Diet

[Jas]

Hi everyone,

Diet is one thing that I have been reading up a lot on lately, and the topic of vitamin toxicity pops up. I'm curious to know that I'm feeding my babies a healthy diet, and not one that is too rich in certain vitamins or low in others.

So my two Green cheeks are about 7 months old they are both on a pellet diet (zupreem natural) with fresh veg everyday and fruit 3 times a week (I know zupreem has sugars in it so I feed them less fruit to prevent possibilities of a yeast infection). I also give them some sprouted seeds, a soaked/cooked avian specific bean mix (different types of lentils, peas, brown rice, Dari and beans like aduki, butter, tic, canalinni and pinto. They also get 1-2 nutriberries a week and some nuts for their foraging toys (no peanuts).

Veg includes; (3 to 4 a day)
Peas, kale, broccoli, sweet potato, green beans, carrots, butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, cucumber, sweet corn, cauliflower, bell peppers, jalapeños and celery.

Fruit includes; ( 1-2, 3 times a week)
Kiwi, grapes, mango, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, cantaloupe, pomegranate, Apple and plum.

Note: I live in the UK and it is difficult to get a hold of certain pellets. I'm wanting to put them on Roudybush (I've got to wait till company gets it in) yet on their website it says no cuttle fish should be given. What do you feed your conures if they are on Roudybush, I don't want to overload them with vitamins?

 

[Lady Jane]

This diet sounds good to me. Roudybush pellets have a great deal of corn, it is the listed first ingredients. I do not feed Zupreem anything so really cannot comment on this. My pellet of choice are two: Harrisons extra fine and a Goldenfeast pellets for small beaks.

 

[expressmailtome]

It sounds as if they are on a very healthy, and varied, diet.

 

[Jas]

Thank you!

 

[Mizzely]

It is really, really hard to overdose on vitamins from fresh foods. For foods that are fortified, like pellets, it's easier but still hard. You'd really have to forcibly feed your bird to overdose. Like, syringe vitamins into their mouth. Roudybush etc are made to be balanced amounts, not toxic. If you are feeding 100% pellets, you can't overdose, so diluting it with fresh foods is definitely not going to do it.

Now, you could throw off the balance of certain things like the calcium/ phosphorus/D3 triangle, but based on what you feed I don't see any alarms.

The only pellets I avoid are TOPS and Goldenfeast because they aren't complete diets. They do not offer things our birds need, like D3.

 

[Jas]

Okay, tbh I thought It was a little difficult to overdose them on vitamins but because they are small I thought it wouldn't take too much. So thank you for clearing that up.

Another thing though is the full spectrum bird lights. I've heard it is essential for the vitamin d3 cycle (or direct sunlight) and I have taken both conures outside in the sun when the weather was warmer (it's getting frosty now and I wouldn't want them to catch a cold).

What are your opinions on bird lamps? I've heard some people say their parrot couldn't live without one. Others say it has caused them to develop burns and cataracts.

 

[Mizzely]

All my research states that Full Spectrum Bulbs are useless from a D3 perspective. Bulbs, even within the same brand, are inconsistent with their output, and all only provide noticeable UVB within 6 to 12 inches, which can cause retinal damage.
They are only good for helping the bird see in UV which is beneficial.

Direct sunlight is great for them because they cannot produce D3 without it. There is no vegetable source of D3 (though alfalfa has a tiny amount of it), and D2 is essentially useless for them.

So, that's why D3 fortified pellets are awesome. D3 is essential for many body functions, and synthetic vitamins and sunlight are the only safe, healthy sources for it. And, if you feed pellets and take them outside, they cannot overdose on D3. The body will not over produce it. Once it has enough it will cease production.

 

[Jas]

Thank you!