Alex92]

actually pellets are not necessary for the littles...I recommend a really good seed mix like Golden Feast or Volkman and lot sof fresh veggies etc to supplement. Even if you get a pellet you have to supplement what they mean by an all seed diet being bad is just that..an all seed diet with no fresh veggies etc to supplement. you would have to supplement even if they eat pellets.

Oh really? Oh ok! My question is how do I get my birds to try new foods if they are scared of them? She pretty much is the most stubborn animal I have ever met. I thought about trying to sprout things. She just doesn't seem interested in anything new.

 

[GlassOnion]

I really do recommend pellets for the littles, but I would make it 20-40% of their overall, no more. Roudybush is a good one, it's uncolored, unsweetened, cheap, and is backed up with decades of research on Cockatiels. When your females start getting broody and lay eggs, it's really important they are getting good nutrition, and I truly believe a good base of pellets will ensure they are not lacking in anything.

 

[Anne & Gang]

Well, she sounds like my Princess Mitch. have you tried scrambled eggs and mashed potatoes? Here is a quick trick for making scrambled eggs....in a microwave safe dish break an egg, stir, nuke for about 30 seconds, stir again, nuke for another 20-30 seconds...let it cool down (make sure center is not hot as microwavable foods have hot centers) . They love scrambled eggs...I hide very chopped up fine veggies inside the scrambled eggs and the mashed potatoes..if you make mashed potatoes you can put in the veggies afterwards and then give it...fools Princess Mitch every time..I put broccoli, carrots and sometimes peas mashed up in the scrambled eggs before i put the egg in the microwave. then just follow the same directions. The egg will cook around the veggies..also fools Princess Mitch every time.

 

[Alex92]

Well, she sounds like my Princess Mitch. have you tried scrambled eggs and mashed potatoes? Here is a quick trick for making scrambled eggs....in a microwave safe dish break an egg, stir, nuke for about 30 seconds, stir again, nuke for another 20-30 seconds...let it cool down (make sure center is not hot as microwavable foods have hot centers) . They love scrambled eggs...I hide very chopped up fine veggies inside the scrambled eggs and the mashed potatoes..if you make mashed potatoes you can put in the veggies afterwards and then give it...fools Princess Mitch every time..I put broccoli, carrots and sometimes peas mashed up in the scrambled eggs before i put the egg in the microwave. then just follow the same directions. The egg will cook around the veggies..also fools Princess Mitch every time.

Yeh. I tried doing all that. I mix in veggies into scrambled eggs and she will actually pick the veggies and stuff right out. >< She is a pain the butt sometimes. Might try sprouting seeds.

 

[Mizzely]

If she is resistant to trying new foods, I do recommend pellets as part of the diet as GlassOnion suggested. It just helps ensure that all nutritional needs are met, like taking a multivitamin! You can also try to bake bread to hide things in. My birds will try to eat anything I am eating, even Gizmo, who came here AFRAID of new things in her bowl!

 

[sthiele]

I've never met an avian vet who hasn't recommended littles like budgies and tiels getting some pellets in their diet. My littles get a 50/50 dry mix of seed and pellets, only available in the morning and night. During the day, its birdie bread and fruits/veggies. I feed ZuPreem and Hagen to my littles.

 

[Anne & Gang]

Yes, if she is resistant to trying new foods, then pellets are the best...however, you STILL have to s upplement pellets. People make the mistake of believing that pellets will provide all the nutritional needs, when in fact, they do not.

 

[GlassOnion]

Oh yeah, you have to supplement a pelleted diet with other foods. Actually, I supplement their diet WITH pellets! My guys eat mostly cooked/fresh, but I make sure they eat some pellets to round out any nutritional holes.

 

[Ziggymon]

I started out with Harrison's super fine, because it looks like little round seeds. I also put Harrison's mash (dry) on top of their seed and pellet mix - it coated the seeds, and got them used to the pellet taste.

They now get Harrison's fine or superfine, Golden Obles II, TOPS crumbles and the smallest size of In Tune mixed into their seed mix.

 

[Vegemite]

Well, she sounds like my Princess Mitch. have you tried scrambled eggs and mashed potatoes? Here is a quick trick for making scrambled eggs....in a microwave safe dish break an egg, stir, nuke for about 30 seconds, stir again, nuke for another 20-30 seconds...let it cool down (make sure center is not hot as microwavable foods have hot centers) . They love scrambled eggs...I hide very chopped up fine veggies inside the scrambled eggs and the mashed potatoes..if you make mashed potatoes you can put in the veggies afterwards and then give it...fools Princess Mitch every time..I put broccoli, carrots and sometimes peas mashed up in the scrambled eggs before i put the egg in the microwave. then just follow the same directions. The egg will cook around the veggies..also fools Princess Mitch every time.

Anne, are you implying that the princess is "not too bright"? LOL

 

[OzzieTheAlex]

I use and recommend Harrison's pellet. They comes in fine and super fine size for cockatiels and budgies

It's organic, human grade, no artificial ingredients, all natural, no added colour or sugar, and it has simple ingredients. I love it and so is Ozzie! Although its more expensive compares to other pellets brand, but it's worth it.

 

[Renae]

Birdie bread is great for introducing new foods, you can put quite a lot in it, here is just one recipe Pet Cafe,Bird Bread Recipe 1,Recipes for Pets,Recipes for Birds, Recipes for Bird Foods and Treats, Recipes for Cockatiels and Parrots if you put birdie bread recipes into google, a lot of different recipes come up. You can buy birdie bread too, Harrison’s has a few: Harrison's Bird Bread Mix-harrisonbirdfoods.com and Momma’s birdie bread I have heard is good as well: Birdie Bread by Momma's Cafe - DISCOUNTED 20%!.

There is a list of different recipes for birds here: The Pet Cafe, Recipes for Birds, Recipes for Parrots, Recipes for Cockatiels, Recipes for Bird Foods, Recipes for Bird Treats, Cooking for Pet Birds> <meta name="keywords" content="recipes for birds, recipes for parrots, cockatiels, bird foods,recipe.

These are tips on introducing new foods: Cockatiels,How to Get Your Cockatiel to Eat Greens, Vegetables, Fruits and Other Foods.

I am trying my birds on all natural pellets at the moment, but I am probably going to be switching them to Roudybush.

 

[Bailey]

I feed my cockatiels Zupreem. I get the budgie size fruit and the tiel size natural pellets. They won't eat any other kind! I recommend Zupreem.

Small birds can be fed a seed and daily veggie diet, but adding in pellets will fill the nutrient 'holes' that you might miss if the right veggies are not fed/varied.

 

[yvette]

My avian vet told me to put my tiel on seed and fresh foods. That was 15 years ago though. Maybe she has different thoughts now.